This article will show you how to run a program from the command line on a Windows computer. You can run a program that is stored in a folder created by Windows (for example, on the desktop). Also, the program folder can be added to the command line list to run this program from the command line.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: How to start the main program
Step 1. Open the Start Menu
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen. Or press the ⊞ Win key on your keyboard.
In Windows 8, move your mouse to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then click the magnifying glass icon
Step 2. In the Start menu search bar, enter Command Prompt
The command line icon will be displayed.
Step 3. Click on the command line icon
It's at the top of the Start menu. A command prompt window will open.
If you are logged in as a guest, the Command Prompt window will not open
Step 4. At the command prompt, enter start
Be sure to put a space after the start command.
Step 5. Enter the name of the program on the command line
This refers to the system name of the program, not the name of its shortcut (for example, the system name of the command line: cmd). The following are the system names of the main programs:
- Conductor: explorer
- Notebook: notepad
- table of symbols: charmap
- Paint: mspaint
- Command line (new window): cmd
- Windows Media Player: wmplayer
- Task Manager: taskmgr
Step 6. Press ↵ Enter
The command you entered should look something like start program_name. The specified program will be launched within a few seconds after the execution of the "start" command.
If the selected program does not start, it is most likely not included in the list of command line programs. In this case, skip to the next section
Method 2 of 2: How to start another program
Step 1. Open the Start Menu
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen. Or press the ⊞ Win key on your keyboard.
Step 2. Open File Explorer
To do this, click on the folder-shaped icon at the bottom left of the Start window.
Step 3. Open the folder where the program is located
Navigate to the folder with the files of the program you want to open.
- When the icon of the program that you want to start using the command line appears in the Explorer window, then you are in the correct folder.
- If you don't know where the program is, look for it in the Program Files folder on your hard drive or use the search bar (above).
Step 4. Select the path to the program folder
Click on the right side of the address bar at the top of the Explorer window. The content of the address bar will be highlighted in blue.
Step 5. Copy the path to the folder
To do this, press Ctrl + C.
Step 6. Click on This PC
This folder is on the left side of the Explorer window.
Step 7. Click This PC again
This will deselect any folder within the This PC folder, allowing you to open the properties of the This PC folder.
Step 8. Click on Computer
It's a tab in the upper-left side of the page. The toolbar will open.
Step 9. Click Properties
The icon for this button looks like a white square with a red check mark. A pop-up window will open.
Step 10. Click Advanced System Settings
This link is in the upper-left side of the window. Another pop-up window will open.
Step 11. Click the Advanced tab
It's at the top of the window.
Step 12. Click Environment Variables
It's near the bottom of the window. Another window will open.
Step 13. Click on Path
It's in the System Variables window at the bottom of the page.
Step 14. Click Change
It's near the bottom of the page.
Step 15. Click Create
It's in the upper-right side of the Edit page.
Step 16. In the "Path" window, paste the path to the required program
To do this, press Ctrl + V.
Step 17. Click OK
The inserted path will be saved.
Step 18. Open a command prompt window (read the previous section)
Step 19. Open the path to the program
Type cd at the command line, then put a space, press Ctrl + V to enter the path to the program, and then press ↵ Enter.
Step 20. At the command line, enter start
Be sure to put a space after the start command.
Step 21. Enter the name of the program
Enter the program name as it appears in the program files folder, then press ↵ Enter. The program will start.