Command Prompt Opens Blank in Windows 10
Opening the command line on Windows 10, or as it is sometimes called CMD, is required to solve a lot of problems. Starting from and ending with . In this article we will tell you in detail about all the methods of how to open and where to find CMD in Windows 10 of all assemblies. An important point is that you can run the desired line in limited mode or with full rights. Second, this is with administrator rights, and to do this will always require additional steps. But it is in this case that you will get 100% access to control, and it is this functionality that we rely on when we share our advice, referring you to CMD.
Let’s be clear right away that the command line and CMD are one and the same. The abbreviation already contains the word Command, which should clearly and unambiguously indicate the same functionality. The “utility” itself is built into all versions of the operating system and does not need to be downloaded additionally. The panel has the following appearance:
This is a technical tool, so it does not have a simple graphical shell. It has a number of analogues from third-party developers, which look more like classic software. This tool was available in all versions of the OS, even before the release of the top ten. But in the new version its location has changed. There is no longer the usual “Run” button in quick access. But nevertheless, you can still get access in a couple of clicks, and you will learn about all the options below.
An easy way to launch the command line from the Start panel
The easiest way is through the Start panel. But now CMD is accessible not inside the classic menu, but by calling a special, technical one. Previously, in 7, XP and earlier, the button was in the regular menu, but now it has been removed. To find the button, go to the special technical Start menu. There are two ways to do this:
- Use the hotkey combination WIN+X;
- Right-click on the Start icon in the lower left corner of the screen;
Both actions will lead to the same result; the following window will open in front of you:
As shown in the screenshot above, you need to select the desired item. There are two of them, differing in access rights. The item where there is an inscription (administrator) allows you to gain full control over the computer.
Method number 2 - search bar
Find the magnifying glass at the bottom left of the screen and click on it.
This will open the search interface where you need to enter the following “command” and you will immediately see the results. You can write any other request containing the phrase you need, including CMD. As a result you will see the following:
To run as administrator, right-click on the result found. In this case, you will see a new window where you can select this option. Without this, the line will start as normal.
Method number 3 - through Explorer
Another simple way is using Explorer. To do this, just open it and go to any directory. Next, right-click while simultaneously pressing the Shift button on any folder and find the item “Open command window”
Please note that using a regular mouse click does not work. It is also important that this method cannot be launched with administrator rights, so in some cases it will simply not work.
Method number 4 - in utilities
Microsoft may have moved the button in Start, but they still left it. To get to it, go to all programs and scroll almost to the very end, find the “Service” section. Expand this section and you will see what you are looking for:
To run with full rights, right-click and select “Administrator”. For quick access in the future, you can select “Pin to task panel.” If there is no need, it can also be easily removed after time.
Method No. 5 - search for the cmd.exe application
Command Prompt may be a built-in feature, but it is also a classic program. You can find the executable file – CMD.exe by searching My Computer. To do this, enter the name of the utility in the search bar (outer right corner). If you have a lot of files, you can significantly narrow the search range, thereby reducing the search time, by setting the boundaries only within the system drive C. The letter may differ.
You can find the required file manually; it is located on the system disk; the location differs depending on the bitness of the operating system:
- Go to the Windows folder, then System32 – for the Windows 10 x32 version;
- Go to the Windows folder, then SysWOW64 - for the 64-bit version;
The last method described may require the most steps from you, but it is ideal for those who often use this functionality. After all, you can create a shortcut (with the right mouse button, like any other utility) and then send it to the quick access panel, to the desktop, or place it in any path that is most convenient for you and gain access in one click in the future.
Finally, we note that CMD is not an analogue of the Run interface. The latter also allows you to work in commands, but is much easier to call. Just use the combination WIN+R and you will see a window like this:
Quite recently, we posted instructions in which we described in detail how to open the Windows command line in previous versions of this operating system. But time does not stand still and Microsoft continues to delight us with new versions of its OS, even if they are successful only once in a while.
In today's latest Windows operating system, the appearance of the desktop and the main Start menu has again undergone some changes, and users again began to wonder: how to launch the command line in the new Windows 10. This simple instruction will easily answer the above question .
In the latest version of the operating system from Microsoft, as in general in the previous ones, the user has several ways to call the command line. In this article we will talk about some of the most convenient of them, and you yourself will choose the most suitable one for yourself.
Click on one of the links above to quickly jump to instructions.
How to open the command line from the Start menu
In fact, although the main menu has received some changes and improvements in appearance, the process of opening the command line remains similar to previous versions of the operating system, with the exception of renaming a couple of folders.
To launch the command line, click the icon "Windows"(aka Start) in the lower left corner of the screen, and in the menu that opens, open the item "All applications".
Scroll down the list of all your installed applications to the letter "WITH" and click on the folder "Service - Windows", in it you will find a command line shortcut. Launch it.
As a result of your actions, a command line window will open in which you can enter any commands.
