How to Get to the Command Line on a Mac
Method 1 of 3:
Using Launchpad
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Open Launchpad. It's the silver icon in the Dock that looks like a rocket. The Dock is a panel of icons usually found at the bottom of the screen, though it can also be moved to the screen's left or right side.[1]- If you're on a laptop, you can also open Launchpad by doing a four-finger pinch gesture on the trackpad.
- You may also be able to open it by pressing F4 on the keyboard.
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Click the Other folder. It's a square icon containing several smaller icons. -
Click Terminal. The Terminal application will now launch to the command prompt.- If you don't see Terminal in the Other folder, it may have been moved elsewhere in Launchpad. If you're unable to find it, try another method.
Method 2 of 3:
Using Spotlight
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Click the Spotlight icon. It's the magnifying glass at the top right corner of the screen.[2]- You can also open Spotlight by pressing ⌘ Command+Space on the keyboard.
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Type terminal into the search box. 'Terminal' will appear in the search results. -
Double-click Terminal. The Terminal application will now launch to the command prompt.
Method 3 of 3:
Using Finder
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Open Finder. It's the icon at the bottom of the screen that looks like a two-toned smiling face. -
Click Applications. It's in the left panel of Finder.- If you don't see "Applications" in the left panel, click Go at the top of the screen and select Applications.
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Click Utilities. You may have to scroll down to find it. -
Double-click Terminal. You may have to scroll down to find it. The Terminal application will now launch to the command prompt.[3]
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