How To Fix Issues When Running Sysinternals Tools in Windows 11 Sysinternals tools are essential for diagnostics, malware analysis, and deep system inspection in Windows 11. Let’s walk through how to fix common launch and permission issues so these tools run smoothly. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Why Sysinternals Tools May Not Run Properly Even though Sysinternals utilities come directly from Microsoft, Windows security features can sometimes block them. Smart App Control, Controlled Folder Access, or Microsoft Defender might flag unsigned or newly downloaded executables as unsafe. Other times, the file itself is marked with a Zone.Identifier tag, which Windows uses to mark internet downloads. These restrictions can cause a tool to fail silently, close immediately, or show a warning message. Next, let’s go through the steps that can restore normal function. How To Unblock And Run The Tools Start with the simplest fix: right-click the executable file, open Properties, and check the Unblock box if it appears. Click Apply, then relaunch the tool. That removes the internet safety tag that may be restricting it. If you have several Sysinternals tools to repair, PowerShell can do it faster. Open it as an administrator and run: Repeat for each tool you want to enable. If the issue persists, Smart App Control may be interfering. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Windows Security → App & Browser Control, then toggle Smart App Control off. Keep in mind that Smart App Control can only be permanently disabled, and re-enabling it requires a system reset. How To Adjust Security Settings Safely When Defender blocks or deletes a tool, add an exclusion for the folder where your Sysinternals suite is stored but only if the tools were downloaded from the official Microsoft Sysinternals site. Open Windows Security → Virus & Threat Protection → Manage Settings → Exclusions and add that location. You can also allow each tool through Controlled Folder Access to protected locations like Documents or Desktop for logging or diagnostics. Finally, always run Sysinternals utilities as an administrator and only download them from Microsoft’s official site to avoid tampered versions. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to fix Sysinternals tool issues in Windows 11, linked in the description below.