How to add “Open a command window here” to your right-click menu in Windows 10
(Note: If you’re looking for the freeware pick called TreeSize, click here.)
In a previous tip, we quickly learned that a lot of folks don’t have “Open a command window here” listed in their right-click context menu. For most you you, you’ll rarely use it. However there times when it can come in really handy – for instance if you want to do a batch renaming of files in a folder.
First of all, if you already have “Show a command window here”, you don’t need it. So right-click any folder that has files in it (Pictures is a good one). Look at your right-click menu. Do you see “Open a command window” here? If not, hold down your shift key and right-click the folder. Do you see it now?
If you see “Open a command window here”…go have yourself a beer or cup of coffee or whatever. You don’t need to read any further. If you see “Open a command windows here when you hold down your shift key and then right click the folder but you want “Open a command window here” to always show, keep keep reading.
If you don’t see “Open a command window here” in your context menu, hold down your shift key and then right-click the folder. You should see it. If you don’t see it or you want “Open a command window here to always show in your right-click menu download this zip file. It contains two REG files. The first one will add a key to the registry that will add “Open command window here” to your right-click menu. The zip file also contains a REG file to remove “Open command window here”, for whatever reason you’d want to to that.
How to use:
Unzip the file, double-click on EnableCommandPromptHereAlways.reg. Click OK to the warnings, When completed you’ll get a message that the information has been entered into your registry. You should immediately be able to right-click any folder and see “Open a command window here”. If you don’t see it restart your computer and you should see it then.
Should you ever want to remove the “Open command window here” from your context menu, double-click on DisableCommandPromptHereAlways.reg
For why you’d ever need such an item in your right-click menu, see our Windows Spotlight tip here.
On your previous tip I was one of those people who did not have “Open a command window here” so I just thought “Oh well – I won’t be able to use this tip”. Then when this new email came showing us how to enable it with the REG file – I thought – “Great”!! Unfortunately no matter how many times I run the REG file or re-start my computer – it still does not appear. Is it because I am running Windows 10 Home instead of Professional? I would definitely use that feature if I could enable it.
Finally figured out what I was doing wrong – I was right clicking an individual picture and not a folder. When I right click the entire folder as per Steve’s instructions, the “Open a command windows here” worked perfectly!! Thank’s Steve – that is a great tip!!
Didn’t work for me… when I clicked on the link to download this zip file, windows media player tried to open it without success, any ideas ?
You have a file missassociation if WMP tries to download/open a zip. You’ll need to fix Windows. That should be a priority before you try to add features, etc.
I clicked on the link in your Jan.22 newsletter for downloading Tree Size and it brought me here??
Sorry. We have corrected the links and added a note on the page you visited. You can read about and/or download TreeSize by going to this page.
Can you list the actual changes that are made to the registry for the enable key? I’ve been using the .reg file for enabling the command on several Windows 10 computers, but I have one computer that it doesn’t seem to work for, so I thought I’d add the key manually. Thanks!
All you have to do to find out is to download the reg files and open them in Notepad or any other text editor – they reg files show the registry entries that are modified. Here’s the enable reg file:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Always show Open Command Prompt Here
;Cloudeight Internet
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\cmd]
“Extended”=-
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\cmd]
“Extended”=-
It looks like after the Creators Update this registry fix isn’t working. I noticed my option had disappeared (it still shows correctly using SHIFT + Right-click), and redownloaded & ran the fix, but still no open a command window here option. Any ideas or suggestions?
You’re right and the fix is too complex for us to feature in our newsletter – it involves not only editing the registry but taking ownership of a registry key. Not something quick and easy to do. WinAero Tweaker makes it simple to add “Open a command window here” – though you’ll have to download it (freeware). It’s how we’d recommend anyone who wants “Open Command window here” on their right-click menu. When you’re on the WinAero page, take a look at its list of features. I was able to do it by taking ownership of a registry key and editing the registry, but I don’t think it is something most people would want to do. If you’ve noticed, Microsoft seems to be trying to replace the command prompt with Windows PowerShell – the end result will probably be a hybrid PowerShell / Command Prompt.