C# - How to get Program Files (x86) on Windows 64 bit

153
votes

I'm using:

FileInfo(
    System.Environment.GetFolderPath(
        System.Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles) 
    + @"\MyInstalledApp"

In order to determine if a program is detected on a users machine (it's not ideal, but the program I'm looking for is a right old kludge of a MS-DOS application, and I couldn't think of another method).

On Windows XP and 32-bit versions of Windows Vista this works fine. However, on x64 Windows Vista the code returns the x64 Program Files folder, whereas the application is installed in Program Files x86. Is there a way to programatically return the path to Program Files x86 without hard wiring "C:\Program Files (x86)"?

8
c#windowsfile64-bit
It is worth noting that this returns the "Program files" only in 64bit application on 64bit OS. If you compile your application specifically as x86 then it would return "Program files (x86)" on 64bit OS using this code. – VitalyB

8 Answers

232
votes

The function below will return the x86 Program Files directory in all of these three Windows configurations:

  • 32 bit Windows
  • 32 bit program running on 64 bit Windows
  • 64 bit program running on 64 bit windows

 

static string ProgramFilesx86()
{
    if( 8 == IntPtr.Size 
        || (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432"))))
    {
        return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles(x86)");
    }

    return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles");
}
140
votes

If you're using .NET 4, there is a special folder enumeration ProgramFilesX86:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86)
42
votes
Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROGRAMFILES(X86)") ?? Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles)
14
votes

Note, however, that the ProgramFiles(x86) environment variable is only available if your application is running 64-bit.

If your application is running 32-bit, you can just use the ProgramFiles environment variable whose value will actually be "Program Files (x86)".

9
votes

One way would be to look for the "ProgramFiles(x86)" environment variable:

String x86folder = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles(x86)");
5
votes

I am writing an application which can run on both x86 and x64 platform for Windows 7 and querying the below variable just pulls the right program files folder path on any platform.

Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PROGRAMFILES")
0
votes

One-liner using the new method in .NET. Will always return x86 Program Files folder.

Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem ? Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles(x86)") : Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles"))

0
votes

C# Code:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFilesX86)

Output:

C:\Program Files (x86)

Note:

We need to tell the compiler to not prefer a particular build platform.

Go to Visual Studio > Project Properties > Build > Uncheck "Prefer 32 bit"

Reason:

By default for most .NET Projects is "Any CPU 32-bit preferred"

When you uncheck 32 bit assembly will:

JIT to 32-bit code on 32 bit process

JIT to 32-bit code on 64 bit process