Cannot open PowerToys Settings window

[rch-git]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.58.0

Running as admin

• Yes

Area(s) with issue?

Settings

Steps to reproduce

1. Upgrade to v0.58.0 from v0.57.2
2. Try to open PowerToys settings window by double clicking on the system tray icon or the start menu icon

✔️ Expected Behavior

I expect the settings Windows to open

❌ Actual Behavior

Nothing happens.

Other Software

No response

[rch-git]

This is my system summary.

[htcfreek]

/bugreport

[ghost]

Hi there!

We need a bit more information to really debug this issue. Can you add a "Report Bug" zip file here? You right click on our system tray icon and just go to report bug. Then drag the zipfile from your desktop onto the GitHub comment box in this issue. Thanks!

[dave-mike]

I have the same issue, PowerToys settings page won't open on 0.58; 0.57.2 works just fine
Zip attached
PowerToysReport_2022-05-04-02-57-09.zip

[rch-git]

/bugreport
PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-19-06-39.zip
Hope that helps. I am going to downgrade back to the older version. Thanks!

[xwize]

Same issue for me. Typical microsoft.

Why show a big green update button with a big tick next to it, if when user clicks it breaks their installation. Very funny.

[dr-baba]

Same issue here.
PowerToysReport_2022-05-04-09-38-26.zip

[rch-git]

I think at this point, they should rollback the release.

[1332186865]

I have the same issue, PowerToys settings page won't open on 0.58; 0.57.2 works just fine
Zip attached[](url
PowerToysReport_2022-05-04-11-24-52.zip
)

[zenxero]

Same problem here. Clean install of Windows 10 Pro 21H2 Build 19044.1645
Version 0.58.0 Settings window won't open. Downgrading to version 0.57.2 works fine.

PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-21-42-33.zip

[htcfreek]

@crutkas
Is this the same as #18015?

[stefansjfw]

@rch-git @zenxero could you try uninstalling PowerToys and try installing it again?

[zenxero]

@stefansjfw
Unfortunately, uninstalling and reinstalling didn't fix the issue.
I also tried deleting the AppData\Local\Microsoft\Powertoys directory before reinstalling, but to no avail.
Rebooting between uninstalling and reinstalling also didn't make a difference.
It's strange because the app is running, and functionality like the Alt + Space search works, but the settings window just won't open.

[stefansjfw]

@zenxero thakns for checking. Is there a chance that you dissabled UAC and you're trying to run settings ap as administalrator?
#18015 (comment)

[zenxero]

Event viewer error shows the following when trying to open the settings window:

[zenxero]

@stefansjfw
No, I never mess with UAC settings. They are at the default level.

[zenxero]

I tried installing powertoys from the Microsoft store here: https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/microsoft-powertoys/XP89DCGQ3K6VLD

It works fine and the settings window opens. Then, I update the app by clicking the "Install Now" button. After the update, the settings window no longer opens and event viewer shows the same fault as before.

[zenxero]

Aha, I found the problem (at least on my system).
I use the MSI Afterburner + Rivatuner Statistics Server programs for in-game performance overlays.
Well, it turns out that Rivatuner's default application detection doesn't like the new version of Powertoys for whatever reason.
By adding the PowerToys.exe and PowerToys.Settings.exe to Rivatuner's list and setting the detection level to "None", basically telling Rivatuner to ignore the applications, then the settings window opens correctly on version 0.58.0.

[stefansjfw]

that is a really nice catch! thanks for taking your time to investigate this!

[zenxero]

No problem. Hopefully it helps others who come across this.

[jaimecbernardo]

We've tried upgrading win app sdk to 1.1 preview3, which would support running elevated.

Could you please try a debug build with the fix so we can validate it on your configuration? (It's an unsigned build , by the way)
https://github.com/stefansjfw/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.0.5

Please uninstall your current PowerToys installation, then install this debug build.
Replicate the bug, to see if it's still there or if the behavior is better.

Thank you, in advance.

