[Review] Windows 10 Command Prompt (Console)

UPDATE: The review has been updated with new information and screenshots.

Apart from the new Start Menu, metro apps running in windowed mode on desktop, multiple desktops, etc, there is another program present in Windows 10 which has been improved a lot. Many people might not have noticed it.

We are talking about “Command Prompt” here which is also known as DOS Prompt, Console Host, etc. Command Prompt in Windows was always ignored by Microsoft in newer Windows versions but it seems Microsoft has decided to improve this program in Windows 10.

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In Windows 10, Command Prompt has received lots of improvements and new features which we are going to talk about in this exclusive article.

If you don’t know how to open Command Prompt, you can launch it using CMD command in RUN dialog box or by going to Start Menu -> All Apps -> Windows System -> Command Prompt shortcut.

When you launch Command Prompt for the first time in Windows 10, you’ll get a fresh looking interface which looks similar to Linux Console. The fonts have been changed. Also the size of the window has been increased.

Windows_10_Command_Prompt.png

Following are a few neat features which we like the most in this new Command Prompt version in Windows 10:

ALT+F4 Hotkey Now Works to Close Command Prompt Window

ALT+F4 is a universal keyboard shortcut to close a running program window but unfortunately this keyboard shortcut never used to work for closing Command Prompt window in previous Windows versions and we had to use EXIT command to close Command Prompt window. Thanks to Microsoft, now this keyboard shortcut works in Windows 10.

Now you can close a running Command Prompt window using ALT+F4 hotkey in Windows 10.

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CTRL+C, CTRL+V and Other CTRL Hotkeys Also Work in Command Prompt

We frequently use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste text/files/folders/etc in various programs. Now these keyboard shortcuts also work in Command Prompt window to copy/paste text strings.

Apart from Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, other similar hotkeys such as CTRL+A to select all and CTRL+F to open Find dialog box also work in Windows 10 Command Prompt.

Maximizes to Full Screen Size, Aero Snap Also Works

In previous Windows versions, when you maximize Command Prompt window, it doesn’t maximize to full screen size. Now in Windows 10, the Command Prompt window can be maximized to take full screen area.

Also all Aero Snap features work in Command Prompt window such as moving the window to top of the screen to maximize it, etc.

ALT+Enter Hotkey for Full Screen Mode

The good ol’ ALT+Enter keyboard shortcut to put Command Prompt in Full Screen mode is back in Windows 10. Microsoft removed this ability in previous Windows versions such as Windows 7, Windows 8, etc but now the popular ALT+Enter hotkey is back.

Windows_10_Command_Prompt_Full_Screen_Mode.png

You can just press ALT+Enter keys together to show Command Prompt in full screen mode. You can again press the same keys together to exit from full screen mode.

Thanks to our reader “Ashfaq” for sharing about this feature…

Automatic Text Wrapping upon Window Resize

That’s a welcome change. In previous Windows, when you resized a Command Prompt window, the text inside window never used to wrap and some of the text portion always disappeared.

Now in Windows 10, when you resize Command Prompt window, it automatically wraps the text to fit the width of window.

Transparent Command Prompt Window

Now that’s a strange and unique feature addition to Command Prompt in Windows 10. As we know Microsoft removed Aero glass transparency from Windows 8 and later Windows versions, but in a strange move Microsoft has added a similar feature to Command Prompt in Windows 10 which is transparency effect.

Now you can make Command Prompt window transparent and can also adjust the transparency level from 30% to 100%.

Windows_10_Transparent_Command_Prompt.png

All these new features are experimental at the moment and can be enabled or disabled using Command Prompt Properties.

To customize these features, right-click on Command Prompt window titlebar and select Properties option.

Now go to “Experimental” tab and here you can turn your desired features on or off.

Command_Prompt_New_Features_Windows_10.png

Some other features added to Command Prompt in Windows 10 are as following:

  • Enable line wrapping selection
  • Filter clipboard contents on paste
  • Extended edit keys
  • Trim leading zeros on selection

All these new features are under testing and Microsoft may or may not remove/improve these features in future builds of Windows 10.

