What does NCPA in the "ncpa.cpl" command stand for?
The run prompt command
1. ncpa.cpl
opens the Network Connections in Control panel.
Here
ncpa = Network Control Panel Applet
cpl = Control Panel.
Useful Run Commands Every Windows User Should
Know
Useful Run Commands Every Windows User Should Know - Make Tech Easier
25 Run Commands in Windows You Should Memorize (geekflare.com)
10 Important Run Commands Every Windows User Should Know - thecoderworld
Useful Run Commands Every Windows User Should Know - Google Search
A quick-and-easy keyboard-only way to run Windows’s wealth of tools is through the
“Run” command. If you know the corresponding Run command of a tool or task, then you
know the quickest way to access said tool or task. This list of our favorite Run commands
will help you be more productive.
Note: press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box and enter any of the
below commands to access the respective tool.
List of Run Commands
1. services.msc – When you enter “services.msc” and press the Enter button, it will open
the Windows Services app where you can easily start, stop and configure other settings for
each and every service individually. It’s quite helpful when you want to toggle a service.
2. mstsc – Entering “mstsc” into the Run dialog box opens the Remote Desktop
Connection app which allows you to connect to other Windows computers over the local
network or through the Internet. This helps you use the host computer as your own.
3. msinfo32 – If you want to quickly get your system information, then the “msinfo32”
command is the way to go. At a glance, it will display all the system details, including the
hardware resources and software environment.
4. sdclt – This command opens the Backup and Restore window that allows you to quickly
set a backup schedule or restore any of your previous backups.
5. compmgmt.msc – The Computer Management app is where you can access almost all
the advanced Windows modules, like Event Viewer, Shared Folder, System Tools, etc.
6. cleanmgr – This command allows you to open the Windows Disk Cleanup utility. Once
opened, simply select the drive your want to clean up and click the “OK” button.
7. eventvwr.msc – Windows Event Viewer is where Windows stores all the monitoring and
troubleshooting messages. You can use this command to quickly access the Event Viewer
application.
8. control – Every Windows user knows a thing or two about the Windows Control Panel,
and using this command, you can quickly access the Control Panel with some stumbling
around.
9. mmc – Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is an advanced Windows module that is
mainly aimed at system administrators and power users, as it sports all the tools required
for configuring and monitoring a Windows system.
10. resmon – Whenever you want to check how your system resources are being utilized,
simply use this Run command, and it displays everything from your CPU to Disc to
Network.
11. () – This is one of the lesser-known Run commands. Just enter the backslash () into the
Run dialog box, and it will open up the C drive. It is one of the quickest ways to access the
C drive.
12. (.) – This is yet another lesser-known Run command. Type period (.) to open the
current user’s home folder, which hosts all the other local folders, such as Downloads,
Documents, Desktop, Pictures, etc.
13. (..) – When you execute these two dots in the Run dialog box, it will open the Users
folder, which is located directly in the C drive.
14. calc – If you want to quickly open the built-in Windows calculator app, typing calc in
the Run dialog box is the easiest way to do it.
15. cmd – Even Windows users have to deal with the command line sometimes. With this
command, you can quickly open the command prompt without administrator privileges.
16. powershell – If the command prompt is too old for you, then you may want to try
PowerShell. Just type this command in the Run dialog box to open your PowerShell
without administrator privileges.
17. netplwiz – The general user accounts option is available through the Control Panel,
but if you want to mess with the advanced user account options, then use this command
to open the Advanced User Accounts window. If you want to deal with the Authorization
Manager, then use the Run command azman.msc .
18. gpedit.msc – Group Policy Editor in Windows allows you to set and edit different
Windows policies of a local or remote computer. Since Group Policy Editor is an advanced
tool, it is buried deep inside Windows, and this Run command is the easiest way to access
it. However, this command will only work on the Windows 10 Pro version and not the
Home variant.
For Windows 10 Home, download the gpedit-enabler.bat file, right-click on it, and Run as
an administrator. Let the installation process complete, then use the gpedit.msc command.
19. lusrmgr.msc – Using this command, you can open the Local Users and Groups
Manager, where you can edit several properties of all the users and groups. Again, this
command will only work on Windows 10 Pro. To use it on Windows 10 Home, install
its third-party alternative.
20. mrt – Every month Windows releases a newer version of Microsoft Windows Malicious
Software Removal Tool through the Windows Update. This free tool helps you in cleaning
some of the most popular malicious software from your Windows computer. This tool runs
silently in the background, but if you want to run it manually, then use this Run command.
