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Command shell

Command Prompt

The Windows command shell also called cmd.exe. Its syntax differs from PowerShell.

What it is for

Use it when a lesson explicitly labels a command as Command Prompt. Do not assume PowerShell scripts work here.

Install it

  1. Included with Windows; no separate download is needed.

Official setup instructions ↗

Open it

  1. Open Start, type Command Prompt and open it.
  2. Alternatively select Command Prompt in the Windows Terminal profile menu.

Check it is installed — then verify

Where · Command Prompt

At the cmd.exe prompt, not in a PowerShell tab. Tool guide

Type this in the waiting Command Prompt line, then press Enter.

ver

What you should see: The Windows version is displayed.

Try one small thing

Where · Command Prompt

At the cmd.exe prompt, not in a PowerShell tab. Tool guide

Show the current folder.

cd

What you should see: A folder path appears. In Command Prompt, cd without an argument prints the current directory.

If something looks different

  1. A PowerShell command such as Get-Location is not recognised here: switch to PowerShell.
  2. A path containing spaces needs quotation marks. The drive or folder shown at the prompt is not part of the command to copy.

Lessons using this tool

Some use it only for optional local practice. Each lesson explains what you actually need.

No published lesson requires this tool yet. This guide is ready for future follow-along tutorials.

Official help

Guide reviewed 2026-09-09. Menu labels can differ between versions.