How to install SysInternals properly?

Roger Blair 410 Reputation points
2026-04-01T10:44:16.96+00:00

I had to rebuild my Windows 11 Pro system, and I downloaded and installed the Sysinternals suite. In the past, all the tools in the suite would be listed in the Sysinternals folder in the App list; now, only one tool is listed. What went wrong, and how do I fix it? (BTW, I downloaded the installation package from the Microsoft website.)

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Apps
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Ice Darel Caorte 1,240 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-04-01T11:33:20.4266667+00:00

Hi Roger Blair, Thanks for posting here in Microsoft Community, I understand your concern about the Sysinternals tools no longer appearing correctly in the Apps list after reinstalling Windows 11. Please be informed that Sysinternals doesn’t really “install” like normal apps anymore.

Most Sysinternals tools are portable EXE files. When you download the Suite from Microsoft, Windows does not register each tool in the Apps list. That’s why you only see one entry, usually Sysinternals Live or a single tool that has its own installer.

How it worked before, older setups or manual shortcuts made each tool show up in the Start menu. How it works now, tools stay in a folder and run directly. Windows Apps list will not show them one by one.

If you want to make it look like before, you need to open the Sysinternals folder and run tools directly, or create Start menu shortcuts manually, or use Sysinternals Live and run tools from the command line.

So the download is correct. This is just how Sysinternals works now, not a Windows 11 issue.If you still needed further assistance or you still have any more question feel free to comment I'll be happy to assist you.

Best regards,

Ice C.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-04-01T10:44:42.05+00:00

    On current Windows 11 behavior, nothing is broken. The difference is how Sysinternals is installed and how Windows surfaces the tools.

    There are two main installation patterns in the context:

    1. Zip download (classic, unpackaged tools)
      • Downloaded as a ZIP, e.g. SysinternalsSuite.zip from the Sysinternals site.
      • Tools are just EXEs in a folder; Windows does not automatically create Start menu entries for each tool.
      • If this is what was installed, only manually created shortcuts (or a single shortcut created by some previous installer/script) will appear in the Start menu. The rest of the tools will not show up automatically under a “Sysinternals” folder.
    2. Microsoft Store (MSIX bundle, modern behavior)
      • Installed as an MSIX bundle from the Microsoft Store (Sysinternals Suite app).
      • On Windows 11, graphical tools (like Process Explorer) are added to the Start menu and grouped in a Sysinternals Suite folder.
      • On Windows 10, Start menu folders for MSIX packages are not supported, so tools are not grouped in a Sysinternals folder.
      • All executables are also exposed via App Execution Aliases in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps, with the Sysinternals aliases under:
        %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\Microsoft.SysinternalsSuite_8wekyb3d8bbwe

    If previously using the Store/MSIX version (with a grouped Start menu folder) and now using the ZIP-based suite, the Start menu will no longer show each tool automatically. That explains why only one entry appears now.

    To restore the “proper” integrated experience on Windows 11:

    1. Install Sysinternals Suite from the Microsoft Store (MSIX bundle).
    2. After installation on Windows 11, look in the Start menu for the “Sysinternals Suite” folder; the graphical tools will be listed there.
    3. Optionally verify the aliases under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\Microsoft.SysinternalsSuite_8wekyb3d8bbwe if command-line access is needed.

    If the Store/MSIX version is already installed but only one tool shows:

    • Confirm the OS is Windows 11 (folder grouping is only supported there for MSIX packages).
    • Check the Start menu’s Sysinternals Suite folder rather than the generic Apps list.
    • If entries are still missing, uninstall the Sysinternals Suite Store app and reinstall it from the Store to rebuild the Start menu group and aliases.

    References:

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