How to Change Windows Terminal Startup Behavior in Windows 11

Windows Terminal is a modern app for running command-line tools like Command Prompt, PowerShell, and bash via Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). It is much more powerful than the old Windows command tools. It supports tabs, custom colors, and even your own background images.

Why change the startup behavior?

You might want the terminal to look the same every time you open it. Or, you might prefer it to remember the tabs you had open the last time you used it. Changing these settings helps you work faster.

What happens when you change these settings?

Once you apply these changes, Windows Terminal will follow your new rule every time you launch the app. You can choose to start fresh with a default tab or pick up exactly where you left off.

Here is how to change your settings:

1. Open the Start menu. Search for Terminal and open the app.

2. Click the down arrow button at the top of the window. Select Settings from the menu. You can also press Ctrl + , on your keyboard to open this menu.

3. On the Settings screen, look for the Startup section.
4. Find the option labeled When Terminal starts. You can choose between:
   • Open a tab with the default profile
   • Open windows from a previous session

4. Select your preference and click Save to finish.

Note: Changing these settings does not require admin privileges. You can modify these options as a standard user.

Summary

Windows Terminal is a flexible tool for command-line users. By default, it opens a new tab, but you can configure it to restore your previous work session instead. You can easily switch between these behaviors in the Settings menu under the Startup section.