How to Use sigverif.exe on Windows in 2026: Fix Unsigned Driver Issues

If your Windows PC is acting up and you suspect a corrupted or unsigned driver is to blame, sigverif.exe is one of the fastest built-in tools to help you find out. This guide explains exactly what it does, how to run it, how to read the results, and what to do next.

What Is sigverif.exe?

sigverif.exe is a built-in Windows utility called the File Signature Verification tool. It scans system files and drivers to check whether they carry a valid digital signature from Microsoft or a trusted source. If a file lacks a signature or has a broken one, sigverif.exe flags it in a log.

Windows requires drivers to be digitally signed before they can run on 64-bit systems. A missing or invalid signature can mean the file was modified, is corrupted, or was never officially tested with Windows. This matters because bad drivers cause blue screens, system instability, and security vulnerabilities.

sigverif.exe does not remove or fix anything. It only detects and reports. Think of it as a diagnostic scanner, not a repair tool.

Where Is sigverif.exe Located?

The file lives at:

C:\Windows\System32\sigverif.exe

It ships with all modern versions of Windows including Windows 10 and Windows 11. You do not need to install anything extra.

How to Run sigverif.exe

There are three ways to open it. All work fine.

Method 1: Using the Run Dialog

1. Press Windows + R on your keyboard.
2. Type sigverif and press Enter.
3. The File Signature Verification window opens.

Method 2: Using the Search Bar

1. Click the Start menu or press the Windows key.
2. Type sigverif in the search box.
3. Click the result that appears.

Method 3: From Command Prompt or PowerShell

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
2. Type sigverif and press Enter.

Running a Scan: Step by Step

Once the sigverif.exe window opens, here is what you do:

Step 1: You will see a simple dialog with two buttons: Start and Advanced. Click Start to begin an immediate scan.

Step 2: Wait for the scan to finish. It typically takes between 30 seconds and a few minutes depending on how many system files and drivers are installed.

Step 3: When the scan completes, a dialog box appears telling you whether unsigned files were found.

• If no unsigned files are found, it shows a message saying all files are properly signed.
• If unsigned files are found, it shows how many and tells you the log file location.

Step 4: Click OK to close the dialog. Then review the log if needed.

Using the Advanced Options

Before running the scan, clicking Advanced gives you more control.

Search Tab

This lets you define what sigverif.exe scans:

Option	What It Does
Notify me if any system files are not signed	Default scan. Checks core Windows files.
Look for other files that are not digitally signed	Lets you specify a custom folder to scan.
Look for files based on these search criteria	Filter by file type, modification date, or version.

Use the second option if you want to scan a specific driver folder, like C:\Windows\System32\drivers, or a folder where you recently installed third-party software.

Logging Tab

This controls where the scan results are saved:

Setting	Default Value
Log file name	sigverif.txt
Log file location	C:\Windows
Append to existing log	Off (overwrites each time)

You can change the log file name, choose a different folder, and enable appending so older scan results are not deleted. This is useful if you want to track changes over time.

Reading the sigverif.txt Log File

After a scan, open the log at:

C:\Windows\sigverif.txt

You can open it with Notepad. Here is what you will find:

Header section: Shows the date and time the scan ran.

Results section: Lists every unsigned or problematic file. Each entry includes:

• File name
• Full file path
• Date modified
• Version number
• Whether the file is signed or not

A clean system will show either an empty result section or files that are expected to be unsigned (like some older hardware drivers).

Sample log entry for an unsigned file:

File: example.sys
Location: C:\Windows\System32\drivers
Modified: 1/15/2026 10:32 AM
File Version: 6.1.0.0
Catalog: Not signed

If you see entries like this, the file path tells you which driver or system file is unsigned. Take note of the file name and look it up before taking any action.

What To Do With Unsigned Files

Finding an unsigned file does not automatically mean danger. Here is how to think through the results:

Unsigned Is Not Always Bad

Some older drivers for legacy hardware are not signed because they were written before Microsoft made signing mandatory. If your hardware is working fine and you trust the source of the driver, this may not be a problem.

Check the File Source

Search the file name online combined with the device or software brand. If it is a well-known hardware manufacturer, the unsigned file may simply be an older version.

A good place to cross-reference driver legitimacy is the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility Center. It lists certified drivers for Windows hardware.

Update the Driver

If the unsigned driver belongs to a device you use, visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver. Manufacturers who update their drivers for modern Windows versions typically sign them properly.

Disable and Uninstall If Suspicious

If the unsigned file came from software you do not recognize or trust:

1. Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager).
2. Find the device associated with the file.
3. Right-click it and select Uninstall device.
4. Then delete the driver file manually if needed.

