Python was not found, or pip not recognized (Windows fix)

That message doesn’t come from Python. Windows ships a small placeholder python.exe (and python3.exe) in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps, an “app execution alias” whose only job is to send you to the Microsoft Store. When it’s the first python.exe Windows finds, you get:

Python was not found; run without arguments to install from the Microsoft Store, or disable this shortcut from Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings > App execution aliases.

The exit code is 9009, which is what a script or CI job sees.

I reproduced it on GitHub’s Windows runner, which has both the placeholder and a real Python 3.12.10. Running the placeholder directly, or with only WindowsApps on PATH, printed the message above. So “Python was not found” can appear on a machine where Python is installed: it depends on which python.exe comes first.

Step 1: see which python.exe wins

where.exe python

C:\hostedtoolcache\windows\Python\3.12.10\x64\python.exe
C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python.exe

Step 2: make the real Python come first

The message’s other suggestion, turning the alias off in Settings → Apps → Advanced app settings → App execution aliases, stops the placeholder from answering. It doesn’t install Python, so you still need step 2. I didn’t change that setting for this test.

Python works, but ‘pip’ is not recognized

python works, pip doesn’t. That’s how a fresh Python looks on Windows 11 when it’s installed through Python’s install manager (py install): on this PC, python and py ran, but in Command Prompt:

'pip' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

pip3 gave the same message. pip is installed; Windows just can’t find a pip command, because the folder with it isn’t on your PATH. The install manager says so when it installs Python, in a line that’s easy to miss:

Global shortcuts directory is not on PATH. Add it for easy access to global Python aliases.

Fix 1: run pip through Python

py -m pip --version
py -m pip install requests

Fix 2: put the shortcuts folder on PATH

If you want plain pip to work, add the folder from that message to your PATH:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Python\bin

How this was tested

GitHub Actions’ windows-latest runner, October 18, 2026: the WindowsApps placeholders run directly, then python --version with only WindowsApps and the system folders on PATH, and with the runner’s Python 3.12.10 before and after WindowsApps. The install manager case was a Windows 11 Pro PC with Python 3.14.5. The script and workflow are public. The pip case was the same Windows 11 PC: each way of starting pip was run in Command Prompt as installed, then again after the PATH change. Every message above is the real output.