Guide

Windows tip: use console commands systemwide

12-6-2023

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Our Windows tips regularly show off great features and tricks for the Microsoft operating system. The first instalment is all about running downloaded command line programs systemwide.

This is our first Windows tip, our new series of articles surrounding Windows 11. However, most of them will also work with Windows 10. Our tricks are meant to remind you of a practical feature or show you a new one. If you like our first tip, we’ll show off others in a similar fashion. If you don’t, we still might. However, you can prevent this by voting against it in the poll at the bottom.

Windows tip no. 1 – console commands that aren’t integrated in Windows

Not every computer program has a graphical user interface. For example, if I want to use Windows to give my Android smartphone a new Custom ROM, I need the Android Debug Bridge (ADB). However, it only understands my commands in the console if I enter them in the folder where I unpacked the program. This means that I either start the command prompt by right-clicking this folder in the explorer, or first get there using the command «cd c:\portable\adb».

But this doesn’t have to be the case, as you can define the folder in Windows – the ADB directory, in my example – as the system path. Once this is done, you can use commands systemwide in any folder. Just like you’re used to from commands that are built into Windows.

How to add folders to the Windows system path

The Windows system path tells your computer in which directories executable files can be found – and makes them available systemwide.

To add a folder to the system path, do the following:

Search for «Advanced System Settings» in the Start menu and open it.

This opens the «Advanced» tab in the system properties. There, click on «Environment Variables».

In the new window, select the «Path» line under «System variables» and click on «Edit».

Now you can see all existing folders that belong to the Windows system path. Click on «New».

Enter the desired path for the folder to be shared and click «OK».

Done. If you now open Windows PowerShell, the command prompt or another terminal, you can use the programs contained in the added directory or its commands, regardless of which folder you’re currently in.

How did you like this Windows tip? Great idea or grave mistake?
You choose.

Your opinion on our Windows tip:

Great, more please.
53%
Not bad, but please come with a tip that's useful for a wider audience next time.
17%
I can well imagine that the tip will help people, but this one is too banal for me.
20%
Leave it be, I feel out of place as a Mac or Linux user.
3%
Wow, this tip really crash-landed.
4%
I prefer PCtipp.
3%

The competition has ended.

Header image: Shutterstock

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Martin Jud

Senior Editor

martin.jud@digitecgalaxus.ch

I find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.

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