What is the inetpub folder that’s suddenly appeared on Windows 11 systems?
If you’ve installed the updates for Windows 11 released by Microsoft earlier this week, you may have noticed several things. Firstly, you likely found that several bugs have been fixed but, secondly, new problems have been introduced.
Thirdly, you may be one of many people to install the KB5055523 update for Windows 11 and then found that a strange folder called “inetpub” has appeared. What’s the story here?
See also:
- Whoops! Microsoft just broke Windows Hello with the latest Windows 11 update
- Microsoft releases KB5055523 update to fix a glut of Windows 11 problems
- Microsoft is giving the Windows 11 Start menu a major overhaul -- and you’re going to love it!
Quite what is happening is not yet clear; Microsoft has said nothing about the folder. It is, as Bleeping Computer points out, related to the Internet Information Services (IIS), but you don’t have to be using this -- or even have it installed -- for the folder to have been created.
The folder is normally used by ISS as a place to store files relating to web hosting, and if you are among those who find it has suddenly appeared on your computer, there is nothing to worry about. The rogue inetpub folder (found in the root of C:\) is empty and can be safely deleted without any consequences; it can also be left alone as it is just sitting there doing nothing and occupying no space.
Despite the relation to ISS, the sudden appearance of the inetpub folder does not mean that IIS has been forcibly installed -- it’s just yet another weird quirk of an update for Windows.
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