[AndyK70]

FYI:
Running MSI AB 4.6.4 (build 16255), RTSS 7.3.4 beta 1 and Powertoys 0.58.0 on Windows 10.0.19044.1645 64bit
Having 3D detection exclusions in RTSS for

• PowerToys.ColorPickerUI.exe
• PowerToys.exe
• PowerToys.FancyZones.exe
• PowerToys.Settings.exe

Added those exclusions by shift+click "Add"-button in RTSS to get all detected running active 3D apps. Really easy to do.

MSI AB, RTSS and PowerToys are running elevated.
No issues at all.
PowerToys and settings page working as intended

[megamorphg]

@jaimecbernardo
Disabling elevated did not work. Sadly, even the debug build you shared doesn't work. Log:
PowerToysReport_2022-05-04-13-27-25.zip

@stefansjfw Yes, it is properly showing as running elevated in Task Manager.

@AndyK70 I tried adding exclusions in RTSS as you indicated (just added all of them) and restarting and didn't work.

Edit: PowerToys.Settings did not automatically load when doing Shift + Click on the Add button in RTSS.
I had to explicitly add "C:\Program Files\PowerToys\Settings\PowerToys.Settings.exe"
And then it worked! Thank you!

[stefansjfw]

@megamorphg Looks like you hit both of the issues we're seeing! :) Thanks for the update!

[AndyK70]

@megamorphg Oh, I should have mentioned, this shift+click of course does only add those apps to the exclusions when they are actually running at time of clicking the add button. So when you can't bring up the settings page PowerToys.Settings.exe is not running and therefor can't be automatically detected.
I had this exclusions already made before I updated to PT 0.58.0, don't remember at which prior version exactly.
But of course one can add it manually as you did.

[rch-git]

@jaimecbernardo - Perhaps your team should consider adding this as a known issue in the release notes or something of that sort. Just to make life easy for those that encounter this problem.

[jaimecbernardo]

You're right @rch-git , just added it. Thanks for calling it out.

[amerrin]

Thank you! This solved my issues of PowerToys not opening as well!

[sagudeloo]

Hi, currently I'm getting the same issue but, in my case I don't use RTSS, then I couldn't implement this fix
PowerToysReport_2022-05-24-07-46-10.zip

[spacelordace]

Hello, I am having the same issue. I do not have afterburner or RTSS on this machine. I have tried all the uninstall re-install stuff and am having the same issue where it seems like its running but setting isnt opening.

[stefansjfw]

@sagudeloo @spacelordace Can you check this #18019 (comment) ?

[spacelordace]

@sagudeloo @spacelordace Can you check this #18019 (comment) ?

Yes, I tried all of the suggestions in this thread that did not relate to RTSS or afterburner. No luck. And yes my explorer.exe is running elevated

[stefansjfw]

And yes my explorer.exe is running elevated

@spacelordace Due to WinAppSDK 1.0.0 limitation, PowerToys settings can't run elevated. Try enabling UAC. That should make it work

[spacelordace]

@stefansjfw Thank you that worked!

[boe323]

Aha, I found the problem (at least on my system). I use the MSI Afterburner + Rivatuner Statistics Server programs for in-game performance overlays. Well, it turns out that Rivatuner's default application detection doesn't like the new version of Powertoys for whatever reason. By adding the PowerToys.exe and PowerToys.Settings.exe to Rivatuner's list and setting the detection level to "None", basically telling Rivatuner to ignore the applications, then the settings window opens correctly on version 0.58.0.

Thankyou, ive been baffled for ages with this error, didnt even think to check rivatuner

[stefansjfw]

PowerToys v0.59 is released. Try installing the latest version and see if your issue is resolved.

Note: RivaTuner isssue is still present with the latest version. So PowerToys still has to be on the RivaTuner ignore list. This issue is being investigated and it has to do with how RivaTuner interacts with our application, so it's probably on their side.

Thanks!

[jaimecbernardo]

Let's continue discussion at #18725