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How to Automatically Hide the Windows Terminal Window

Richard
Written by
Richard
Feb 3, 2026 Updated Jul 13, 2026 3 min read
How to Automatically Hide the Windows Terminal Window
How to Automatically Hide the Windows Terminal Window

Windows Terminal can automatically hide itself, turning into a slide-out panel you can open with a keyboard shortcut. This feature lets you quickly access its powerful tools without keeping a full window open on your screen.

This is great for anyone who uses command-line tools often, like developers, but wants to keep their desktop tidy. You can quickly run a command and have the Terminal window tuck itself away.

You can turn on this auto-hide option within Windows Terminal’s settings. The exact setting is called “Show Terminal always” and it uses a hotkey, often Windows key plus the backtick key (`), to reveal or hide the window.

⚡ Quick Answer

Open Windows Terminal, go to Settings, then Appearance. Toggle the “Automatically hide window” option to your preference. Save your changes to enable or disable this feature, which hides the Terminal when you switch applications.

What is Windows Terminal?

Windows Terminal is a handy app that puts all your command-line tools, like Command Prompt and PowerShell, into a single window. It makes managing tasks on your computer simpler and lets you customize its appearance and features, including an option to auto hide the window when you don’t need it.

💡Tip
You can customize Windows Terminal in many ways. You can change its language, size, startup settings, and more. One handy option is to make the Terminal window automatically hide when you click away to another program.

Why Use Automatically Hide Window?

Do you switch between programs a lot? Hiding the Terminal window can keep your desktop less crowded.

Do you want the Terminal window always visible? You can turn this feature off.

It really depends on what works best for you!

How to Turn On or Off Automatically Hide Window

  1. Open Windows Terminal. Click the Start menu button. Type Terminal in the search box. Then click Windows Terminal from the results.

    Open the Windows Terminal app
    Open the Windows Terminal app

  2. Once Terminal is open, click the down arrow (˅) next to the tabs at the top. Then choose Settings. Or press Ctrl + , on your keyboard.

    Open the Windows Terminal Settings
    Open the Windows Terminal Settings

  3. In the Settings window, click the Appearance tab on the left side.
  4. Find the option called "Automatically hide window." Click on it to toggle the switch.

    • Toggle the switch to On to enable automatic hiding.

    • Toggle the switch to Off if you want the Terminal window to stay visible all the time.


    Automatically hide Terminal window setting
    Automatically hide Terminal window setting

    To turn the windows terminal auto hide feature on or off, first open the Windows Terminal app by searching for it in the Start menu. Once it's open, click the down arrow next to the tabs and select 'Settings', or press Ctrl + ,. Then, in the Settings menu, choose the 'Appearance' tab on the left.

  5. Click the Save button at the bottom to keep your changes. Then close the Settings window.

That's it! Now your Terminal window will hide automatically when you switch apps. Or it will stay visible if you turned the feature off.

Summary

Automatically hiding the Windows Terminal window helps keep your desktop tidy, especially when you're working with multiple applications. Beyond just auto hiding, customizing Windows Terminal offers many benefits for personalizing your experience, with Microsoft providing guides on changing its look, setting up profiles, and managing shortcuts.

Customizing Windows Terminal offers many benefits. For users seeking to personalize their experience, Microsoft provides at least three helpful guides. These guides explain how to change the appearance, set up profiles, and manage keyboard shortcuts, allowing for a more efficient workflow.

How to turn on task bar auto-hide?

Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings at the bottom of the list. Or select Start, Settings, Personalization, and Taskbar. Toggle on Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode.

How to hide Windows Terminal?

Then go to appearance. Then scroll down to hide terminal in the notification. Area when it's minimized. Turn that on make sure you save the changes. All right so now when we minimize.

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Tags: #Windows 11
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Richard

About the Author

Richard

Tech Writer, IT Professional

Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.

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