If you are using a Windows system, you must be aware of Run commands. These are used to access various settings and applications within the system directly. All you need is to memorize these short commands to speed up your work and enhance productivity.
It will help you save much time going through many steps to reach your desired setting and application, and it is sometimes challenging to remember every step. Professionals use Run commands in their day-to-day use to save time by reducing mouse – cursor – use.
If you want to be more productive, you should go through this article to learn Run commands to ease your work.
How to Open the Run Dialog?
Before you start with Run commands, you should know how to open the Run dialog to enter the commands. You can follow any of the following 2 ways to access the Run dialog box in Windows.
One way is to simultaneously press the Windows and R keys, and the other way is to right-click the Start menu and select the Run option from there. Once you choose any of the ways, the Run prompt will appear on your screen like this:
If you do not want to use the mouse and want a quick solution, you can go for the Windows + R option. Once the Run dialog box is open, you are now ready to enter various commands for easy access to applications and system settings.
We have prepared the following list of Run commands that will make your life easier while working on a Windows system:
| Commands | Description |
| colorcpl.exe | It will open the color management. |
| azman.msc | It will open the authorization manager. |
| calc | It will open the calculator. |
| certmgr.msc | It will open the certificate manager. |
| chkdsk | It will check the disk state and functioning. |
| cmd | It will open the command prompt. |
| compmgmt.msc | It will open the computer management. |
| control | It will open the control panel. |
| control access.cpl | It will open the ease of access. |
| control color | It will open the color and appearance. |
| control folders | It will open the folder options. |
| control fonts | It will open the fonts window from the control panel. |
| control keyboard | It will open the keyboard properties. |
| control mouse | It will open the mouse properties. |
| control netconnections | It will open the network connections. |
| control printers | It will open the devices and printers. |
| control schedtasks | It will open the Task scheduler. |
| control userpasswords2 | It will open the User accounts. |
| control wuaucpl.cpl | It will open the Windows update menu. |
| credwiz | It will open the backup and restore menu. |
| dcomcnfg | It will open the Component service. |
| desk.cpl | It will open the Desktop resolution. |
| devmgmt.msc | It will open the Device manager. |
| dfrgui | It will optimize the drives. |
| dialer | It will open the phone dialer. |
| diskmgmt.msc | It will open the disk manager. |
| diskpart | It will open the Disk partition utility in cmd. |
| dxdiag | It will open the Directx diagnostics. |
| eventvwr.msc | It will open the event viewer. |
| firewall.cpl | It will open the firewall menu. |
| fsmgmt.msc | It will open the shared folders menu. |
| gpedit.msc | It will open the local group policy editor. |
| inetcpl.cpl | It will open the internet options. |
| ipconfig | Lets you see the IP address in cmd. |
| iscsicpl | It will open the iscsi properties. |
| logoff | It will logoff the current user. |
| lpksetup | It will install or uninstall the display drivers. |
| magnify | It will open the magnifier. |
| mmsys.cpl | It will open the sound manager. |
| msconfig | It will open the system configuration. |
| msdt | It will open the Microsoft support diagnostics. |
| msinfo32 | It will open the system information. |
| mspaint | It will open the paint. |
| mstsc | It will open the remote desktop connections. |
| ncpa.cpl | It will open the network connection menu. |
| netplwiz | It will open the user accounts. |
| notepad | It will open the notepad. |
| osk | It will open the on-screen keyboard. |
| perfmon.msc | It will open the performance monitor. |
| powercfg.cpl | It will open the power options. |
| regedit | It will open the registry editor. |
| rsop.msc | It will open the resultant set of policies. |
| secpol.msc | It will open the Local security policy. |
| services.msc | It will open the service manager. |
| shrpubw | It will open the shared folder wizard. |
| sigverif | It will open the file signature verification. |
| slui | To activate Windows with a product key. |
| sndvol | It will open the volume mixer. |
| sysdm.cpl | It will open the system properties. |
| syskey | It will secure the Windows account database. |
| system.ini | It will open the system app support file in notepad. |
| taskmgr | It will open the task manager. |
| telephon.cpl | It will open the Location manager. |
| telnet | It will open the telnet client. |
| timedate.cpl | It will open the date and time manager. |
| tpmInit | TPM security manager. |
| verifier | It will open the driver verifier manager. |
| wf.msc | It will open the Windows firewall and advanced security. |
| winver | Displays the Windows version. |
| wmimgmt.msc | It will open the WMI console. |
| write | It will open the default text editor. |
| wusa | It will open the Windows update standalone manager. |
Discussing each of these Run commands in detail goes beyond the scope of this article. As such, in the next section, we will be discussing some of the most commonly and frequently used Run commands in detail.
Commonly Used Run Commands
1. Access System Configuration (msconfig)
Using the msconfig command, you can open the system configuration window that will display multiple tabs for managing the boot settings and services running in the background.
2. Access Resource Manager (resmon)
The resource manager will display all the real-time information about your system resources, like RAM, disk space, CPU, and network usage. If you are facing issues like system freeze-ups, you can monitor resource consumption and resolve the issue from here.
3. Open System Information (msinfo32)
This window will display all the information about the system hardware and software. This command (msinfo32) comes in handy if you want to see the specifications of your system. All the displayed information can be exported in a file that can be shared for getting assistance.
4. Access Mouse Properties (main.cpl)
This window will allow you to control all the mouse-related settings, like speed, buttons, and the wheel.
5. Open Window Registry (regedit)
This is the easiest way to access the registry settings of your system. You will get the below window for changing the registry details:
6. Access System Properties (sysdm.cpl)
You can run a simple command for managing the system protection and remote connection features of your system. You will also get the option to control the performance setting and change the performance settings as per your requirement(s).
7. Open Windows Feature (optionalfeatures)
If you want to change some of the system’s advanced settings, then it is the Run command to use. But if you are not sure what you are changing, then do not try to change any of the default settings.
8. Open Character Map app (charmap)
Using this command will display the character map for you to access all the characters available. These characters may not be available from your keyboard, and you can either copy the character from here or memorize the Alt code for a specific character.
9. Access Service Manager (services.msc)
This command will open a service manager window that lists all the running services within your Windows system. You can either start, stop, or sync any of the services as per the requirement(s).
10. Access Remote System (mstsc)
This command will open the remote desktop connection manager for connecting to the remote host on the network. This will allow you to connect to any remote server with the proper ID and password. You can even host your computer as your own.
11. Access the Computer Management App (compmgmt.msc)
This will open the computer management app where you can check the advanced Windows modules, like Event Viewer and Shared Folder.
12. Access Command Prompt (cmd)
You can even access the command prompt using a single Run command, which is cmd. It is one of the most-used Run commands by system admins.
13. Access Malicious Software Removal Tool (mrt)
You will get a newer version of this tool through Windows update. You will get rid of malicious software running on your system. This tool will work in the background, but you need to run the mrt command to run this tool manually.
14. Access Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc)
This command will open the performance monitor on your system that will help you to access the performance of your Windows computer and programs running on it. You can run the perfmon.msc command for accessing this monitor.
15. Access Power Options (powercfg.cpl)
With the Windows system, you will get various power options for dealing with the computer’s power usage. This command will allow you to access all those options.
Conclusion
This is now the end of this post detailing the most used Run commands. You can go through each of the most commonly used commands and see what screen they will open for you.
You must add these commands to your arsenal for easy access to Windows. This will save you a lot of time and effort as some of the windows and settings these commands open are hard to find and navigate. But with these one-click Run commands, you can get to them easily.