This post describes the steps to change Windows Terminal start behavior in Windows 11.
Windows Terminal is a modern host application for the command-line shells that include Command Prompt, PowerShell, and bash (via Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)).
Unlike the previous shell apps in Windows, Windows Terminal has many features, including multiple tabs, panes, Unicode and UTF-8 character support, a GPU-accelerated text rendering engine, and theme customization with text, colors, backgrounds, and shortcuts.
Windows Terminal will default open when certain command functions are executed in Windows 11.
You can change what you see when Windows Terminal starts. This setting has two options:
- Open a tab with the default profile
- Open windows from a previous session
Below is how to change that.
What should be shown when Windows Terminal starts in Windows 11
As described above, Windows Terminal allows users to select what should be shown when the first Terminal is created.
There are two options you can choose from:
- Open a tab with the default profile
- Open windows from a previous session
Below is how to change that.
First, open Terminal by clicking Start =>, searching for Terminal, and selecting the Terminal app.

Once the app opens, click the down arrow button on the top bar, select Settings on the context menu, or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + (comma).

On the Settings pane, under Startup, change the When Terminal starts option to one of the following:
- Open a tab with the default profile
- Open windows from a previous session

Make your selection and save your changes.
That should do it!
Conclusion:
- Windows Terminal in Windows 11 offers advanced features for command-line interfaces, including multiple tabs, panes, Unicode and UTF-8 character support, and customizability.
- Users can select the default behavior when opening the Windows Terminal: opening a tab with the default profile or restoring windows from a previous session.
- To change the start behavior, users can access the Settings pane in Windows Terminal, navigate to the Startup section, and choose their preferred option.
- After selecting, users should save the changes to apply the new start behavior in Windows Terminal.
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