How to use Windows Terminal and what it does

Scratch the surface of Windows (and macOS) and you’ll find a command-line console underneath, a relic from the dawn of these operating systems: user-friendly graphical wrappers built around text-based, monochrome interfaces.

If you’re as old as I am, you remember having to launch applications and games on a computer by typing text commands instead of pointing and clicking. Modern methods are much easier, of course, but the old methods still exist and are actually still useful for multitasking, as the list below shows.

Initially, Windows retained the Command Prompt utility to recall its MS-DOS roots. Later, it was joined by PowerShell (Command Prompt with extras), and in the latest versions of Windows 11, Command Prompt and PowerShell are now combined into one tool. It is called Windows Terminal.

Windows Terminal supports all the original Command Prompt instructions and you can launch it from the Start menu. Simple:

• Call Terminal.
• Right-click on the program icon and select: Run as administrator To ensure that all features are available to you.

Now that you have Windows Terminal open, here are some commands that might be worth a shot. To use them, type the text shown, and then To enter.

1. Turn off your computer after a certain period of time

Shutting down your computer from the Start menu isn’t hard, of course, but Terminal does give you a few more options, like scheduled shutdowns. The above command orders a shutdown (“/s”) instead of a restart after a 600-second period (“/t”). Just adjust the schedule as needed.

Another useful option is “shutdown -r -o” (without the quotes), which will restart your computer (“-r”) and launch the Advanced Startup Options menu — very useful for troubleshooting. Just type “shutdown” to see other flags you can use.

2. See a visualization of your folders

Type “Tree” and click To enter to see a visual representation of the folders and subfolders on your system — very useful for seeing how your Windows drive is organized. You can add a drive and folder path (e.g. “C:\Programs\”) to focus the listing on a specific area of ​​the drive and use the “/f” flag to see folders listed as well as files.

3. Troubleshoot network issues

The “ipconfig” command is often used to troubleshoot networking issues. If you use it alone, you’ll see your router’s current IP address, but if you add the “/flushdns” flag, the connections between your computer and the websites you visit will be reset ( DNS server) can be helpful in cases where websites are not loading as they should.

You can also use the commands “ipconfig /release” followed by “ipconfig /renew” to get a new IP address for your computer. This will fix any connection issues between your Windows device and your router or your device and the internet.

4. Learn more about your system

The classic “systeminfo” command tells you everything you could possibly want to know about your system and more: it returns your Windows 11 version and CPU model, the amount of installed RAM and storage, all currently active network connections detected, and even how long it took for your computer to boot up the last time it booted.

5. Check your Windows 11 driver for errors

The “chkdsk” command has long been a favorite of IT technicians, and you’ll find it featured in many troubleshooting guides. It basically checks your system disk for errors and can fix some of the most basic ones. For example, if you’re having trouble accessing files and folders or starting your computer, chkdsk can help.

There are also a number of flags you can use. The command itself just looks for errors, but if you add a space and “/r” to the end, the utility will attempt to fix those errors while recovering all data. Use “chkdsk /?” to see other options.

The “task list” command gives you much the same information as Task Manager, showing you the applications that are putting the most load on your system. Using the process IDs (or PIDSs) it shows, you can use “taskkill /pid You can force-quit applications using the “/f” command, which can be useful for problematic software.

7. Analyze your computer’s energy conditions

This is another classic command line prompt that will return all the sleep states your computer supports (such as hibernation and fast startup) with the “/a” flag. You can also get a detailed battery report via “powercfg /batteryreport”, which is saved in the default folder for the current user account.

Dig deeper and there’s more: “powercfg /devicequery s1_supported”, for example, lists all devices connected to your system that can wake it from standby. Change this “s1” if you need to analyze a different standby case — the codes will be listed when you run the original “powercfg /a” command.

8. Check Windows 11 system integrity

Like many other command line prompts, this one comes in really handy when it comes to troubleshooting. It checks the integrity of important operating system files and applies fixes as needed. If you’re noticing errors and crashes all over Windows 11, this is one of the first steps that many troubleshooting guides will recommend.

9. Gain advanced networking knowledge

Another simple word that packs a bunch of useful diagnostic utilities: if you use “netstat” alone, you’ll get information about all the devices your computer is connected to, from printers to smart speakers (use Ctrl+C when you want to stop them).

Like many other commands, you can customize the command in many ways (use “netstat /?” for a full list). For example, you can use “netstat -b” to see which applications are currently communicating with the web; this can help you spot programs that are more active online than they should be.