Windows Terminal
Updated: 10/01/2023 by Computer Hope
Windows Terminal is an update to the command line in Windows 10 that is available for free in the Microsoft Store beginning in mid-2019. It can be used instead of the traditional Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) command line interfaces.
Windows Terminal is the first major upgrade to the Windows command-line subsystem in over 30 years. The new Windows Terminal is 100% backward compatible with previous systems, so all batch scripts and console applications for older versions of Windows are guaranteed to function the same.
How to open the Windows Terminal
To open the Windows Terminal, click Start and type "terminal," if the Terminal app is highlighted, press Enter.
Windows Terminal features and improvements
- Improved data security for console applications.
- Tabbed terminals, allowing multiple terminal sessions in a single window. These include the Windows PowerShell, Command Prompt, Azure Cloud Shell, and Linux command lines.
- UTF-8 (8-bit) Unicode support, allowing emojis and non-English language characters in console applications, commands, and output.
- Support for 24-bit color depth (true color).
- Window transparency and special effects, such as blur and frosted glass effects.
- Theming and custom window styles.
- Support for the Surface Pen in console applications.