Add 'Open Command Window Here' to Windows 10 Context Menu

This how-to focuses on bringing back the option to launch the "open command window here" prompt from the right-click Windows 10 context menu.

Karim Buzdar

December 21, 2017

2 Min Read
Keyboard Closeup
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Microsoft has hidden the command prompt from the Power User menu (Windows key + X), file menu for file explorer, and the extended or right-click Windows 10 context menu (Shift + Right-click). Here's how to bring back the option to launch the Windows 10 "Open command window here" prompt from the right-click Windows 10 context menu.

Adding ‘Open command window here’ Option to the Windows 10 Context Menu of a Folder

Step One: To enable the Windows 10 open command prompt here, first press Windows key and + R from the keyboard to open the Run command. Type regedit and then hit enter from the keyboard to open the registry.

Step Two: Go to the following path:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryshellcmd

Step Three: Right-click the cmd key. Scroll to Permissions and then click it.

Step Four: Click Advanced.

Step Five: Click the Change link.

Step Six: Type your user account name and click ‘Check Names’ to verify it. Click OK when you are done.

Step Seven: Check ‘Replace owner on subcontainers and objects’. Click Apply and then OK.

Step Eight: In ‘Permissions for cmd’ window, select the Administrator account. Check Allow for full control option. Click Apply and then OK.

Step Nine: Inside the cmd key (right window), right click HideBasedOnVelocityId and then click Rename.

Step Ten: Rename the DWORD from HideBasedOnVelocityId to ShowBasedOnVelocityId, then hit Enter from the keyboard.

You are done. When you press shift from the keyboard and then right-click on any folder, you will have the ‘Open command window here’ option on the Windows 10 Context Menu.

Adding ‘Open command window here’ Option to the Context Menu of Background

Here are the few steps you need to take:

Step One: Press Windows key + R simultaneously to open the Run command. Type regedit and hit enter from the keyboard to open the registry.

Step Two: Go to the following path:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryBackgroundshellcmd

Step Three: Right-click the cmd key and then click Permissions.

Step Four: Click Advanced.

Step Five: Click the change link on top of the window in front of owner option.

Step Six: Type your user account name and click ‘Check Names’ to verify it. Click OK when you are done.

Step Seven: Check ‘Replace owner on subcontainers and objects’ option. Click Apply and then OK.

Step Eight: In permissions window, choose the administrator user. Check Allow for Full Control option, click Apply and then OK.

Step Nine: Inside the cmd key (right window), right-click the HideBasedOnVelocityId DWORD and then click Rename.

Step Ten: Change the DWORD name from HideBasedOnVelocityId to ShowBasedOnVelocityId and press Enter from the keyboard.

That’s all for adding the WIndows 10 open command prompt. When you press shift and right-click anywhere on your windows background, you will have an option of ‘Open command window here’ as shown in the following screenshot from Windows 10.

About the Author

Karim Buzdar

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karimbuzdar/

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