How to use Windows Terminal in Windows 11/10: Beginners Guide

Open Windows Terminal by searching Terminal in Start, or press Windows key + R, type wt and press Enter; each tab then runs a shell such as PowerShell, Command Prompt or a Linux distribution.

This guide covers installing it on Windows 10, tabs, panes, profiles, admin mode, the Command Palette, appearance settings, WSL, the default shortcuts and fixes for common problems.

The fastest way to open Windows Terminal and run a command

These steps work on Windows 11 and on Windows 10 once Terminal is installed. The first tab uses your default profile, which is PowerShell after a fresh install.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type wt and press Enter. Windows Terminal opens with a PowerShell tab.
3. Type a command such as Get-ChildItem and press Enter to list the files in the current folder.
4. Press Ctrl + Shift + T to open another tab, or select the ˅ arrow next to + to pick Command Prompt or another profile.
5. Type exit and press Enter, or press Ctrl + Shift + W, to close the tab.

What is Windows Terminal?

Windows Terminal is Microsoft's host application for command-line shells. It does not replace PowerShell or Command Prompt; it runs them inside tabs and panes and draws their text.

It is open source, and Windows 11 version 22H2 made it the default command-line experience.

Feature	What it gives you
Tabs and tab tearout	Several shells in one window; drag a tab out to make a new window, or into another window
Panes	Two or more shells side by side inside one tab
Profiles	One entry per shell (PowerShell, Command Prompt, Azure Cloud Shell, each WSL distribution), each with its own look and starting folder
GPU text rendering	Text is drawn on the graphics card, which Microsoft says performs better than the classic console
Unicode and UTF-8	Emoji and characters from many languages display correctly
Custom actions	Every keyboard shortcut can be changed or added
Themes and backgrounds	Color schemes, fonts, transparency and background images or GIFs per profile

Windows Terminal vs Command Prompt vs PowerShell

The difference is terminal versus shell. A shell such as cmd.exe or PowerShell interprets what you type. A terminal is the window that displays it.

When you start cmd.exe outside Windows Terminal, Windows opens it in conhost.exe, the original Windows Console host.

	Windows Terminal	Command Prompt	PowerShell
What it is	Terminal (the window)	Shell (cmd.exe)	Shell (powershell.exe, or pwsh.exe for PowerShell 7)
Runs commands itself	No, it hosts a shell	Yes, classic commands and batch files	Yes, cmdlets and scripts
Tabs and panes	Yes	Only when hosted in Terminal	Only when hosted in Terminal
Example command	wt -d . opens a tab in the current folder	dir, cd, cls	Get-ChildItem, Set-Location, Clear-Host
Use it for	Running any shell comfortably	Old batch scripts and classic tools	Automation and Windows administration

You do not choose between them. Open Windows Terminal, then choose Command Prompt or PowerShell as the profile for each tab.

How to install Windows Terminal

Windows Terminal needs Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later. Windows 11 version 22H2 and later include it, so most Windows 11 users can skip to opening it.

Microsoft recommends the Microsoft Store listing, because that copy updates automatically.

Your situation	Install this way	What to know
Windows 11, version 22H2 or later	Nothing to install; search Terminal in Start	If it was removed, reinstall it from the Microsoft Store
Windows 10 with Microsoft Store access	Open Microsoft Store, search Windows Terminal, select Get or Install	Updates arrive automatically
Windows 10 or 11, you prefer the command line	Run winget install --id Microsoft.WindowsTerminal -e	Needs the Windows Package Manager (winget) client
No Microsoft Store access	Install the .msixbundle from the Windows Terminal GitHub releases page	Does not update itself; install new releases by hand
You want new features early	Install Windows Terminal Preview from the Store	Runs side by side with the stable version and has its own settings

How to open Windows Terminal

Every route opens the same app. The one difference is which folder the first tab starts in.

Route	What to do	Starting folder
Start menu	Select Start, type Terminal, press Enter	Your profile's starting directory (your user folder by default)
Right-click Start (Windows 11)	Press Windows key + X, select the Terminal entry	Your profile's starting directory
Run box	Press Windows key + R, type wt, press Enter	Your user folder (%USERPROFILE%)
File Explorer folder	Right-click inside a folder and select Open in Terminal	That folder
File Explorer address bar	Click the address bar, type wt, press Enter	The folder you were viewing
From another Terminal window	Press Ctrl + Shift + N	A new window with the default profile

Open in Terminal appears only for the Store (packaged) version. The unpackaged ZIP and portable builds do not add it.

