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

The Windows Terminal works as a cross-command-line tool platform for PC users. You can instantaneously use different command-line tools or profiles within this app. In this post, we will show you how to use Windows Terminal in Windows 10.

How to use the Windows Terminal

The WindowsTerminal app is now baked into the Windows 10 operating system and is generally available for everyone. WindowsTerminal can be installed or updated via Microsoft Store, as required.

We’ll explore this topic under the methods outlined below in this section as follows.

Open Windows Terminal

To open WindowsTerminal on your Windows 10 device, you can use Windows Search or use Cortana to locate and open it. You can also use right-click context menu to open an item in Terminal. The Open in Windows Terminal option will be appearing on supported items only. It will help you to quickly access the Terminal app.

The quickest approach to open Windows Terminal if you use it frequently is to Pin Windows Terminal to Taskbar as the first item. You could then press Win+Ctrl+Shift+1 keyboard shortcut combination to open WindowsTerminal with admin privilege.

You can also launch Windows Terminal from the Command Prompt or via the Windows Run dialog – to do this simply open CMD prompt OR press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog box, and then type wt and hit Enter.

Another way to launch the Terminal app in Windows 10 is to invoke the Run dialog, and then type or copy and paste the environment variable below into the box and hit Enter.

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\wt.exe

Switching between different profiles in WindowsTerminal

The Windows Terminal app, by default, opens with a Windows PowerShell profile. If you click the plus (+) sign, then another Windows PowerShell tab will open.

To switch to other profiles, such as Command Prompt etc., you can click on the chevron (the downward-facing arrowhead) over the Tab bar and click the profile you want to switch.

This post will show you how to use the Search function in Windows Terminal.

Read: How to run a Profile as Administrator in Windows Terminal

Change WindowsTerminal settings

You can customize the Windows Terminal app to your liking. You can click on the chevron over the Tab bar and select Settings. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+, key combination.

In the Terminal Settings tab, you can personalize your preferences like changing the cursor shape, enabling a Transparent Background, setting a Background Image, changing font size and font-weight, changing the Default Shell and save them.

Troubleshoot Windows Terminal problems

If the Terminal app is not working due to heavy customizations or you just want the default settings back, you can reset Windows Terminal via its Settings page or since Terminal app is a UWP app, you can also reset the app via the Settings app on your Windows 10 PC. Alternatively, you can reset the Terminal app using PowerShell.

Other troubleshooting you can try is to sign out of Windows 10 and then sign in the back or restart your system.

If nothing helps you can always uninstall and reinstall Windows Terminal.

Want more? Take a look at this Windows Terminal Tips and Tricks post.