Learn 11 possible ways with screenshots to Open Command Prompt in Windows10. Also explore ways to access it in Windows 8, Vista, XP, etc:
The Command Prompt has been one of the greatest resources at your disposal forever. With it, you can perform many administrative tasks easily. You get access to many command-line tools and utilities.
In this article, we are going to tell you all the possible ways of opening the Command Prompt.
There are many ways to open the Command Prompt in Windows. You will find all possible ways, enlisted in this article.
Let us begin!
Table of Contents:
How To Open Command Prompt Windows 10
There are 11 ways to open the Command Prompt in Windows 10. Yes, you heard right, 11 ways.
#1) From Start Menu
Follow the steps below:
- Open the start menu
- Go to the Windows System shortcuts folder
- Click on Command Prompt
Now you must be wondering how to open the command prompt as admin? That’s easy.
- Right-click or press and hold on to the Command Prompt shortcut.
- Click on the down arrow.
- Click on “Run as administrator.”
#2) Using Search
This is the fastest way of opening the Command Prompt.
Follow the steps below:
- Press the Windows key
- Click on the search bar
- Type cmd or Command
- From the results, select Command Prompt
- Right-click on the Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” to launch it as administrator.
#3) From The Run Box
The Run box is the quickest way of opening many utilities, including the Command Prompt.
Follow the steps below:
- Press the Win + R keys
- Type cmd in the Run box
- Hit Enter
#4) Create Shortcut
Shortcuts are always easier for launching an application.
Follow the steps below:
- Click on a space on your desktop
- Select New
- Click on Shortcut
- Type the location of the Command Prompt or Browse and navigate to the location.
- If you don’t know the location, go to the search bar, search for the Command Prompt
- Right-click on the Command Prompt option from the result
- Click on Open file location
- Copy the address and paste it into the Create Shortcut wizard.
- Click Next
- Name the Shortcut
- Click Finish
#5) Pin It To The Taskbar
Follow the steps below:
- Open the Command Prompt using any of the above methods.
- You will see the icon on the taskbar.
- Right-click on the Command Prompt icon.
- Select “Pin to Taskbar”.
Now you can launch your Command Prompt from the taskbar. If you want to open it as administrator, right-click on the pinned icon and select “Run as administrator”.
#6) From WinX Menu
There are some hidden menus for power users in Windows 10. To use the hidden menu, press Windows+X, and select Command Prompt or Command prompt (Admin) if you want to run it as administrator.
#7) From File Explorer’s Address Bar
Follow the steps below:
- Open File Explorer
- Type cmd in the address bar
- Hit Enter
You can’t open the Command Prompt as an administrator using this method.
#8) Use cmd.exe Executable File
Follow the steps below:
- Open File Explorer
- Select C Drive
- Open the Windows folder
- Click on System32
- Find cmd.exe and click on it to launch it.
Or, right-click on it and select “Run as administrator”.
#9) Using Old Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer
This one is a little cumbersome but a workable method to open the Command Prompt.
Follow the steps below:
- Launch the old Internet Explorer or the old Microsoft Edge
- Enter file://C:/Windows/System32/cmd.exe in the address bar
- Hit Enter
- Click Run
You can’t open the Command Prompt as Administrator through this process.
#10) Using Task Manager
Follow the steps below:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
- If you get the compact view of the Task Manager, click on More details.
- Go to the File menu
- Select “Run new task”.
- Type cmd in the Create New Task window
- Hit Enter
- Press Ok
To open it as administrator, mark the checkbox “Create this task with administrative privileges” before you hit enter.
#11) Use Cortana
If you have enabled Cortana and you have a microphone, this is the easiest way of opening the Command Prompt. Just say “Hey Cortana. Open Command Prompt”. And Cortana will launch the Command Prompt for you. However, you can’t open it as an administrator with Cortana.
[image source]
Bonus#1 How to Open a Command Prompt using the Advanced Startup Options while booting Windows 10
If your Windows is giving you trouble and you run Command prompt advanced commands, you will have to open CMD at boot, before Windows loads completely. For that, you can use Recovery Options.
Follow the steps below:
- Open Settings
- Navigate to Update & Recovery/Security
- Click on Recovery
- Go to the Advanced Startup option
- Select Restart Now
- You will see Choose an option screen
- Select Troubleshoot
[image source]
- Click on Advanced options
- Select Command Prompt
[image source]
- Upon rebooting, choose the administrator user account
- Enter password if prompted
Your Windows will open the Command Prompt as administrator.
