Unable to Launch Windows Terminal via `wt.exe` or `windowsterminal.exe` After KB5050021 Update

[itm-platform]

Windows Terminal version

1.21.3231.0

Windows build number

22621.4751

Other Software

No response

Steps to reproduce

Detailed Description

After applying the KB5050021 update on January 14, 2025, the Windows Terminal fails to launch when executed via:

• wt.exe in PowerShell, CMD, or VS Code integrated terminal.
• Direct execution of windowsterminal.exe in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.

No error messages are displayed, and the process is not visible in Task Manager for long. The WindowsTerminal.exe process briefly appears in Task Manager but disappears after a couple of seconds. However, the terminal opens correctly when launched via its app icon in the Start menu.

---

Steps to Reproduce

1. Update Windows 11 to build 22621.4751 via KB5050021.
2. Attempt to open Windows Terminal via wt.exe in a PowerShell or CMD window.
3. Alternatively, attempt to open windowsterminal.exe directly.
4. Observe that no terminal appears and no error messages are shown.

---

Observations

• When launched via the app icon, the terminal works correctly.
• Running Get-Process -Name *WindowsTerminal*, wt after opening the terminal via the app icon shows WindowsTerminal as active. Running the same command after executing wt.exe returns no processes.
• When executing wt.exe, the WindowsTerminal.exe process briefly appears in Task Manager but disappears after a couple of seconds.
• The issue persists across the following environments:
  • Default PowerShell terminal.
  • CMD.
  • VS Code integrated terminal.
• Resetting, uninstalling, and reinstalling Windows Terminal, as well as running sfc /scannow and DISM commands, did not resolve the issue.

---

Expected Behavior

wt.exe and windowsterminal.exe should launch Windows Terminal normally, as before the update.

Additional Notes

The issue affects workflows that depend on scripting or terminal automation via wt.exe. This problem has been consistently reproducible and may affect other users who installed the KB5050021 update.

Expected Behavior

Expected Behavior

wt.exe and windowsterminal.exe should launch Windows Terminal normally, as before the update.

---

Actual Behavior

No error messages are displayed, and the process is not visible in Task Manager for long. The WindowsTerminal.exe process briefly appears in Task Manager but disappears after a couple of seconds. However, the terminal opens correctly when launched via its app icon in the Start menu.