Add signtool.exe to Windows Enviroment Variable Path

To add the signtool.exe to the PATH environment variable in Windows 10, follow these steps:

Step 1: Locate the Signtool.exe

  1. First, locate the signtool.exe file on your system. It is typically found within the Windows SDK installation directory. The default installation path may look something like:
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\<version>\x86
    • or
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\<version>\x64

Step 2: Copy the Path

  1. Once you've located signtool.exe, copy its directory path. For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\<version>\x86

Step 3: Open Environment Variables

  1. Right-click on the Start button and select System.
  2. In the System window, click on Advanced system settings on the left sidebar.
  3. In the System Properties window that opens, click on the Environment Variables button at the bottom.

TIP: Simply entering "env" in search field may be easier to locate the environment window.

Step 4: Edit the PATH Variable

  1. In the Environment Variables window, under the System variables section, scroll and find the variable named Path and select it.
  2. Click on the Edit button.

Step 5: Add New Path

  1. In the Edit Environment Variable window, click on New and paste the directory path you copied earlier (the one that contains signtool.exe). For example C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x64. Do NOT add signtool.exe!
  2. Click OK to close each dialog box.

Step 6: Verify the Addition

  1. To verify that signtool.exe has been added to your PATH, open a new Command Prompt window (you may need to close any open Command Prompt windows to refresh the environment variables).
  2. Type signtool and press Enter. If the command is recognized and you see usage instructions, it means signtool.exe has been successfully added to your PATH.

That's it! You can now use signtool.exe from any Command Prompt window without needing to specify its full path.

TIPS: Close and restart your CMD before testing the "signtool" in CMD window.

To install the Windows 10 SDK, follow the steps below:

The Windows 10 SDK is included with Visual Studio, but it is not installed automatically. To install it, navigate to the Control Panel and select "Programs and Features." Locate Microsoft Visual Studio 20?? and click on "Change." This will initiate the Visual Studio 20?? setup process. Choose the "Modify" option.

In the list of Visual Studio components, find Universal Windows App Development Tools. Expand this section to access the sub-items, then select Windows 10 SDK (10.0.10240).

Alternatively, you can install the Windows 10 SDK directly from Microsoft using the following link: CLICK HERE for direct download from Microsoft.

Once the installation is complete, you will find SignTool.exe located in the following directories: - For 32-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x86\ - For 64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x64\

By following these steps, you'll be able to successfully install the necessary SDK and access the SignTool.

The instructions above to install the signtool.exe may be outdated, but it worked on a new Windows laptop on Jun 14, 2024.