Bonus#2 Opening Command Prompt While Installing Windows
If your Windows 10 is corrupt or doesn’t boot properly, you might need to open the Command Prompt before re-installing the OS. Use the installation media to reinstall Windows 10. All you have to do is simultaneously press Shift + F10 keys in the Windows 10 setup wizard to launch the Command Prompt.
How To Open Command Prompt In A Folder
When you launch the Command Prompt from Run, it opens in the directory path of the user profile. But sometimes you might need it to open it in the currently opened folder path. For example, if you try to run a program in Command Prompt that is not listed in the PATH variable, you will get a “could not find executable file” error. So, you can either type in the file’s complete path or open the Command Prompt in the folder itself.
If you are Windows 10 user, you can simply open the folder, navigate to File menu, Click on Open Powershell or Open Powershell as administrator.
There are three ways to open the Command prompt in a folder. These are:
#1) Windows Registry Editor
This is the most common method used for opening the Command Prompt in a folder.
Follow the steps below:
- Click Windows + R to launch the Run command
- Type “regedit” to open Windows Registry editor
- Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
- Select Directory\shell\cmd
- Right-click on cmd
- Select Permissions
- Go to the Advanced option
- Click on the Change option at the top of the window
- In “Enter the object name to select” type your username
- Click on the Check Name option to validate it
- Select Apply
- Click OK
- In the security window, check the box beside Full Control under Permissions for Administrators.
- Go to HideBasedonVelocityid and rename to ShowBasedonVelocityId
[image source]
Exit the registry editor. Now, press the Shift key and right-click inside any folder to find the “Open Command Window here” option. This option is added permanently to the Windows Context menu.
#2) Using Keyboard Shortcut
This is the easiest method of opening Command Prompt inside a folder, especially if you are in a hurry. Press Shift+ right-click in the folder you want to open Command Prompt. Now from the context menu, select the “Open command window here” option.
#3) Using File Explorer
You can use the file explorer location bar to open a command prompt in any folder.
Follow the steps below:
- Go to the folder
- Click on the Windows Explorer’s location bar
- Type cmd
- Hit Enter
- Command Prompt will open in the folder
The only drawback is that you can only open the Command Prompt not in the administrative mode but just in the regular user privilege mode. To open it as administrator,
- Select Windows + R
- Type cmd
- Hold down Ctrl+Shift+Enter
How To Open Command Prompt Windows 8 and 8.1
Follow the steps below:
- Click on the Start button
- Scroll up to the Apps screen
- Locate the Windows System option
- Select Command Prompt
Before Windows 8.1 update, you could access the Apps screen from the start menu by swiping up from the bottom or right-clicking anywhere and selecting the All Apps option. If you are using the keyboard, using the power option by pressing Windows+X is a quicker option.
How To Open Command Prompt Windows 7, Vista, and XP
Follow the steps below:
- Open the Start menu
- Click on All Programs
- Go to Accessories
- Choose Command Prompt
[image source]
The options might change a little with OS but this is the most common method of opening the Command Prompt.
Further Reading =>> CMD Commands for Windows 10
Frequently Asked Questions
Q #1) Can I open Command Prompt in a folder?
Answer: Yes, you can. Press Shift+ right-click in the folder you want to open Command Prompt. From the context menu, select “Open command window here”.
Q #2) My Command Prompt won’t open. What can be done?
Answer: Try restarting your computer. Sometimes it fixes the minor issues in your system. Now you can try opening the Command Prompt. Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open elevated Command Prompt or use the Run command to open it. It should work.
Q #3) How to clear my Command Prompt?
Answer: Type “cls” in your command screen and hit enter. It will clear all the previous commands in the window.
Q #4) Can I enter BIOS through Command Prompt?
Answer: Click on the “Start” menu and select “Run.” Type “D:/>wmic bios get /format:list”. This will bring up a list of the BIOS settings.
Conclusion
Command Prompt is an extremely handy tool that allows you to do a lot with your system. There are many ways to access the command prompt. Go with whatever works for you. And before you run any command, make sure everything is correct, especially if you are running it as an administrator.