How to Completely Disable ‘App Execution Aliases’ (Forcing UWP Apps from CMD) in Windows 11

In modern versions of Windows 11, Microsoft has aggressively pushed its Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications. To force users toward these apps, Windows uses a feature called “App Execution Aliases.” If you open a command prompt and type python, instead of throwing an error or running your locally installed Python script, Windows will intercept the command, hijack the terminal, and forcefully open the Microsoft Store page for Python.

For developers, system administrators, and power users who install their own software (like Python, Windows Terminal, or Notepad++) via package managers or standalone installers, these execution aliases are an absolute nightmare. They cause terminal scripts to fail silently as the OS tries to launch a GUI storefront in the background. If you want your command line to act like a true terminal and only execute exactly what is in your system PATH, you must completely disable these execution aliases.

Disabling App Execution Aliases via Windows Settings

You can turn off these command-line hijacks directly from the modern Windows Settings app, allowing your terminal to function normally.

1. Click the Start button and select the Settings gear icon (or press Windows Key + i).
2. In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Apps.
3. In the main panel, click on Advanced app settings.
4. Look for the section labelled App execution aliases and click on it.
5. You will be presented with a massive list of executable names (like python.exe, python3.exe, wt.exe for Windows Terminal, and notepad.exe) sitting next to their associated UWP apps.
6. Go through the list and click the toggle switch to Off for every single alias that is hijacking your commands. If you are a developer, it is highly recommended to turn off all of them to ensure a clean command-line environment.

The changes take effect immediately. Close the Settings app and open a new Command Prompt or PowerShell window. If you type python now, the terminal will properly search your system PATH and execute your local installation, rather than throwing you into the Microsoft Store.