Calling Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10
Having successfully completed the first steps of this instruction and opened the command line, you may be surprised to find that you do not have enough rights to execute some commands, even if you are logged in as an administrator.
This situation actually happens often, and this is done for the safety of the user, since inept handling of the command line can lead to irreversible consequences for the data on your computer.
Fortunately, if you use your computer under an administrator account, this problem can be solved with one extra click of the mouse. Just right click on the shortcut "Command line" and select the item in the context menu that opens.
Confirm your intentions in the User Account Control window that opens by clicking the button "Yes".
As a result of the above actions, the Windows 10 command prompt with administrator rights will be opened on the desktop.
Calling the command line using the "Run" command
Although the “Run” item, starting from version 7 of Windows, is not present in the start menu by default, it has not disappeared from the operating system itself. This method of opening the command line is still one of the fastest and easiest to remember. Just remember the keyboard shortcut "Win+R".
Pressing these buttons at the same time brings up a command-ready “Run” window, through which you can not only launch the command line, but also do many other useful things, for example, or ping something.
As a result, the “Run” window will open on the screen. To open the command line, enter the command "cmd" and press "OK".
The result will not take long to arrive.
Calling the command line through Windows search
In the latest versions of Microsoft's operating system, search has become a truly useful and convenient tool. Unlike what we saw in XP, it now works instantly and looks for what you really need. You can also use it to quickly find and launch the command line.
Click on the search icon in the form of a magnifying glass in the lower left corner of the screen and in the search bar that opens, start typing "Command line". The result will appear before you have time to finish typing this phrase.
If you need to run a line with administrator rights, just right-click on the name "Command line" and select the item in the context menu "Run as administrator".
Calling the command line from the context menu
We left the easiest method for those who read this article to the end. The fastest way to open the Windows 10 Command Prompt is to use the new Start button context menu. Just right click on the Windows icon in the lower left corner of the screen and in the context menu that opens, select "Command line" or "Command Prompt (Administrator)".
Of course, these are not all the ways to launch the command line in Windows 10. You can also, for example, create a shortcut to it on the desktop. But why? Perhaps the options listed above are quite sufficient, and everyone can find the most convenient one for themselves.
The command line is one of the ways to manage the operating system. With its help you can perform a variety of operations. Moreover, in some cases the command line is simply not replaceable. For example, when you need to execute the PING command. From this article you can learn how to open Command Prompt in Windows 10.
Method No. 1. Open the command line using the “Run” window.
The Run window allows you to quickly execute any command or launch an application. In order to open this window, you need to simultaneously press the Windows and R keys on your keyboard. After the “Run” window appears, you need to enter the “CMD” command and press the enter key or the “Ok” button.
After that, you should have 10 in front of you.
Method No. 2. Open the command line through a special menu.
Starting with Windows 8, the Windows operating system has a new menu. It can be opened by right-clicking on the Start button or using the Windows-X key combination. Almost all system utilities that may be needed to configure Windows are available from this menu. There is also a Command Line here.
It should be noted that there are two items available here that launch the command line. It's simply "Command Prompt" and "Command Prompt (Administrator)". If you select the first option, the command line will start with user rights, if the second option, then .
Method number 3. Open the command line using a shortcut on the desktop.
Another option for opening the Command Prompt in Windows 10 is a desktop shortcut. To use this method, you need to create a shortcut. To do this, right-click on the desktop and select “Create – Shortcut”.
After this, a window will open to create a shortcut. In this window you need to enter the command “cmd” and click on the “Next” button.
Method number 4. Open the command line in Windows 10 using search.
You can also open the command prompt using search. To do this, open the Start menu and enter the command “cmd” in the search bar.
After entering this command into the search, search results will appear. At the very top there should be a Windows “Command Prompt” application.
Click on the top search result and a command line will open in front of you.
Using new software is always risky, and it’s not always the presence of glitches that burdens the user’s life, but also the lack of free access to those functions that he gets used to. Not least among them is a tool such as the command line (console). Not everyone can call it the first time in Windows 10, but it has a lot of benefits, so you shouldn’t ignore it and complicate your life, but it’s better to simply follow the instructions and find it.
A limited number of people know how to open the command line in Windows 10, and if reading this text did not end at the last paragraph, it is worth reading the following information. The peculiarity of the console is that not everyone can use it. These are mostly experienced users who know a little more, use a PC or other device not out of idle curiosity, but do purposeful work, trying in every possible way to make their tasks easier. It is worth noting that some functions are simply impossible without access to the console, and are hidden from the user for security reasons. Therefore, before executing any commands in line mode, it is worth considering whether this is necessary at all, and also consider possible safer ways to perform a particular procedure.
Sequence of actions (basic)
In order to protect the user from unintentional actions in some cases, Windows 10 provides a couple of modes for working with the console. The first is the main one, which has a limited set of available functions, and a more advanced one with access rights only for the administrator of the workstation (PC, etc.).
