KDE Connect CLI Not Recognized

If you run this command in your Command Prompt:

%comspec% /c set LANG=en_US.UTF-8 && kdeconnect-cli --list-devices > %TEMP%test.txt && type %TEMP%test.txt

And you receive this error:

'kdeconnect-cli' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file

Follow these troubleshooting steps:

Step 1: Check App Execution Aliases #

Windows Store apps use execution aliases that need to be enabled.

1. Open Settings
2. Navigate to Apps → Advanced app settings → App execution aliases
3. Scroll down and find KDE Connect
4. Ensure the toggle is ON (enabled)

Step 2: Verify KDE Connect CLI File Exists #

Check if the kdeconnect-cli.exe file is present in the WindowsApps folder.

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Run the following command:

dir "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\kdeconnect-cli.exe"

3. If the file is found, proceed to Step 3
4. If the file is not found, you may need to reinstall KDE Connect from the Microsoft Store

Step 3: Add WindowsApps to Environment Variables #

Ensure the WindowsApps folder is added to your system PATH.

1. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter
   
2. Click the Advanced tab
3. Click the Environment Variables button
4. Under User variables for \, find and select Path
5. Click Edit
6. Check if the following path already exists:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps

7. If it doesn’t exist, click New and add the path
8. Click OK on all dialogs to save changes
   

Step 4: Restart Your Computer #

A system restart is required for PATH changes to take effect.

1. Save all your work
2. Restart your computer

Step 5: Verify the Fix #

After restarting, open a new Command Prompt window and run the test command again:

%comspec% /c set LANG=en_US.UTF-8 && kdeconnect-cli --list-devices > %TEMP%\test.txt && type %TEMP%\test.txt

If successful, you should see a list of your connected KDE Connect devices (or an empty list if no devices are connected).

Still Not Working? #

If you’ve followed all steps and the command still doesn’t work, try reinstalling KDE Connect:

Uninstall the Windows Store Version

1. Click the Start button or press the Windows key
2. Type KDE Connect in the search bar
3. Right-click on KDE Connect in the search results
4. Select Uninstall
5. Confirm the uninstallation

Install the Desktop Version

1. Go to kdeconnect.kde.org/download.html
2. Download the Windows installer
3. Run the installer and follow the installation steps

Add KDE Connect to Environment Variables

After installing the desktop version, you need to add it to your PATH:

1. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter
2. Click the Advanced tab
3. Click the Environment Variables button
4. Under User variables for \, find and select Path
5. Click Edit
6. Click New

7. Add the path:

   C:\Program Files\KDE Connect\bin
   8. Click OK on all dialogs to save changes
   
   9. Restart your computer again

Verify the Fix

After restarting, open a new Command Prompt window and run the test command again:

%comspec% /c set LANG=en_US.UTF-8 && kdeconnect-cli --list-devices > %TEMP%\test.txt && type %TEMP%\test.txt

If successful, you should see a list of your connected KDE Connect devices (or an empty list if no devices are connected).