Understanding the Windows Terminal interface

Part of the window	Where it is	What it does
Tab row	Top of the window, inside the title bar	One tab per session; the icon and title show the profile
+ button	Right of the last tab	Opens a new tab of the default profile; hold Alt and click to open a pane instead
˅ dropdown	Next to +	Lists every profile, plus Settings and Command palette
Terminal area	Main part of the window	The shell prompt, its output and the scrollback
Pane border	Around the focused pane when a tab is split	Shows which pane has focus, in your Windows accent color
Tab right-click menu	Right-click any tab	Rename Tab, Color…, Split Tab and close options
Settings	˅ > Settings, or Ctrl + ,	The graphical settings pages; hold Shift while selecting Settings to open settings.json instead

Opening tabs and choosing profiles

A profile is a saved shell plus its settings. Windows Terminal creates PowerShell, Command Prompt and Azure Cloud Shell profiles itself, and adds one for each WSL distribution and extra PowerShell version it finds.

To do this	Mouse	Keyboard
Open a new tab of the default profile	Select +	Ctrl + Shift + T
Open a tab of a different profile	Select ˅, then the profile	Ctrl + Shift + 1 to 9 (the profile's position in the list)
Duplicate the current tab	Command Palette > search duplicate tab	Ctrl + Shift + D
Switch between tabs	Click the tab	Ctrl + Tab forward, Ctrl + Shift + Tab back, Ctrl + Alt + 1 to 8 for a specific tab
Rename a tab	Right-click the tab, select Rename Tab, type the name	No default shortcut
Color a tab	Right-click the tab, select Color…	No default shortcut
Close a tab	Select the X on the tab	Ctrl + Shift + W (closes the focused pane, or the tab if it has one pane)

A renamed tab keeps its name only for that session. To fix a title for a profile every time, set its Tab title in the profile settings.

Using panes to split the terminal window

Panes put several shells in one tab, so you can watch output in one while typing in another.

To do this	Keyboard	Mouse
Split to the right (vertical)	Alt + Shift + Plus (+)	Hold Alt and select +
Split below (horizontal)	Alt + Shift + Minus (-)	Hold Alt and select a profile in ˅
Split in the best direction, same profile	Alt + Shift + D	Right-click the tab and select Split Tab
Move between panes	Alt + Arrow keys	Click the pane
Resize the focused pane	Alt + Shift + Arrow keys	Not available by default
Zoom one pane to fill the tab	Command Palette > toggle pane zoom	Not available by default
Close the focused pane	Ctrl + Shift + W	Type exit in the pane

Basic commands to try in Windows Terminal

The commands you type belong to the shell in that tab, not to Windows Terminal. Check the tab icon before you type.

Shell	Command	What it does
PowerShell	Get-ChildItem (or dir, ls)	Lists files and folders in the current location
PowerShell	Set-Location C:\Windows (or cd)	Changes the current folder
PowerShell	Get-Help Get-ChildItem	Shows help for a cmdlet
PowerShell	Clear-Host (or cls)	Clears the screen
Command Prompt	dir /w	Lists the folder in wide format, up to five names per line
Command Prompt	cd ..	Moves up to the parent folder
Command Prompt	cls	Clears the Command Prompt window
Linux (WSL)	sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade	Updates packages on Ubuntu and other Debian-based distributions
Linux (WSL)	explorer.exe .	Opens the current Linux folder in File Explorer
Linux (WSL)	clear	Clears the screen

How to change the default profile

The default profile opens when you start Terminal, press Ctrl + Shift + T or select +. Change it if you use Command Prompt or Ubuntu more than PowerShell.

1. Open Windows Terminal and press Ctrl + , to open Settings.
2. Select Startup in the left pane.
3. Open the Default profile list and pick the profile you want, such as Command Prompt.
4. Select Save at the bottom right.
5. Press Ctrl + Shift + T to confirm the new tab opens with that profile.

How to run Windows Terminal as administrator

Admin tabs and normal tabs cannot share one window. An elevated profile always opens in its own elevated window.

1. Press Windows key + X to open the Quick Link menu.
2. Select the Terminal entry marked (Admin).
3. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
4. Alternatively, select Start, type Terminal, right-click Terminal and select Run as administrator.
5. To make one profile always open elevated, open Settings, select the profile, turn on its run-as-administrator setting and select Save.

