Windows Terminal is an amazing app in Windows 11 that allows you to access different types of command shells all in one place. It opens with PowerShell by default, but if you’d rather have new tabs open Command Prompt instead, it’s easy to change. Here’s how.

First, run Windows Terminal. You can find it quickly by right-clicking the Start button and selecting “Windows Terminal” from the menu that pops up.

When the Windows Terminal app opens, click the downward-facing caret beside the plus in the tabs bar. In the menu that appears, select “Settings.”

When the Settings tab opens, select “Startup” in the sidebar. On the Startup settings page, click the drop-down menu labeled “Default Profile.”

In the Default Profile drop-down menu, select “Command Prompt.”

Select "Command Prompt" from the menu.

To finish up, click “Save” in the lower-right corner of the window.

After that, close the Settings tab. The next time you open Windows Terminal or create a new terminal tab by clicking the plus (“+”) button, it will open a Command Prompt. Happy hacking!

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Benj Edwards is a former Associate Editor for How-To Geek. Now, he is an AI and Machine Learning Reporter for Ars Technica. For over 15 years, he has written about technology and tech history for sites such as The Atlantic, Fast Company, PCMag, PCWorld, Macworld, Ars Technica, and Wired. In 2005, he created Vintage Computing and Gaming, a blog devoted to tech history. He also created The Culture of Tech podcast and regularly contributes to the Retronauts retrogaming podcast.
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