21. ncpa.cpl – Being an Internet user means that you have to deal with occasional (if not
daily) network problems, and one way to troubleshoot your network connection is by
accessing your Network Adapters. To access all your Network Adapters, you can use this
Run command.
22. perfmon.msc – If you want to monitor the performance of your Windows computer
and effects of the programs you run, running Performance Monitor will provide ample
data. You can access the Performance Monitor using this command.
23. powercfg.cpl – Windows hosts a wide range of power options to deal with your
computer’s power usage, and you can access all those Power Options using this command.
24. appwiz.cpl – Using this command you can quickly access the Programs and Features
window where you can quickly uninstall your installed programs.
25. devmgmt.msc – Windows Device Manager is where you can manage all your
hardware devices, and you can use this Run command to quickly access it. Alternatively,
you can also use the command “hdwwiz.cpl.”
26. regedit – The Regedit Run command can be used to access the Windows Registry,
which is a hierarchical database that hosts all the configurations and settings of an
operating system and the installed programs.
27. msconfig – Windows System Configuration is where you can edit different things, like
the boot options, startup options, services, etc. You can use this Run command to access
the System Configuration window.
28. sysdm.cpl – If you ever want to access the System Properties window, then using this
Run command opens it.
29. firewall.cpl – If you want to manage or configure your Windows firewall, then you can
use this Run command to quickly access the Firewall window.
30. wuapp – You can use this command to check, manage and configure all your Windows
Update settings. Please note that this command will not work on Windows 10 devices, as
all the options related to Windows Update are now available under “Start → Settings →
Update and Security.” You may, however, use the “ms-settings:windowsupdate” command
to open the Windows Update window.
31. taskmgr – This command launches the Task Manager utility, which displays the
programs, services, and processes that are currently running on your PC. It also allows you
to monitor the performance of your computer in terms of CPU usage, memory, network
status, disk usage, and GPU usage. Viewing app history, changing startup programs, and
terminating a non-responding program are other tools offered by Task Manager.
32. charmap – This command will unveil the Character Map app, which contains a variety
of special characters not found on your keyboard, such as accented letters, foreign
language characters, and other symbols. It allows you to copy-paste special characters into
your document or simply drag them into compatible programs, such as Microsoft Word,
WordPad, and so on.
33. shutdown – Use this command to shut down or restart your computer. To shut down,
type shutdown /s , and to restart, type shutdown /r . If you want the computer to shut down
automatically after a certain amount of time, type shutdown /s /t seconds , where the
number seconds is denotes the time the computer will wait before it will shut down
automatically.
Tip: type shutdown /a to cancel the scheduled shutdown.
34. rstrui – If you need to restore your computer, use this command to get to the System
Restore interface quickly, then follow the on-screen instructions to restore your computer.
More Run Commands
Can’t get enough of the Run command? Here we have compiled a big list of all the Run
commands available in Windows.
Task Name Run Command
About Windows winver
Add a Device devicepairingwizard
Add Hardware Wizard hdwwiz
Advanced User Accounts netplwiz
Authorization Manager azman
Backup and Restore sdclt
Bluetooth File Transfer fsquirt
Calculator calc
Certificates certmgr
Task Name Run Command
Change Computer Performance systempropertiesperformance
Settings
Change Data Execution Prevention systempropertiesdataexecutionprevention
Settings
Change Printer Settings printui
Character Map charmap
ClearType Tuner cttune
Color Management colorcpl
Command Prompt cmd
Component Services comexp
Task Name Run Command
Component Services dcomcnfg
Computer Management compmgmt
Computer Management compmgmtlauncher
Connect to a Network Projector netproj
Connect to a Projector displayswitch
Control Panel control
Create A Shared Folder Wizard shrpubw
Create a System Repair Disc recdisc
Task Name Run Command
Credential Backup and Restore credwiz
Wizard
Data Execution Prevention systempropertiesdataexecutionprevention
Default Location locationnotifications
Device Manager devmgmt
Device Pairing Wizard devicepairingwizard