The last step sets the profile's elevate property to true. Microsoft's docs name it Automatically run as Administrator.

Customizing the look of Windows Terminal

Appearance is set per profile, so PowerShell and Ubuntu can look different. To change every profile at once, edit Defaults under Profiles in Settings.

Open Settings (Ctrl + ,), select a profile, then select Appearance. Select Save after each change.

What to change	Where in Settings	Default	Tip
Light or dark window theme	Appearance > Theme	Dark	Pick the system option to follow the Windows light or dark setting
Color scheme	Profile > Appearance > Color scheme	Campbell	Preview and edit schemes on the Color schemes page
Font and size	Profile > Appearance > Font face, Font size	Cascadia Mono, 12 pt	Ctrl + Plus and Ctrl + Minus zoom the text for this session only; Ctrl + 0 resets it
Cursor	Profile > Appearance > Cursor shape	Bar	Options include underscore, filled box and empty box
Transparency	Profile > Appearance > Transparency	100% opaque, acrylic off	Unblurred transparency works only on Windows 11; hold Ctrl + Shift and scroll to try it for one session
Background image	Profile > Appearance > Background image	None	Can use your desktop wallpaper
Startup size	Startup > Launch size	120 columns x 30 rows	Ignored when Launch mode is set to maximized
Launch mode	Startup > Launch mode	Default	Also offers maximized, full screen and focus mode

Using the Command Palette

The Command Palette lists nearly every action Windows Terminal can perform, so you do not need to memorize shortcuts.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + P, or select ˅ > Command palette.
2. Type part of an action name, such as split or font.
3. Select the action, or highlight it and press Enter, to run it.
4. To run a wt command instead, delete the > character in the search box and type the command, for example new-tab -p "Command Prompt".

Copying, pasting, searching, and clearing the screen

Ctrl + C copies only when text is selected. With nothing selected it goes to the shell, where it stops the running command.

Task	Keyboard	Mouse
Copy selected text	Ctrl + C, Ctrl + Shift + C, Ctrl + Insert or Enter	Select text, then right-click
Paste	Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Shift + V or Shift + Insert	Right-click with no text selected
Select all output	Ctrl + Shift + A	Triple-click selects one line
Select with the keyboard	Ctrl + Shift + M (mark mode), then Shift + Arrow keys	Hold Alt and drag for a rectangular block
Search the output	Ctrl + Shift + F, type the word, press Enter	Use the arrows and case-match button in the search box
Clear the screen	Type cls (Command Prompt or PowerShell) or clear (Linux)	Command Palette > search clear buffer when no prompt is available

Search looks only inside the focused pane and runs from the bottom of the buffer upward by default.

Making Windows Terminal the default terminal app

The default terminal decides which window opens when any console program starts, such as cmd.exe launched from the Run box. Windows 11 22H2 already uses Let Windows decide, which points to Windows Terminal.

Only the Store (packaged) version can be the default. Windows 10 22H2 needs the May 23, 2023 update (KB5026435) or later.

Windows version	Where to set it	Choose
Any supported version	Windows Terminal > Settings > Startup > Default terminal application	Windows Terminal, then Save
Windows 11, version 25H2 and later	Settings > System > Advanced > Terminal	Windows Terminal
Windows 11, version 22H2 to 24H2	Settings > Privacy & security > For developers > Terminal	Windows Terminal
Windows 10, version 22H2 with KB5026435	Windows Terminal > Settings > Startup	Windows Terminal

To go back to the classic console window, choose Windows Console Host in the same list.

Opening Windows Terminal with command-line options

wt.exe opens Terminal in a chosen layout from Run, a shortcut or another shell. Separate commands with ;. In PowerShell, write the separator as ` ; “ so PowerShell does not treat it as its own separator.

