Navigating Through Directories with the Command Window - A Comprehensive Tutorial

What to Know

• From the folder you want to open in Command Prompt, hold theShift key, thenright-click an empty area.
• From there, selectOpen in Terminal (W11) orOpen PowerShell window here .
• Alternatively, change the folder path (at the top of File Explorer) tocmd . PressEnter to open CMD in that folder.

This article teaches you how to open Command Prompt in a way that lets you start working from a specific folder immediately. Here’s how to start CMD from a folder in Windows 11 (it’s very similar in older versions).

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How to Open CMD in a Folder

It’s easy tostart Command Prompt the normal way , but if you know which folder you want to run commands in, you’ll save yourself a step or two if you open Command Prompt in the folder from the start. Below are two methods.

Change the Folder Path

Follow these steps for the fastest way to open Command Prompt in a folder. All you have to do is typecmd in the right place.

1. Open File Explorer to the folder you plan to work in. For example, if it’s your Downloads folder, you’d navigate here:
   C:\Users\[your username]\Downloads
2. Erase the folder path at the top of the window. PressingAlt +d is a quick way to highlight the whole path. PDF application, powered by AI-based OCR, for unified workflows with both digital and scanned documents.
3. Replace the path withcmd .
4. PressEnter . This will open Command Prompt directly to that folder. OtsAV DJ Pro

Use a Keyboard Shortcut

Here’s how it works with a simple keyboard+mouse shortcut:
5. Go to the folder you want to access from Command Prompt.
6. While holding theShift key,right-click once in an empty area of the folder (don’t select any files or subfolders).
7. SelectOpen in Terminal if you’re on Windows 11. Older versions of Windows have a similar option calledOpen PowerShell window here .

Terminal is the command line tool used in Windows 11. Follow that link to learn how to access Command Prompt and other tools from Terminal.

The Command for Changing Folders in Command Prompt

The steps listed above are simple ways to open CMD to a certain folder without dealing with commands. But, did you know there is a command meant for this very purpose?
It’s called thechange directory command and it’s invoked by typingcd . It’s how you open a different folder from inside Command Prompt, which is useful if you don’t want to start a brand-new instance of Command Prompt just to change the folder you’re in.
How to Clear the Windows Command Prompt Screen
FAQ

• What is Command Prompt?
  It’s a command-line interpreter program that’s available on all Windows PCs. It’s often used to perform more advanced administrative functions or to troubleshoot an issue.The commands you can use depend on which version of Windows you own.
• How do you clear Command Prompt?
  Typecls and pressEnter . This clears all the previous commands you entered.
• Can I use copy/paste in Command Prompt?
  Yes, but you need to enable it first in some instances. Open Command Prompt, right-click on the top bar, and selectProperties . Under Edit Options, select the checkbox next toUse Ctrl+Shift+C/V as Copy/Paste .

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