Diagnostics Troubleshooting msdt
Wizard
Digitizer Calibration Tool tabcal
DirectX Diagnostic Tool dxdiag
Task Name Run Command
Disk Cleanup cleanmgr
Disk Defragmenter dfrgui
Disk Management diskmgmt
Display dpiscaling
Display Color Calibration dccw
Display Switch displayswitch
DPAPI Key Migration Wizard dpapimig
Driver Verifier Manager verifier
Ease of Access Center utilman
Task Name Run Command
Encrypting File System Wizard rekeywiz
Event Viewer eventvwr
Fax Cover Page Editor fxscover
File Signature Verification sigverif
Getting Started gettingstarted
IExpress Wizard iexpress
Import to Windows Contacts wabmig*
iSCSI Initiator Configuration Tool iscsicpl
iSCSI Initiator Properties iscsicpl
Task Name Run Command
Language Pack Installer lpksetup
Local Group Policy Editor gpedit
Local Security Policy secpol
Local Users and Groups lusrmgr
Location Activity locationnotifications
Magnifier magnify
Malicious Software Removal Tool mrt
Manage Your File Encryption rekeywiz
Certificates
Math Input Panel mip*
Task Name Run Command
Microsoft Management Console mmc
Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool msdt
NAP Client Configuration napclcfg
Narrator narrator
New Scan Wizard wiaacmgr
Notepad notepad
ODBC Data Source Administrator odbcad32
ODBC Driver Configuration odbcconf
Task Name Run Command
On-Screen Keyboard osk
Paint mspaint
Performance Monitor perfmon
Performance Options systempropertiesperformance
Phone Dialer dialer
Presentation Settings presentationsettings
Print Management printmanagement
Printer Migration printbrmui
Printer User Interface printui
Task Name Run Command
Private Character Editor eudcedit
Problem Steps Recorder psr
Protected Content Migration dpapimig
Registry Editor regedit
Remote Access Phonebook rasphone
Remote Desktop Connection mstsc
Resource Monitor resmon
Resultant Set of Policy rsop
Task Name Run Command
Securing the Windows Account syskey
Database
Services services
Set Program Access and Computer computerdefaults
Defaults
Share Creation Wizard shrpubw
Shared Folders fsmgmt
Snipping Tool snippingtool
Sound Recorder soundrecorder
SQL Server Client Network Utility cliconfg
Task Name Run Command
Sticky Notes stikynot
Stored User Names and Passwords credwiz
Sync Center mobsync
System Configuration msconfig
System Configuration Editor sysedit (This command doesn't work in the 64-bit version of
Windows.)
System Information msinfo32
System Properties (Advanced Tab) systempropertiesadvanced
System Properties (Computer systempropertiescomputername
Name Tab)
Task Name Run Command
System Properties (Hardware Tab) systempropertieshardware
System Properties (Remote Tab) systempropertiesremote
System Properties (System systempropertiesprotection
Protection Tab)
System Restore rstrui
Tablet PC Input Panel tabtip*
Task Manager taskmgr
Task Scheduler taskschd
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) tpm
Management
Task Name Run Command
User Account Control Settings useraccountcontrolsettings
Utility Manager utilman
Version Reporter Applet winver
Volume Mixer sndvol
Windows Activation Client slui
Windows Anytime Upgrade windowsanytimeupgraderesults
Results
Windows Contacts wab*
Windows Disc Image Burning isoburn
Tool
Task Name Run Command
Windows DVD Maker dvdmaker*
Windows Easy Transfer migwiz*
Windows Explorer explorer
Windows Fax and Scan wfs
Windows Features optionalfeatures
Windows Firewall with Advanced wf
Security
Windows Help and Support winhlp32
Windows Journal journal*
Windows Media Player wmplayer*
Task Name Run Command
Windows Memory Diagnostic mdsched
Scheduler
Windows Mobility Center mblctr
Windows Picture Acquisition wiaacmgr
Wizard
Windows PowerShell powershell*
Windows PowerShell ISE powershell_ise*
Windows Remote Assistance msra
Windows Repair Disc recdisc
Task Name Run Command
Windows Script Host wscript
Windows Update wuapp
Windows Update Standalone wusa
Installer
WMI Management wmimgmt
WMI Tester wbemtest
WordPad write
XPS Viewer xpsrchvw
Access Screen Resolution page desk.cpl
Access Mouse properties main.cpl
Task Name Run Command
Access Windows Action Center wscui.cpl
Access Network Adapters ncpa.cpl
Access Power Option powercfg.cpl
Access the Programs and Features appwiz.cpl
Window
Access the System Properties sysdm.cpl
Access the Windows Firewall firewall.cpl
*You cannot run these commands from a command prompt or
the search box.
The other similar control panel commands include
appwiz.cpl → Uninstall wizard
hdwwiz.cpl → Hardware wizard
timedate.cpl → Date and Time
powercfg.cpl → Power options
intl.cpl → Region settings
desk.cpl → Resolution
mmsys.cpl → Sound
sysdm.cpl → System Properties
firewall.cpl → Windows Firewall
main.cpl → Mouse
inetcpl.cpl → Internet options
joy.cpl → Game controllers
