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25 Run Commands
in Windows You
Should Memorize
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By Karrar Haider on April 22, 2021

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Using Run commands in Windows is a very

efficient way to access different Windows
settings and apps directly.
If you memorize Run commands, you can access a particular app
in just 2 steps instead of many clicks.

I personally don’t like frequently reaching out for the mouse;

therefore, I have memorized all the required keyboard shortcuts
and commands to minimize my interaction with the mouse. And

Run commands are core for my day-to-day PC usage to
accesses different Windows settings and apps efficiently.

If you are looking to be productive, then I will recommend you to
memorize Run commands. To get you started, I will list some of
the frequently used commands that I find most useful for day-to-
day use.

How to open the Run dialog?

To use Run commands, you need to know how to open the Run
dialog to enter the commands. There are two ways to access the
Run dialog in Windows 10.

You can either press the Windows+R keys on the keyboard or

right-click on the start menu and select Run from the menu.

Get application security done the right way!

I will recommend you to use the keyboard shortcut as it’s much
Detect, Protect, Monitor, Accelerate, and
more…you won’t have to use the mouse. Once the Run dialog
faster and
is open, enter any of the below-mentioned commands and
press the Enter key or click on the OK button to execute it.

#1. Access System Configuration

— “msconfig”
Starting with my favorite command, the System Configuration
window consists of multiple tabs to manage boot settings and
background services.

If you have a dual boot setup or often need to access safe mode,
you will often need to access these settings. Don’t forget to
check its Tools section for convenient access to some of the
most powerful Windows tools.
#2. Access Resource Monitor —
“resmon”
A very powerful app to see real-time information about your
system resources like CPU, RAM, disk, and network. For any
computer hanging or performance-related issues, this is the best
tool to get the information you need.

#3. Open System Information —

“msinfo32”
System Information app offers extensive information about both
the hardware and software of your PC. It’s a must-know
command if you need to see the specs of any PC. The
information is well laid out using dedicated categories, and you
can export the information to a file to share with anyone —
perfect for getting online tech assistance.
#4. Access Backup and Restore
window — “sdclt”
It opens the backup and restores window where you can either
set up a backup of your PC or restore it from an old backup if
there is a problem with your PC.

#5. Access mouse properties —

“main.cpl”
You can control all the settings related to your computer mouse
here. This includes mouse speed, buttons, wheel, and pointer,
etc.

#6. Open Windows Registry —

“regedit”
If you ever need to access the Windows registry to tweak
something, this is the easiest way to do it. I didn’t even know
other ways to access the Registry until recently, and I often mess
around in the Registry. Other ways are simply too cumbersome to
use.
#7. Access System Properties —
“sysdm.cpl”
Another powerful settings window to manage system protection
and remote connection features. I personally access it often to
manage the Performance settings under the Advanced tab.
You can manage some interesting performance-boosting options
there.

#8. Manage Windows Power

options — “powercfg.cpl”
You will find all the options to manage your PC’s power options
here. There are a plethora of options to both save power or get
better performance. Check this guide to optimize the power
options as you find best.

#9. Open Windows Features —

“optionalfeatures”
Here you can disable/enable some of the most advanced
features of Windows. I wouldn’t recommend you to mess around
here if you don’t know what you are doing. You will need to use
this window if you ever need to enable features like Telnet client
or Hyper-V.
#10. Open Magnifier — “magnify”
This opens the Windows magnifier to magnify the content on the
screen up to 1600% if needed. It also has a screen reader built-
in to read aloud text on the screen.

#11. Open Character Map app —

“charmap”
Windows Character Maps lets you access All the characters in
the font of your choice to easily use anywhere you like. You can
either copy the character or learn its Alt code to enter anywhere
you like. Using the search bar is the easiest way to find the
character you need.

#12. Access Network Connections

— “ncpa.cpl”
Here you can manage your current network connection and fix
any problem with the network device. You can enable/disable the
network, check the current status, bridge connections, or see
your Wi-Fi password.

#13. Run Malicious Software

Removal Tool — “mrt”
It’s an on-demand virus removal tool provided by Microsoft to
scan your PC and find any malicious software. If you think your
PC got infected by a virus, you can quickly launch this tool to
scan your PC.
You can also consider installing antivirus software to keep your
Windows computer safe.

#14. Open Device Manager —

“devmgmt.msc”
Device Manager is the go-to place to manage everything related
to your hardware components and their drivers. You can
enable/disable hardware components or manage their drivers,
like uninstalling or updating them.

#15. Manage User Accounts —

“netplwiz”
You can quickly manage user accounts here, such as adding a
new account or user account types like Administrator or
Standard. You can also change the user accounts password
here and manage their security.

#16. Open Services app —

“services.msc”
This app lists all the services that work in the background without
an interface and make all the features work in Windows. Again,
you shouldn’t mess with any services if you don’t know what you
are doing. However, you can click on a service to learn what it
does in the left panel. There are many services that you can
enable/disable depending on your need. For example, I have
disabled the Bluetooth service as I don’t use it.

#17. Access Programs and

Features window — “appwiz.cpl”
Although Windows 10 has its own setting to uninstall an app, I still
use this command as it only shows third-party apps. The default
Windows uninstaller shows all apps, including built-in apps, which
are 30+. It can be difficult to always go through so many apps to
uninstall a recently installed app. This command makes the
process a snap.

#18. Open Control Panel —

“control”
This command didn’t hold much value in the older version of
Windows as you could easily access Control Panel using
different ways. However, in Windows 10, Microsoft promotes the
new Settings over the old Control Panel, so it doesn’t offer an
easy way to access the Control Panel. This simple command lets
you easily access it.

#19. Open current user folder — “.”

(period)
We have to access the user folder quite often in Windows, but
going through the explorer to access it isn’t needed. Just type a
period in the Run dialog, and the current user’s folder will open
up.

#20. Open On-Screen Keyboard —

“osk”
If you want to use the on-screen keyboard, then using the Run
command is one of the quickest ways to do it.

#21. Open Snipping Tool —

“snippingtool”
Snipping Tool is still the go-to tool for taking screenshots in
Windows 10 without using a third-party app. If you use the
Snipping Tool for taking screenshots, then this Run command will
make it easier.

#22. Open Windows Memory

Diagnostic — “mdsched”
If you think there is a problem with your RAM, this tool can check
your RAM and possibly fix the problem or let you know there is an
issue. If you start seeing sudden freezes or crashes, it could
mean there is a problem with your RAM.

#23. Open any website — “Insert

website URL”
You can also enter the URL of any website in the Run dialog, and
it will open it in your default browser. For example, if you type
 www.geekflare.com in the Run command, it will open the
Geekflare home page in your default browser.

#24. Open Remote Desktop

Connection — “mstsc”
You can use this feature to remotely connect to another PC and
take full control over it. You’ll have to set up both PCs for the
remote connection first, though. This Run command just makes
the process easier.

#25. Open Command Prompt —

“cmd”
Unlike PowerShell, you can’t access the Command Prompt by
right-clicking on the start menu anymore. If you prefer using the
Command Prompt over PowerShell to execute commands, this is
one of the easier ways to open the Command Prompt.

Wrapping up
The cool thing about Run is that it remembers all the commands
you type in it. Therefore, you will only have to type the first letter
to enter the command in the future.

I also believe Run commands are more important in Windows 10

as it heavily promotes the use of its default Settings app. Most of
the settings and apps that I have mentioned above are more
difficult to access Windows 10.

Next, explore some of the best NirSoft utilities for Windows.

TAGS:

Windows

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