Windows Store Launches When Executing 'python' in CMD

Users have encountered an unexpected issue where typing 'python' in CMD triggers the opening of the Windows Store and prompts them to install Python 3.7. This problem has been observed despite attempts to reinstall Python and ensure a correct Path environment variable configuration.

Solution:

To resolve this issue, navigate to the Windows search bar and search for "Manage app execution aliases." Identify two aliases for Python and unselect them. This action will restore the standard Python aliases "python" and "python3."

This problem arises due to the automatic creation of aliases for Python in a new Windows installation. These aliases redirect users to the Windows Store when accessing Python from the command prompt. Thealiases are located in the directory %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps.

To prevent this redirection, navigate to App Execution Alias page and disable both Python aliases. This action will remove the fake python.exe and python3.exe files and restore the correct Python executable path in your environment variables.