UPDATE:

Experimental” tab was added to test new features of Command Prompt in Preview builds of Windows 10. Since the release of final RTM version of Windows 10, Microsoft has removed the “Experimental” tab and all options present in “Experimental” tab have been moved to other available tabs as shown in following image:

Command_Prompt_Experimental_Features_Windows_10.png

Also Check:

Published in: Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. Something that I really wanted Microsft to add was support to the Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V shortcuts. Every time I wanted to copy or paste something I had to go to a menu to do so. Wise decision on your part Microsoft.

  2. dude, did any one know how to fix “does not meet minimum requirements” every time i try to install my ghrapic card and i cant adjust my brightness, i use lenovo g400, win 8.1. thers no problem before i format my hard drive… sorry for my bad english 🙂 if anyone can help i will very-very appreciate it 🙂

  3. The new font is not new at all – all you have to do in previous versions is to right click the program icon in the title bar, go to Properties, and change the font to Lucida Console. It looks like now it is enabled by default instead.

  4. Programs that communicates directly with the system’s hardware will fail if the Experimental Console features are enabled. Such programs include DOS versions of common software like Lotus 123, dBase, and WordPerfect.

    These programs run as expected when the Experimental Console features are disabled.

  5. for your info, the Aero Snap feature won’t work if you’re running CMD as Administrator. Been there, done that.

  6. You can copy in CMD selecting the text and hitting Enter… to paste it.. click the right mouse button. QuickEdit mode needs to be enabled for that…

  7. Hi VG
    There is no experimental tab in the CMD properties in the RTM version of windows 10 home on my laptop.
    If there is anyone who knows how to get the experimental tab in the CMD properties on RTM windows 10 home please email me.

  8. ^^ Experimental tab was added to test new features in preview builds. Now all options present in Experimental tab have been moved to other available tabs.

  9. Help!!

    I have Windows 10 installed on both my laptop and desktop machine and the command prompt properties does not include the “Experimental” tab on either machine. Is there something I am missing??

  10. Some minor enhancements, certainly welcome, but it still pales by comparison to third-party command prompts like JPSoft’s Take Command (formerly 4DOS/4NT), which is the gold standard.

  11. when i downloaded windows10 some how it made my husband the administrator, now when i TRY to login in this account it will not let me, keeps telling me the password is wrong, when i know its right, I don’t like this at all. It just shut me down, then i got hacked, really don’t know how to fix that.

  12. i was about to say that command prompt was behaving EXACTLY the same as it did in windows 8.1 but i saw that legacy console option was on by default (dont know why) but anyway if your cmd is like windows 8.1 be sure that legacy console is unchecked…

  13. I’m misssing the command ‘keyb’ to switch from qwerty to any other layout.
    The previous dos/cmd environments included this command in the past.
    But in Win10, the cmd window this keyb command is not recognized as internal neither external command.

    An old dos program used to run ok with all previoous Windows
    But if launched in Win10, it switches itself automatically from azerty to querty for unknown reason.

    I guess more people might want to switch their keyboard within the cmd prompt?

  14. My Windows 10 command prompt opens but won’t let me type anything. Even if I open it as admin still does not type.

    Please God, Please give me back my Windows 7!

    It blows away my windows 10 hands down!

  15. My Windows 10 command prompt opens but will not let me type any commands. It does not matter whether I open it as admin or user. I knw you can open command prompt about 30 different ways in 10, but what good does that do if it will not work after it is open?

    Does anyone know why this is?

    I know I should’t expect much because it’s a Microsoft product but still……..

    Windows 10 is such a horrible nightmare. Worst OS ever known to mankind.

  16. When I first upgraded to Win 10 my command window was much more robust. I run an old DOS based database that uses tree menus. When I first upgraded it was extremely fast (from Win7) but recently speed has degraded substantially. Has anyone experienced this and did you find a cure? Really need to get back up to speed.

    Thank you in advance for your help.

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