[visual-studio] An error occurred while signing: SignTool.exe not found

While I was trying to Update my Project I was making - I got an error for the first time I've seen:

'An error occurred while signing: SignTool.exe not found.'

I've never seen this before, So I looked up that SignTool.exe is what signs my project for ClickOnce Deployment.

I also read that is it a part of Windows SDK - but when I looked to find where SignTool.exe is - I saw it right there!

  C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bin

I saw no problem, and I've always published my Project all the time - I'm on Version 68. But this is the first time I've seen this - I didn't touch any options that would do this.

Any help?

Click "Project" at the top. Then click " Properties" -> Signing -> Unchecked [Sign the ClickOnce manifests] is now working

Reinstalling SDK did not help me but installing SDK+.NET 3.5 did from link below: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3138

None of the answers above talk about disabling ClickOnce. In my situation, I never used ClickOnce for my applications but after I upgraded to VS 2015 it was suddenly enabled and I got the 'SignTool.exe not found' error when I tried to compile.

To disable you go into the properties of your Project (right click) and choose Security | Uncheck Enable ClickOnce security settings.

You can leave the manifest checked in the Signing tab because it has nothing to sign if it's been disabled.

I've confirmed that unchecking the security resolved the compile error on my projects.

This is a simple fix. Open the project you are getting this error on. Click "Project" at the top. Then click " Properties" ( Will be the name of the opened project) then click "Security" then uncheck "Enable ClickOnce security settings."

That should fix everything.

I did have similar problem. For some reason under project properties -> Signing -> Sign ClickOnce manifests was enabled.

I unchecked it and the problem went away.

Windows 10 users can find signtool.exe in C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.18362.0\x64 folder (10.0.18362.0 in my case, or other version).

But first, make sure you've installed Windows 10 SDK

Then, check Windows SDK Signing Tools for Desktop Apps is installed by going to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, choose Windows Software Development Kit - Windows 10.0.18362.1 (in my case, you version may be different), right-click, choose Change, choose options Change then click Next.

1. Solution Explorer
2. Your app Right Clik
3. Propatis
4. Security
5. Unchek (Enable ClickOnce Security Settings) Thats Solve..... __:)
6. https://i.stack.imgur.com/62nKZ.png See

[enter image description here]

SignTool is moved to another location in the last SDK: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\bin\x86

Need to install ClickOnce Publishing Tools during Visual Studio 2015 setup.

You can re-run the Installation from the Programs and Features section; find Visual Studio in the list and click Change.

I needed Signing hence couldn't un-check as suggested.

Then goto Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 Click Change then the installer will load and you need to click Modify to add ClickOnce Publishing Tools feature.

ClickOnce Publishing Tools are not installed as part of the Typical Installation Options. So you have to install it in advanced mode.

This dialog can be found in Windows 7 by going to Control Panel > Uninstall a program, right-clicking on Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2015 and selecting Change. A Visual Studio dialog will open up. Select Modify from the set of buttons at the bottom and the above dialog will appear.

Please Click Once application --> Properties --> Signing -> Unchecked the Sign the ClickOnce manifests.

Problem will be solved.

Note: Be aware that this solution removes security from your project. Seek assitance from a more learned colleague before doing so.

After upgrading build tools in DevOps build agent to visual studio 2019, we started getting the below error for 64-bit build step of a WPF application.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Professional\MSBuild\Current\Bin\amd64\Microsoft.Common.CurrentVersion.targets(3975,5): error MSB3482: An error occurred while signing: SignTool.exe was not found at path

I tried all the above answers except the ones to disable signing or signing security and nothing helped.

Disabled the default MSBUILD step

Added a cmd prompt step

The path is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Professional\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MsBuild.exe"

Note: Removed amd64 from the path above.

This is still a workaround. I hope Microsoft will fix it in the following release.

I had the same issue/error message just after upgrading Visual Studio Pro 2019 V16.6.0. Solution was to make sure that the signing certificate is valid as mine had expired by a day.

Look in properties and signing to either enter a valid or temporary certificate. To keep the file name the same as before then un-click the security as mentioned above and then delete the key file linked to the programme.

Create a new key file and then add back the security.

You can fix this by clicking on installation application of VS. Then click Modify > Mark ClickOnce App and then upgrade your VS. Also i think @Alex Erygin is right. It is a bad solution to Click Once application --> Properties --> Signing -> Uncheck Sign the ClickOnce manifests. This is not a solution. It only circumambulated the problem.