How to Access Command Prompt in Windows 11

Open Command Prompt via Windows Terminal

Terminal opens PowerShell (a newer scripting shell) by default, so you may land in the wrong shell. You can either open a Command Prompt tab from inside Terminal or change the default profile so Terminal always starts with Command Prompt.

1. Open Windows Terminal. A window opens with a PowerShell tab.
2. Click the down arrow next to the plus sign in the tab bar, then click Command Prompt. A new tab opens with the Command Prompt prompt (it starts with a drive path such as 📁C:\Users\YourNamecopy>).
3. To make this permanent, open Settings ⚙️ from the same arrow menu, then go to Startup.
4. Set Default profile to Command Prompt, then click Save.

To undo this, set Default profile back to Windows PowerShell.

Opening Command Prompt in Windows Terminal

Open Command Prompt from Windows Search

Opening Command Prompt from the search 🔍 bar is the quickest approach for most people. It needs no folder browsing and no memorized path, and the search results also give you a one-click option to run it as administrator.

1. Open Windows Search or press the Windows key + S on your keyboard. A search box appears.
2. Type cmd in the search box. Command Prompt should appear at the top of the results as the best match.
3. Click the Command Prompt app to open it. A black window opens with a blinking cursor, ready for commands. For administrator rights, click Run as administrator in the right-hand pane instead, or right-click the result and choose the same option.

Open Command Prompt from the Run Box

The Run box opens Command Prompt in a couple of keystrokes if you know the command. It is handy when search is slow or not working, since it doesn't depend on the search index.

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard. A small Run window appears in the lower-left corner of the screen.
2. Type cmd in the box.
3. Press Enter or click OK. The Command Prompt window opens. If you want administrator rights, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter instead of Enter, then click Yes on the prompt that appears.

Open Command Prompt from File Explorer

You can also open Command Prompt directly from File Explorer by browsing to the system folder where the program lives. Press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer, go to C:\Windows\System32, and double-click the cmd.exe file to launch the window right away. This route is slower than search, but it works when you want to see the actual program file or create a shortcut to it.

1. Open File Explorer or press the Windows key + E. The File Explorer window opens.
2. Go to this folder: C:\Windows\System32. You can paste the path into the address bar at the top and press Enter. The folder holds a very long list of files, so give it a moment to load.
3. Find cmd.exe and double-click it. Command Prompt opens. To run it as administrator, right-click the file and choose Run as administrator (on Windows 11 you may need to click Show more options first, depending on your build).

Open Command Prompt using the Power User Menu

The Power User menu (also called the Quick Link menu) gives quick access to system tools. In Windows 11 it opens Windows Terminal rather than Command Prompt directly. Terminal starts with PowerShell unless you changed its default profile, so you may need to switch to a Command Prompt tab afterward, as described earlier in this article.

1. Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard or right-click the Start button. A menu of system tools appears above the taskbar.
2. Select Windows Terminal from the list. Depending on your Windows 11 version, the entry may be labeled Terminal. To open it with administrator rights, choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or Terminal (Admin) instead. If the menu shows PowerShell entries instead, your PC is on an older build of Windows 11, and you can use any of the other methods above.

Open Command Prompt as an Administrator

Running the app as an administrator grants these necessary privileges.

You will know you are elevated when the title bar reads Administrator: Command Prompt. Windows asks you to confirm with Yes first. On an account without admin rights, it asks for an administrator's password. If a command fails with an "Access is denied" message, close the window and reopen Command Prompt as administrator. Closing the window ends the elevated session, so nothing carries over to the next time you open it normally.

How to open and run apps as an administrator in Windows 11

Summary

• The Command Prompt is a text-based way to control your Windows 11 PC.
• You can access it through Search, the Run box, File Explorer, or the Power User menu.
• Some tasks require Administrator privileges to run successfully.
• It is a highly useful skill to learn for troubleshooting your computer.

Opening Command Prompt in Windows 11 is easy, and there are several ways to do it depending on what you are doing. You can launch it through the Start menu search bar, the Run box, File Explorer, or the Power User menu. Many advanced troubleshooting tasks need administrator rights, so get used to the Run as administrator option as well. Search and the Run box are the fastest for everyday use, and the other two are good fallbacks if those ever fail.