You want	Command	Result
A tab of a specific profile	wt -p "Command Prompt"	New window with a Command Prompt tab
Start in a folder	wt -d D:\Projects	First tab starts in that folder
Two tabs at once	wt -p "Command Prompt" ; new-tab -p "Windows PowerShell"	One window, two tabs
Split panes at launch	wt -p "Command Prompt" ; split-pane -p "Windows PowerShell"	Two panes side by side
A tab in the window already open	wt -w 0 nt	New tab in the most recently used window
Maximized or full screen	wt -M or wt -F	Window opens maximized or full screen
See every option	wt -h	Help message listing all arguments

Installing and using WSL in Windows Terminal

WSL runs Linux distributions such as Ubuntu inside Windows. It needs Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later, or Windows 11. Windows Terminal adds a profile for each distribution automatically.

wsl --install

Run it in an administrator Terminal tab (see the admin steps above). It turns on the Windows features WSL needs and installs Ubuntu. Restart the PC when it finishes. To pick another distribution, run wsl --list --online, then wsl --install -d <DistroName>.

You should see: After the restart, the first launch unpacks the distribution and asks you to create a Linux user name and password. From then on, Ubuntu appears in the ˅ profile list with the Linux penguin icon.

If wsl --install prints the WSL help text instead, WSL is already installed; use wsl --install -d <DistroName> to add a distribution.

Creating and editing profiles

Add a profile to open a specific program or folder in one click, for example a Command Prompt that always starts in your projects folder.

1. Press Ctrl + , to open Settings.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the profile list in the left pane and select + Add a new profile.
3. Select + New empty profile, or duplicate an existing profile to copy its settings.
4. Enter a Name, then set Command line to the program, such as cmd.exe or a batch file path.
5. Set Starting directory, using Browse… to pick the folder.
6. Optionally set an Icon and Tab title, then select Save.
7. To edit an existing profile, select it in the left pane, change a field and select Save; to hide one from the ˅ list, turn on its hide-from-dropdown setting.

Prefer text? Hold Shift and select Settings in the ˅ menu to open settings.json. The Store version keeps it at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json.

Useful Windows Terminal keyboard shortcuts

These are the default bindings. Change any of them on the Actions page in Settings.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + Shift + T	New tab (default profile)
Ctrl + Shift + 1 to 9	New tab of profile 1 to 9
Ctrl + Shift + N	New window
Ctrl + Shift + D	Duplicate tab
Ctrl + Tab / Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Next / previous tab
Ctrl + Alt + 1 to 8	Go to tab 1 to 8
Ctrl + Shift + W	Close pane or tab
Alt + Shift + Plus / Minus / D	Split right / split down / split automatically
Alt + Arrow keys	Move focus between panes
Alt + Shift + Arrow keys	Resize pane
Ctrl + Shift + P	Command Palette
Ctrl + Shift + F	Search output
Ctrl + ,	Settings
Ctrl + Shift + ,	Open settings.json
Ctrl + Shift + Space	Open the new-tab dropdown
Alt + Enter or F11	Toggle full screen
Ctrl + Plus / Ctrl + Minus / Ctrl + 0	Bigger text / smaller text / reset size
Ctrl + Shift + Home / End	Scroll to top / bottom of output
Alt + F4	Close the window

Safety tips for beginners

Risk	What to do
Pasting commands you do not understand	Read every command before pressing Enter; commands from untrusted pages can change or delete files
Working as administrator all the time	Open an admin window only for the task that needs it, then close it; admin and normal tabs never share a window
Pressing Ctrl + C to copy with nothing selected	It stops the running command; select text first, or use Ctrl + Shift + C
Typing into the wrong pane	Check the highlighted border before typing; mark a pane read-only from the Command Palette to block input
Breaking settings.json with a typo	Copy the file before editing it, or use the Settings pages instead
Running a new distribution's setup blind	Keep the Linux password you create; sudo asks for it

How to check Windows Terminal is set up correctly

1. Press Windows key + R, type wt and press Enter. Windows Terminal should open with a tab of your chosen default profile.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + P. The Command Palette should appear at the top of the window.
3. Press Windows key + R, type cmd and press Enter. If Terminal is your default terminal, Command Prompt opens inside Windows Terminal, with tabs, not in the older console window.
4. Select ˅ and confirm your WSL distribution, if you installed one, appears in the profile list.
5. Press Alt + Shift + D. The tab should split into two panes.

Troubleshooting common Windows Terminal problems

These symptoms come from the "where is terminal in windows" searches and from Microsoft's Windows Terminal troubleshooting and FAQ pages.

Terminal is not in the Start menu

Windows 10 does not include Windows Terminal, or the app was uninstalled.

1. Confirm your Windows 10 version is 2004 (build 19041) or later.
2. Open Microsoft Store, search Windows Terminal and select Get or Install.
3. Or run winget install --id Microsoft.WindowsTerminal -e in PowerShell.
4. Search Terminal in Start again.

