How to Change Directories in Command Prompt
This wikiHow teaches you how to change the folder (also known as the 'directory') in which your Windows computer's Command Prompt program operates. To make changes in Command Prompt, you must be using an administrator account. Open Start....
Part 1 of 2:
Opening Command Prompt
- Open Start. Either click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press the ⊞ Win key.
- For Windows 8, place your mouse cursor in the top-right corner of the screen, then click the magnifying glass icon when it appears.
- Type in cmd. This will bring up the Command Prompt icon at the top of the Start window.
- Right-click Command Prompt. It resembles a black box. This invokes a drop-down menu.
- Click Run as administrator. It's near the top of the drop-down menu. Doing so will open Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
- Confirm this choice by clicking Yes when prompted.
- You won't be able to run Command Prompt in administrator mode if you're on a restricted, public, or networked computer (e.g., a library or school computer), or an otherwise non-administrator account.
Part 2 of 2:
Changing the Directory
- Type in cd . Make sure you include the space after "cd". This command, which stands for "change directory", is the root of any directory change.
- Don't press the ↵ Enter key.
- Determine your directory's path. A directory path is like a map to a specific folder. For example, if the directory to which you want to change is the "System32" folder that's in the "WINDOWS" folder on the hard drive, the path would be "C:WINDOWSSystem32".
- You can find a folder's path by opening My Computer, double-clicking the hard drive icon, navigating to your destination, and then looking at the address at the top of the folder.
- Type in your directory's path. Your command or address goes after the "cd" command; make sure there is a space between "cd" and your command.
- For example, your whole command might look like cd WindowsSystem32 or cd D:.
- Since your computer's default directory location will be the hard drive (e.g., "C:"), you don't need to type in the hard drive's name.
- Press ↵ Enter. Doing so will change the Command Prompt directory to your selected one.
5 ★ | 1 Vote
You should read it
- How to Copy Files in Command Prompt
- How to print the folder content structure in Windows 10
- How to Open Folders in CMD
- How to use the command history function in Command Prompt
- Use CMD to create an 'undeleted' folder on Windows
- 6 ways to rename files and folders in Windows 10
- How to Execute a Program in Command Prompt
- How to Change Default Folder in Windows Terminal
- How to change the folder in Command Prompt on Windows 10
- Add Command Prompt to Power User Menu on Windows 10
- How to open Command Prompt on Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP
- How to Make Command Prompt Appear at School
Maybe you are interested
What to do when open command window here does not appear?
How to switch users on the Linux command line
How to fix Mac Homebrew error 'zsh: command not found: brew'
What is the Command key on Windows?
How to use read command in Linux
Basic Linux commands everyone needs to know - Operations on Linux are much faster