Definition
Installed Packages is a Setup page that lists all managed and unmanaged packages installed in the org, along with their version numbers, publisher information, and license details. Administrators use this page to view package details, check for available upgrades, configure package licenses, and uninstall packages.
Real-World Example
The admin at Velocity Partners opens Installed Packages and sees 12 installed packages. She notices that the DocuSign package has an upgrade available from version 7.5 to 8.0. She clicks "Upgrade" and reviews the release notes, which describe new e-signature features and a security patch. After testing in a sandbox, she upgrades the production package.
Why Installed Packages Matters
The Installed Packages page in Salesforce Setup provides a centralized inventory of every managed and unmanaged package deployed in the org. Each listing displays the package name, publisher, version number, namespace prefix, installation date, and license allocation details. For managed packages from AppExchange vendors, this page also shows available upgrades, allowing administrators to compare current and latest versions, review release notes, and initiate the upgrade process. This visibility is critical because packages introduce external code, objects, and automation into the org — without tracking them, administrators cannot assess the full scope of their org's customizations or evaluate security exposure from third-party code.
As organizations install more packages to extend Salesforce functionality, the Installed Packages page becomes essential for license management, security governance, and technical debt control. Each managed package consumes org limits — custom objects, Apex code lines, and storage — that administrators must monitor to avoid hitting platform ceilings. Unmanaged packages pose a particular risk because they deposit unpackaged metadata into the org that becomes indistinguishable from native customizations, making cleanup difficult. Organizations that neglect package management often discover during a security review that they have packages with unused licenses costing thousands annually, outdated versions with known vulnerabilities, or orphaned components from packages that were uninstalled but left residual metadata behind.
How Organizations Use Installed Packages
- Velocity Partners — Velocity Partners' admin reviews Installed Packages monthly and discovers that their DocuSign package has an upgrade available from version 7.5 to 8.0. She reviews the release notes, which describe new e-signature features and a critical security patch for a session handling vulnerability. After testing the upgrade in a full-copy sandbox and verifying no regressions, she deploys the upgrade to production within the vendor's recommended 30-day remediation window.
- Greenfield Ventures — Greenfield Ventures' new admin inherits an org with 23 installed packages. Using the Installed Packages page, she identifies four packages that haven't been upgraded in over two years and two packages with zero assigned licenses — meaning no users can actually access them. She uninstalls the unused packages (saving $8,400 annually in subscription fees) and coordinates with vendors to bring the outdated packages to current versions.
- TechBridge Solutions — TechBridge Solutions hits the custom object limit and can't create new objects for a critical project. The admin checks Installed Packages and finds that three legacy unmanaged packages collectively introduced 47 custom objects, many of which are no longer used. She methodically removes the unused objects after verifying they have no records or references, freeing up capacity for the new project without purchasing additional object licenses.