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Open A Command Prompt Anywhere

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4.98/5 (127 votes)
8 Mar 2016CPOL 176.3K   40   63
This hidden key-click combination adds the ability to open a command prompt window from a Windows Explorer view.

Maybe I'm the last one to find/discover this trick but I was so pleased to find it, I had to share it anyways.

Often when browsing directories in Windows Explorer, you want to open a command shell, using the directory being viewed as the current directory. In older versions of Windows, you could add an item to the context menu by adding a registry setting or installing a third-party utility.

In Windows 7 (and possibly Vista, Windows 2008), a menu item is added to the context-sensitive right-click menu by holding down SHIFT as you click:

Image 1

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Engineer Robotic Assistance Devices / AITX
Canada Canada
Yvan Rodrigues has 30 years of experience in information systems and software development for the industry. He is Senior Concept Designer at Robotic Assistance Devices

He is a Certified Technician (C.Tech.), a professional designation granted by the Institute of Engineering Technology of Ontario (IETO).

Yvan draws on experience as owner of Red Cell Innovation Inc., Mabel's Labels Inc. as Manager of Systems and Development, the University of Waterloo as Information Systems Manager, and OTTO Motors as Senior Systems Engineer and Senior Concept Designer.

Yvan is currently focused on design of embedded systems.

Comments and Discussions

 
PraiseYvan thank you. Before voting some need reality check! Pin
Hamid Noorbakhsh10-Mar-16 6:42
professionalHamid Noorbakhsh10-Mar-16 6:42 
Suggestion[My vote of 2] Your aren't the last . . . Pin
rhyous9-Mar-16 12:10
rhyous9-Mar-16 12:10 
AnswerRe: [My vote of 2] Your aren't the last . . . Pin
Yvan Rodrigues9-Mar-16 13:15
professionalYvan Rodrigues9-Mar-16 13:15 
QuestionYou can also just type "cmd" into the address bar. Pin
physincubus9-Mar-16 9:22
physincubus9-Mar-16 9:22 
AnswerRe: You can also just type "cmd" into the address bar. Pin
Jeremy David Thomson9-Mar-16 11:21
Jeremy David Thomson9-Mar-16 11:21 
GeneralRe: You can also just type "cmd" into the address bar. Pin
physincubus9-Mar-16 14:18
physincubus9-Mar-16 14:18 
SuggestionCopy filename with path Pin
Don Wurtz9-Mar-16 8:00
Don Wurtz9-Mar-16 8:00 
GeneralMy vote of 1 Pin
Member 116878659-Mar-16 7:07
Member 116878659-Mar-16 7:07 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
Yvan Rodrigues9-Mar-16 7:15
professionalYvan Rodrigues9-Mar-16 7:15 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
jtmueller9-Mar-16 10:59
jtmueller9-Mar-16 10:59 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
Alexms9-Mar-16 7:37
Alexms9-Mar-16 7:37 
GeneralRe: My vote of 1 Pin
jtmueller9-Mar-16 10:53
jtmueller9-Mar-16 10:53 
QuestionShould also be a Open Powershell Here Pin
Member 77540439-Mar-16 6:56
Member 77540439-Mar-16 6:56 
Suggestion[My vote of 1] That's too slow for a lazy one like me Pin
Pushparaj Adigopula9-Mar-16 2:49
Pushparaj Adigopula9-Mar-16 2:49 
GeneralRe: [My vote of 1] That's too slow for a lazy one like me Pin
RogerDW9-Mar-16 4:43
RogerDW9-Mar-16 4:43 
QuestionOpen a command prompt anywhere Pin
GioLac_CDPRJ9-Mar-16 1:47
professionalGioLac_CDPRJ9-Mar-16 1:47 
AnswerRe: Open a command prompt anywhere Pin
Member 104422389-Mar-16 2:27
Member 104422389-Mar-16 2:27 
GeneralRe: Open a command prompt anywhere Pin
GioLac_CDPRJ9-Mar-16 4:55
professionalGioLac_CDPRJ9-Mar-16 4:55 
GeneralRe: Open a command prompt anywhere Pin
Uni Dyne9-Mar-16 7:13
Uni Dyne9-Mar-16 7:13 
Actually, the address bar *is* a command prompt. Try typing this:

mkdir "My New Directory"

GeneralAnd something more in Windows 10 Pin
Κώστας Κλάδης8-Mar-16 23:43
Κώστας Κλάδης8-Mar-16 23:43 
QuestionMy vote of 5 Pin
robertcain18-Jun-14 22:58
robertcain18-Jun-14 22:58 
QuestionMy vote of 5 Pin
Manikandan109-Jun-14 19:46
professionalManikandan109-Jun-14 19:46 
QuestionIt's is nice tip Pin
taebum kim1-Sep-13 14:14
taebum kim1-Sep-13 14:14 
GeneralMy vote of 5 Pin
Plamen19676-Mar-13 0:54
Plamen19676-Mar-13 0:54 
QuestionCmd PinPopular
Amin_91322-Feb-13 3:01
Amin_91322-Feb-13 3:01 

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