Windows Run Commands Cheat Sheet
msconfig - System Settings.
msinfo32 - System Information.
resmon - Resource Monitor.
main.cpl – Mouse Settings.
mstsc - Remote Desktop Service.
cmd - The Command Prompt.
explorer – Windows Explorer.
taskmgr – Task Manager.
shutdown – Windows Shutdown.
chkdsk – Check Disk Utility.
cleanmgr – Clean Disk Manager.
dxdiag – DirectX Options.
powershell – Windows PowerShell Console.
winver – Windows Version.
control folders – Folder Options.
diskmgmt.msc – Disk Manager.
eventvwr.msc – Event Viewer.
gpedit.msc – Local Group Policy Editor.
regedit - Registry Editor.
sysdm.cpl - System Properties.
powercfg.cpl – Power Options.
magnify – Magnifier.
charmap - Windows Character Table.
ncpa.cpl - Network Connections.
mrt - Malware Removal Tool.
devmgmt.msc - Device Manager.
netplwiz - User accounts.
services.msc – Services.
appwiz.cpl - Programs and Components.
control - Control Panel.
"." - open the folder of the current user.
osk - On-Screen Keyboard.
snippingtool – Scissors.
mdsched – Windows memory checker.
Most Popular Run Commands
msconfig - System settings. In the system settings you can change Windows boot
parameters and the features of its background services. If you have two OSes installed on
your device you can choose which to boot next time. Another great option is to load secure
boot after next restart.
resmon - Resource Monitor. Application which helps to monitor your system resources, you
can get real-time information about CPU, RAM, disk and network.
msinfo32 - System Information. Contains detailed information about both the hardware and
software on your computer.
main.cpl – Mouse Properties. In this menu you can change settings related to the operation
of your mouse.
mstsc - Remote Desktop Connection Settings. You can use this tool to connect remotely to
another computer or server and control it.
cmd - The Command Prompt. Console where you can type in commands to configure
Windows or run applications. You can view cheat sheet for it here.
explorer – Windows Explorer. Opens Windows explorer where you can navigate between
folders and disks in quick access location.
taskmgr – Task Manager. Opens task manager where you can kill frozen applications,
restart services and monitor system resources.
shutdown – Computer shutdown. Shuts the system down without notice, be careful.
chkdsk – Check Disk Utility. Starts a utility that can check disk for errors and fix them.
cleanmgr – Clean Disk Manager. Can free space on your disks by removing temp files or
empty recycle bin.
dxdiag – DirectX Options. Displays full data about DirectX installed components and drivers.
powershell – Windows Powershell Console. Opens Microsoft Powershell console where you
can run different cmdlets to get data or configure Windows and applications.
winver – Windows Version. Opens a window with full information about current Windows
version.
controlfolders – Folder Options. Opens folder options window where you can change folder
settings such as “show hidden files and folders” or “show file extensions”.
diskmgmt.msc – Disk Management. Opens Disk Management utility where you can create
volumes and partitions, format disks, apply different labels to disks etc…
eventvwr.msc – Event Viewer. Shows console with security, applications, system and other
events generated by Windows and applications.
gpedit.msc – Local Group Policy Editor. Opens the editor where you can manage your local
group policy settings.
regedit - Registry Editor. Gives access to the Windows registry where you can adjust
different settings. It is very powerful tool so be careful when you change its parameters.
sysdm.cpl - System Properties. Settings window to manage the system security, remote
connectivity features, rename computer or enter it to a domain.
powercfg.cpl – Power Options. Allows you to manage your device’s power settings. Very
useful for mobile devices.
magnify – Magnifier. This command opens the magnifier in Windows, which can be used for
images inspecting or reading tiny text.
charmap - Windows Character Table. Gives you access to different Windows fonts and
symbols you choose.
ncpa.cpl - Network Connections. In this menu you can manage network connections,
change IP v4/v6 addresses, change network device MAC and many other settings.
mrt - Microsoft Windows malware removal tool. This command invokes Microsoft's virus
removal tool. It scans your computer for any malware on-demand.
devmgmt.msc - Device Manager. A menu where you can find out the details of the
connected devices, computer parts and the version of the installed drivers.
netplwiz - User accounts. In this menu you can manage local user accounts, e.g. add a new
account or change the type of an existing account by raising or lowering its privileges. There
is also an option to change the password for the selected account and configure its security
policy settings.
services.msc – Services. This window lists all the services that run in the background and
are the basis of the Windows system functioning.
appwiz.cpl - Programs and Components. Although there are other ways to uninstall
unnecessary programs in Windows, this command still comes in handy because it displays a
list consisting only of third-party applications.
control - Control Panel. Contains all basic Windows settings
"." - open the root folder of the current user. We quite often have to open the user's folder in
Windows. To make this process faster and easier, just type a dot in the "Run" dialog box and
you'll instantly find the files you need.
osk - On-Screen Keyboard. If you want to use the onscreen keyboard, this command comes
in handy.
snippingtool – Scissors. Snippingtool is still the main tool for taking screenshots in Windows
without using third-party apps.
mdsched – Windows memory checker. This is a built-in check of your RAM will help you
check performance problems and possibly fix them.
