Strain-induced switching between noncollinear and collinear spin configuration in magnetic <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>Mn</mml:mi><mml:mn>5</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>Ge</mml:mi><mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math> films

We report the temperature-dependent magnetic and structural properties of epitaxial ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{5}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{3}$ thin films grown on Ge substrates. Utilizing density-functional theory (DFT) calculations various experimental methods, we reveal mechanisms governing switching between collinear noncollinear spin configuration in ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{5}{\mathrm{Ge}}_{3}$. The Mn atoms occupy two distinct Wyckoff positions with fourfold $({\mathrm{Mn}}_{1})$ sixfold $({\mathrm{Mn}}_{2})$ multiplicity. DFT that below a critical distance approximately 3.002 \AA{} coupling ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{2}$ is antiferromagnetic (AFM) while ferromagnetic (FM) above distance. FM ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1}$ weakly affected by strain. observed due to coexistence AFM at low temperatures. findings give insight developing strain-controlled spintronic devices.