Run System File Checker After

If sigverif.exe flags Windows system files rather than third-party drivers, run SFC to repair them:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type: sfc /scannow
3. Press Enter and wait for it to finish.

SFC will attempt to restore any corrupted or missing system files from the Windows component store. This pairs well with sigverif.exe since sigverif.exe identifies problems and SFC fixes them.

For more advanced repair, you can also run DISM:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This rebuilds the Windows image if SFC alone is not enough.

sigverif.exe vs Other Windows Verification Tools

It helps to know how sigverif.exe compares to related tools:

Tool	What It Does	Best Use Case
sigverif.exe	Lists unsigned files and drivers	Diagnosing driver signature problems
sfc /scannow	Scans and repairs corrupted system files	Fixing corrupted Windows files
DISM	Repairs the Windows image	When SFC cannot fix the issue
Driver Verifier	Stress tests drivers to find faulty ones	Advanced driver debugging
sigcheck (Sysinternals)	Checks signatures for any file	Deep file-level analysis

If you want deeper file verification beyond what sigverif.exe offers, Microsoft’s free Sysinternals Sigcheck tool is excellent. It can verify any file’s signature from the command line and check against VirusTotal.

Common Scenarios Where sigverif.exe Helps

Scenario 1: Blue screen errors with no obvious cause

If Windows is crashing and showing a BSOD, an unsigned or corrupted driver is often responsible. Run sigverif.exe to find any flagged drivers. Cross-reference with the crash dump file if needed.

Scenario 2: After installing new hardware

When you add new hardware and the system becomes unstable, the manufacturer’s driver may not be properly signed for your version of Windows. sigverif.exe can confirm this quickly.

Scenario 3: Security audit of a workstation

IT professionals sometimes run sigverif.exe as part of a system health check. Unsigned files can indicate unauthorized software was installed or that files were tampered with.

Scenario 4: After a failed Windows Update

Sometimes updates partially install and leave system files in a broken state. Running sigverif.exe followed by SFC can reveal and fix these problems.

Limitations of sigverif.exe

It is worth being honest about what sigverif.exe cannot do:

• It does not automatically fix anything. You must act on the results yourself.
• It does not scan all files by default. The default scan focuses on system files and drivers, not every executable on your machine.
• It cannot tell you if a signed file is malware. A digitally signed file can still be malicious if the signing certificate was compromised or the file came from a malicious but legitimately signed source.
• It produces a simple text log with no sorting or filtering. For large results, this can be hard to navigate.
• It is not a real-time monitor. It is a one-time snapshot scan.

For ongoing protection, Windows Defender and your standard antivirus tools handle real-time threats. sigverif.exe is for targeted diagnostics, not continuous protection.

Does sigverif.exe Work on Windows 11?

Yes. sigverif.exe runs on Windows 11 without any issues. The interface has not changed in years, which reflects how stable and simple the tool is. Open it the same way using Run or Search, and the process is identical to Windows 10.

Conclusion

sigverif.exe is a quiet, underused tool that does one thing well: it tells you which drivers and system files on your Windows machine are not digitally signed. It takes a minute to run, costs nothing, and gives you a clear list to investigate. If your system is unstable or you want to do a quick health check after installing new hardware or software, it is a smart first stop.

Run it, check the log, look up anything suspicious, and follow up with SFC or DISM if needed. The combination covers most driver and system file problems on modern Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sigverif.exe safe to run?

Yes, completely. It is a built-in Microsoft utility. It only reads file metadata and signature data. It does not modify, delete, or quarantine anything. You can run it at any time without risk.

Can sigverif.exe detect viruses or malware?

No. sigverif.exe only checks whether a file carries a valid digital signature. It does not scan for malicious code. A file can be signed and still be malware, and an unsigned file can be completely safe. Use dedicated antivirus software for malware detection.

Why does sigverif.exe show files I do not recognize?

Some flagged files may belong to old hardware drivers that were never updated for modern Windows. Others might be from software you installed long ago. Look up the file name and its location online to understand what it belongs to before taking action.

How often should I run sigverif.exe?

There is no required schedule. Run it when your PC becomes unstable, after installing new drivers, after a failed Windows update, or as part of a periodic system health check. For most users, running it a few times a year is enough.

What if sigverif.exe does not open or crashes?

If sigverif.exe fails to launch, your system files may be corrupted. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run sfc /scannow first to repair system files. Once SFC completes, try running sigverif.exe again. If that does not work, running DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth before SFC can also resolve the issue.