I’ve been on a Linux heavy workflow for years now and was surprised to find Windows 11 includes “App Execution Aliases” that hijack the python and python3 commands, often redirecting to the Microsoft Store or throwing “Permission Denied” errors even if a valid interpreter is installed via official installers or pyenv-win.
The Problem
Windows prioritizes its own stubs located in %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps. These zero-byte files intercept the command before it reaches your actual PATH entries.
Resolution
You can disable these through the GUI to let your manual installation take priority.
- Open Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings.
- Select App execution aliases.
- Toggle App Installer (python.exe) and App Installer (python3.exe) to Off.
Verify the change in PowerShell:
where.exe python
The result should now point to your intended installation path (e.g., Program Files or pyenv) rather than the WindowsApps folder.
Note
Windows Updates occasionally reset these toggles to “On.” If your environment suddenly breaks after a system update, check these aliases first.