No tabs, title bar or menus are visible

Focus mode is on, which hides the tabs and title bar.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + P to open the Command Palette.
2. Type focus mode and select Toggle focus mode.
3. Open Settings > Startup and set Launch mode to Default so it does not return next time.
4. Select Save.

Settings opens Notepad, Visual Studio or another app

You opened settings.json, which Windows hands to whatever app is set for .json files.

1. Close that app.
2. Press Ctrl + , to open the graphical Settings pages instead.
3. Use Ctrl + Shift + , only when you want to edit the JSON file.

Terminal stopped working after a settings change

A setting in settings.json is invalid or the saved state is damaged.

1. Close every Windows Terminal window.
2. Open File Explorer and paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState into the address bar.
3. Move settings.json and state.json to another folder as a backup.
4. Open Windows Terminal. It creates a new settings.json with default settings.

Transparency or acrylic does not show

Windows turns acrylic off for background windows, in battery saver, over Remote Desktop, in many virtual machines and on unsupported graphics hardware.

1. Click the Terminal window so it is in the foreground.
2. Turn off battery saver and check again.
3. Set Transparency below 100% without acrylic on Windows 11, which uses plain opacity instead.

A warning says the keyboard service is disabled

The Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service is off, and Windows needs it to route input to Terminal.

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Double-click Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service.
3. Set Startup type to Automatic and select OK.
4. Restart the PC.

Ctrl + = does not make the text bigger

With a German layout, Ctrl + = becomes Ctrl + Shift + 0, which Windows reserves when several keyboard layouts are active.

1. Use Ctrl + Plus on the numeric keypad, or scroll with Ctrl held.
2. Or add your own font-size binding on the Actions page in Settings.

Best beginner setup for Windows Terminal

Install the Microsoft Store version, set Windows Terminal as the default terminal app, pick the shell you use most as the default profile, and learn four shortcuts: Ctrl + Shift + T, Alt + Shift + D, Ctrl + Shift + P and Ctrl + Shift + F. The Store version updates itself and is the only build that can be the default terminal or add Open in Terminal to File Explorer. Those four shortcuts cover tabs, panes, every other action and search, so the rest can wait until you need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I open the terminal in Windows?

Select Start, type Terminal and press Enter. You can also press Windows key + R, type wt and press Enter, or right-click inside a folder in File Explorer and select Open in Terminal to start in that folder.

Where is Terminal in Windows 11?

Terminal is an app in the Start menu; search for Terminal to find it. On Windows 11 it is also in the menu that appears when you right-click Start or press Windows key + X, including an entry marked Admin for an elevated window.

How do I get Windows Terminal on Windows 10?

Install Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store, or run winget install –id Microsoft.WindowsTerminal -e. It needs Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later. The Store version updates automatically, which is why Microsoft recommends it.

What is a terminal window?

A terminal window is the app that displays a command-line shell and passes your typing to it. Windows Terminal is one; the shells it hosts are PowerShell, Command Prompt and Linux distributions through WSL. The older Windows terminal window is conhost.exe.

How does Windows Terminal work?

Windows Terminal starts a shell for each tab or pane based on a profile, then draws that shell's output with a GPU-accelerated text renderer. The shell runs the commands. Terminal handles tabs, panes, fonts, colors, copying and shortcuts.

Is Windows Terminal needed?

No. PowerShell and Command Prompt run without it in the classic console window. Windows Terminal adds tabs, panes, better text rendering and customization, and on Windows 11 22H2 and later it is the default window for command-line apps.

How do I use Windows Terminal in Windows 11?

Open Terminal from Start, type commands in the PowerShell tab, press Ctrl + Shift + T for new tabs and Alt + Shift + D to split a pane. Use the down arrow next to + to switch to Command Prompt or a Linux profile.

What is the recommended terminal for Windows?

Microsoft's own recommendation is Windows Terminal installed from the Microsoft Store. It hosts PowerShell, Command Prompt, Azure Cloud Shell and WSL distributions in one window, updates automatically and can be set as the default terminal for all command-line apps.

Can I run admin and normal tabs in the same Windows Terminal window?

No. Microsoft does not allow elevated and non-elevated tabs in one window for security reasons. A profile set to run as administrator opens in a separate elevated window, and additional elevated tabs can then open in that window.