In order to launch the first mode, you can use the available built-in functions. The first is available by calling the context menu for the Start menu. These actions will be replaced by the hotkey combination +[X].
Next, you need to right-click on the menu with the touchpad/mouse (as usual, the menu is located in the lower left corner unless changes are made manually by the user). Then select the [Command Line] option in it.
The next method involves calling the command line using the built-in search tool. It can be launched from Quick Launch (the icon with a magnifying glass), the search field in the Start menu, or in the Explorer window using the search field located at the top right under the window title and menu. In the field you need to type the keyword “command”, and as a result of the search an icon with a black rectangle should appear, which is launched by a mouse click or tap (depending on the device).
Also, from the Explorer window, you can immediately select the [File] command in it [Open Command Prompt].
The Main Menu (Start) command in it [All applications] then [Utilities] and [Command Prompt] will replace the same operation as the Cmd or cmd.exe command in the Quick Launch window.
Probably the most difficult way is to search manually. To do this, you need to find the same cmd.exe file in the system directory .../windows/win32 on the disk with the installed OS.
In order to run with the initial value in a specific folder, you need to select [Open command window] from the directory context menu.
Sequence of actions (with advanced capabilities)
To get the full set of functions, you should use administrator mode, and instead of the items described above, you need to select Command Prompt (administrator) from the context menu. In the custom Explorer menu - [File] in it [Open Command Prompt] then [Open Command Prompt as Administrator]. And in the Main menu, launch (Start) in it [All applications] then [Service] and [Command line (Run as administrator). And in each case, you need to confirm your actions by clicking YES in the pop-up window and, if necessary, enter a password.
It is worth noting that some functions in the console are not available, for example, copying. To obtain them, you need to go to the console window settings software menu and make the appropriate adjustments.
When working on a computer, some users do not understand how to open the command line in Windows 10. The fact is that calling the command line in Windows 10, after the Windows 10 Creators Update, became unclear to many users.
After updating the operating system, Microsoft changed some parameters of Windows 10, in particular, this concerns the command line call. Now, by default in Windows 10, instead of the Command Prompt, it opens Windows PowerShell, a more powerful OS component than the Command Prompt.
After opening the Start menu with the right mouse button, instead of the usual command line items, you will see other items: Windows PowerShell, Windows PowerShell (administrator).
What should those who are used to having the command line available in Windows 10 do and don’t know how to now open the command line in Windows 10? Where is the command line in Windows 10?
Don't worry, the command line has not disappeared from the operating system; you can always use this Windows component if necessary.
You can launch Command Prompt in Windows 10 in the following ways:
- from the Start menu using the right mouse button (instead of Windows PowerShell)
- using the "Windows" + "X" keys (instead of Windows PowerShell)
- from the Start menu from the System folder
- using Windows Search
- from the system folder System32
- using Task Manager
The article discusses only those methods in which the command line is launched, including as an administrator.
How to launch Command Prompt on Windows 10 from the Start menu
The command line can be easily returned to its original place. To do this, go to the “Start” menu => “Settings” => “Taskbar”.
In the settings item “Replace the command prompt with Windows PowerShell in the menu that appears when you right-click the Start button or press the Windows key + X,” move the switch to the “Disabled” position.
After this, the command line will return to the “Start” menu, which is opened with the right mouse button, or by simultaneously pressing the “Windows” + “X” keyboard shortcut.
To open Windows PowerShell you will now have to make extra movements. Therefore, you can leave Windows PowerShell in the right-click Start menu and access Command Prompt in other ways, including from the Start menu.
How to open the command line in Windows 10 from the Start menu
The command line can be launched from the Start menu by clicking the left mouse button. After opening the System folder, you will see the command line there.
After clicking on the application, the command line will open as usual. To run as administrator, right-click, click "Advanced" and then "Run as administrator".
How to enable Command Prompt in Windows 10 using Windows Search
To start a command line search, enter the expression “cmd” (without quotes), or simply “command line” in Russian, into “Windows Search”.
The search results display the desktop Command Prompt application.
Running a command line from the Windows system folder
The command line can be launched directly from the application location, from the Windows system folder. To do this, open Explorer, enter the “C” drive, go to the “Windows” folder, and then to the “System32” folder. The command line in Windows 10 x64 can also be launched from the folder along the path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64, but the command line interpreter will still be opened from the “System32” folder.
Here you will see the cmd.exe application, which you can launch directly from the “System32” folder. To run as administrator, use the right-click context menu.
Launching the Command Prompt Using Task Manager
Open Task Manager, go to the “File” menu, and in the context menu click on “Run new task”.
In the “Create a task” window, in the “Open” field, enter: “cmd” (without quotes), and then click on the “OK” button.
After this, a command line will open on the computer desktop.
Conclusions of the article
The command line can be launched in Windows 10 in different ways: run from the Start menu, find and open using Windows Search, enter the command line from the system folder in Explorer, using the Task Manager.
