The Command Prompt on Windows 10 allows us to access a lot of information about our devices, internet networks, and more. However, theres much more that CMD supports that you can explore further in the content below.
To open Command Prompt, simply type cmd into the Search box on the Start Menu, then click on Command Prompt in the search results. Alternatively, use the Windows + R key combination to open the Run command window, then type cmd and press Enter to open Command Prompt. However, to master Command Prompt on Windows 10, you will need to understand the following information.
Mastering Command Prompt on Windows 10
1. Always open Command Prompt with administrator privileges.
You can run Command Prompt in standard mode and administrator mode. Some commands don't require administrator mode, but others do . This allows you to execute more CMD commands and makes it easier to master Command Prompt on Windows 10.
To always open Command Prompt with administrator privileges, you'll need to create and use a shortcut. Type cmd into the Start Menu search box, then right-click Command Prompt in the search results => Send to => Desktop (create shortcut).
Right-click on the shortcut you just created, select Advanced , and check the box for Run as administrator . Click OK => OK to complete the process.
2. Access via Windows Menu + X (Power User Menu)
Press the Windows + X key combination to open the Power User Menu, which gives you quick access to Device Manager, Disk Management, and Task Manager.
The Windows + X menu can also display the Command Prompt, but it can also display Windows PowerShell instead.
If you want to switch between Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell, follow these steps:
First, press the Windows + I key combination to open the Settings app, then navigate to Personalization => Taskbar . Toggle the " Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu when I right-click the start button or press the Windows logo key + X" option to OFF .
From now on, when you open the Windows Menu + X, you will see Command Prompt displayed in the list.
3. Open Command Prompt through the context menu (right-click menu).
In versions prior to Windows 10 build 14986, when a user uses the Shift key + right-clicks on a folder, the option "Open command window here" appears to open the Command Prompt with the specified folder path.
However, this option has been replaced with "Open PowerShell window here" because Microsoft doesn't want users to delve into Command Prompt. If you're unhappy with this change and want to add a Command Prompt option, you can easily replace Command Prompt with PowerShell following TipsMake's instructions.
4. Copy and paste operations
To copy any text, press Ctrl + M to access Mark Mode. Left-click and drag to highlight the text you need, then press Ctrl + C or Enter to copy it to the clipboard.
Press the Esc key anytime you want to exit Mark Mode. To paste text, simply press Ctrl + V.
If you find the steps cumbersome, right-click on Command Prompt and select Properties . In the Properties window, switch to the Options tab , check the QuickEdit Mode box, and then click OK . From now on, you don't need to press any keys before highlighting text.
5. Use the arrow keys for the previous commands.
If you've entered a command before and want to use it again, simply use the up and down arrow keys to move between commands. This trick is extremely useful if you're executing the same command repeatedly or want to edit a command you just entered.
You can also use the right arrow key to enter the previous command character. This can be useful if you need to enter multiple commands that have the same opening method.
Alternatively, use the F7 key to view a list of all previous input commands, use the up and down arrow keys to navigate, and press Enter to select. Or enter the following command into the Command Prompt window for suggestions:
doskey /history
6. Drag and drop input files.
Typing a directory path or file path name in Command Prompt can be quite tedious. However, you don't need to waste so much time; there's a much faster way.
Simply navigate to the desired folder or file in File Explorer. Left-click on the folder or file and drag it into the Command Prompt window. The folder or file path will then be displayed there.
7. Find help using any command.
Have you ever encountered a situation where you couldn't remember how to use a particular CMD command or didn't know what that CMD command was used for? Simply add /? to your command and information about the command will be displayed, including how to use it and examples.
For example, if you want more information about the ipconfig command, you append /? to the end of the command to make it ipconfig /?.
The above command won't actually run, so you don't need to worry too much.
8. Use Tabs for Auto-Complete
Use the Tab key to auto-complete your commands. This trick for mastering Command Prompt on Windows 10 is useful when you don't know the full name of a command or to save time. For example, instead of typing the full path of a file, you can use the Tab key to auto-complete it.
If that's not what you need, simply press and hold the Tab key to skip through the options, or press Shift + Tab to reverse through the options.
9. Export a File or Clipboard
If you want to save the output of Command Prompt, you can copy and paste the output into a text editor, then save it. But in Command Prompt you can do this faster.
Simply enter your command + > path to the storage location
For example, to export ipconfig to the tmp folder on drive E and create a text file named taimienphi.txt, simply enter the following command:
ipconfig > E:tmptaimienphi.txt
Alternatively, you can export the command to the clipboard to paste it elsewhere. To do this, add `|clip` after your command. For example, `ipconfig |clip`.
10. Cancel the order.
If you send a command but want to stop, simply press Ctrl + C to end the command at the point where it left off. This won't reverse what it did, but will stop the command. And you don't need to completely exit the Command Prompt.
11. Execute multiple commands
If you want to execute multiple commands, you don't need to waste time typing each command individually and waiting for it to finish executing. Instead, you can separate the commands using && .
For example, if you want to output both the ipconfig command and the tree command, simply enter the command ipconfig && tree. Additionally, you can execute multiple commands simultaneously, without limit.
12. Customize the Command Prompt interface
The default black and white interface of Command Prompt is iconic, but if you're bored with it and want to change the look, you can absolutely do so. To begin customizing the interface, right-click on Command Prompt and select Properties .
In the Properties window, the first tab is Font , where you can change the size and font used. Users are advised to use TrueType fonts for better display clarity.
Go to the Layout tab . Here you can change the size and position of the Command Prompt window. In practice, it's easier to do this on individual windows, using Windows' default feature of dragging the sides of the window and moving the Taskbar.
Finally, access the Colors tab . Use the radio buttons to select color adjustment, then choose the color you want to set. Alternatively, you can enter values for red, green, and blue. The Opacity slider will adjust the entire Command Prompt window – set it to 100% if you don't want to adjust it.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will learn more tips and tricks and master Command Prompt on Windows 10 better and more effectively. If you want to add any other Command Prompt tips, please share your thoughts with TipsMake in the comments below the article.