Did You Delete the Inetpub Folder? Here's How to Bring It Back - Make Tech Easier

The Inetpub folder, found under the C drive in Windows, might appear to be an unnecessary empty directory, leading many to consider deleting it. However, Microsoft advises against this action. If you've accidentally deleted the Inetpub folder, here are some quick steps to restore it.

Reasons Not to Delete the Inetpub Folder

Inetpub, short for "Internet publishing," is a crucial directory in the Windows operating system, typically located at "C:\inetpub." Although it usually appears empty (0 bytes) and has no significant impact on RAM or CPU, it becomes relevant when you use Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) to host websites and web applications. For instance, you can use Inetpub to run an Nginx server on Windows. Additionally, third-party solutions like ownCloud may create subfolders within Inetpub.

Many Windows users might believe they don't need the Inetpub folder, especially since it was previously hidden. However, with the April 2025 version 24H2 KB5055523 update, Inetpub became visible by default on all Windows 11 devices. Misinformation on platforms like Reddit, X, and BlueSky led some to delete it, wrongly believing it could cause future updates to freeze. Our team has confirmed that Windows updates are unaffected by the presence of the Inetpub folder.

Deleting the Inetpub folder can actually increase the risk of security breaches, allowing hackers to insert backdoors and exploits that could override your user account privileges. Even if you don't use IIS, any malicious files uploaded to your web directories in Windows will leave traces in Inetpub, particularly in the "C:\inetpub\logs" subfolder, which is created during network-based intrusion attempts. This folder is essential for maintaining your PC's security.

Quick Solutions to Restore the Inetpub Folder

Microsoft has issued an advisory warning against deleting the Inetpub folder due to a vulnerability known as CVE-2025-21204. This advisory remains relevant for the foreseeable future. The Inetpub folder serves as a critical security placeholder in Windows, which is why it is recreated during system updates even if you delete it. The best way to restore it is to Check for Updates in Settings and ensure that you enable latest updates as soon as they’re available. A new update will automatically recreate the Inetpub folder.

If you can't wait for the next Windows update (and you shouldn't, given the increasing prevalence of zero-day threats), here's a quicker solution.

Navigate to the Control Panel, select Programs -> Turn Windows features on and off. In the pop-up menu that appears, enable Internet Information Services and click OK.

The IIS feature will search for the necessary files and apply the changes, which may take a few minutes. Once you see Windows completed the requested changes, you can close the pop-up menus.

This time, the Inetpub folder will be recreated under the same PC account, but it won't be empty. It will include subfolders such as log files, temp files, and wwwroot.

If you prefer the Inetpub folder to remain empty due to resource concerns on PCs with limited RAM, you can revert to the Control Panel's Turn Windows features on and off menu and disable the IIS feature. This will prompt a quick PC restart, after which the subfolders will be removed, leaving you with an empty Inetpub folder once again.

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