Symptom

After a Windows Desktop update, every local sandboxed command fails before it starts. Browser tools may fail too. Rebooting does not help.

Evidence what you'll see

Error: helper_unknown_error: setup refresh had errors
Reported on Desktop 26.1002.52244 (package 26.1002.7124.0) with bundled CLI 0.162.0-alpha.2
A user reported the same failure with the npm CLI 0.162.1 on 2026-10-15, while the Desktop app on the same machine worked

Cause

Users traced it to the runtime validator opening files Windows has mapped as running images, which causes a sharing violation (os error 32). A related upstream change, PR #51822, targets this, but the issue is still open and the npm CLI is still reported failing.

Fix steps

0 of 3 done

Step 1Desktop app: update to 26.1007.21434 or later. Several users reported sandboxed commands working on that build (user reports, not a maintainer statement).
Step 2npm CLI: no user-confirmed version yet. Track the issue before relying on the sandbox.
Step 3Interim options reported by users: roll the Desktop app back to 26.930.61225 and hold updates, or set windows.sandbox from elevated to unelevated in the config, then fully quit and reopen.

Your check marks stay in this browser only.

Verify the fix worked

A simple sandboxed command such as Get-Location returns exit code 0 without escalation.
For the CLI, rerun the same check with the CLI version noted.

Did this fix it?

Sources and credit

Summarized in our own words from these public reports. Credit goes to their authors.

Provided as is, without warranty. Test in a non-production environment and back up first. Security-related steps: verify against the official docs. Terms · Request removal or attribution change