The Run dialogue box in Microsoft Windows provides a quick and convenient way for you to launch programs, open websites, and access several Windows settings. Let’s take a look at some commands and see how it works.
Launching run dialog
Launching the Run dialog on Windows is usually done by pressing the⊞ Windows key + R, or else you can simply open the Start Menu and type “run.”.
.cpl (Control Panel applets):
appwiz.cpl
This command will open the Programs and Features window, where you can view and uninstall installed programs on your Windows system.
timedate.cpl
This command opens the Date and Time settings window on Windows systems. Within this window, users can adjust the date, time, time zone, and additional clock settings.
intl.cpl
This command will open the Regional and Language Options control panel, allowing users to set language, regional settings, and keyboard layouts.
main.cpl
This command will open the Mouse Properties control panel, allowing users to configure mouse settings such as pointer speed, buttons, and pointer schemes.
mmsys.cpl
This command will open the Sound control panel, allowing users to configure audio devices, playback, recording, and sound schemes.
ncpa.cpl
This command will open the Network Connections control panel, allowing users to view and configure network connections, adapters, and settings.
powercfg.cpl
This command will open the Power Options control panel, allowing users to configure power plans, battery settings, and sleep options.
sysdm.cpl
This command will open the System Properties control panel, allowing users to view system information, configure hardware settings, and manage system properties.
sysdm.cpl ,3 (System Properties Advanced tab)
desk.cpl
Executing this command opens the Display Settings control panel, enabling users to adjust screen resolution, orientation, and multiple monitor settings.
desk.cpl ,5 (Desktop Icon Settings)
firewall.cpl
This command launches the Windows Defender Firewall control panel, allowing users to configure firewall settings, inbound and outbound rules, and network profiles.
wscui.cpl
This command opens the Windows Security Center control panel, providing access to essential security features such as virus protection, firewall status, and automatic updates.
control access.cpl
This command opens the Ease of Access Center, a centralized hub in Windows designed to facilitate accessibility settings and options for users with disabilities or impairments. It provides tools such as Magnifier, Narrator, Speech Recognition, and customizable keyboard and mouse settings, empowering users to adapt their computing experience to their specific needs and preferences.
.msc (Microsoft Management Console):
eventvwr.msc
This command opens the Event Viewer, providing access to logs and events generated by Windows and various applications, helping users troubleshoot system issues and monitor system heh.
services.msc
Executing this command opens the Services snap-in, allowing users to view and manage Windows services, including starting, stopping, and configuring service properties.
diskmgmt.msc
Executing this command opens the Disk Management utility, allowing users to view and manage disk partitions, volumes, and storage devices on the computer.
taskschd.msc
Executing this command opens the Task Scheduler utility, allowing users to schedule and manage tasks on the computer.
Fix commands:
mdsched
Invoking this command runs the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, which helps diagnose and identify potential issues with the computer’s memory (RAM).
mrt
Invoking this command launches the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, which scans your PC for malware or virus infections.
hdwwiz
This command opens the Add Hardware Wizard control panel, allowing users to install new hardware devices and troubleshoot hardware-related issues.
dfrgui
This command opens the Disk Defragmenter tool, allowing users to analyze and defragment their HDD drives for better performance. It’s important to note that defragmenting HDD drives can help improve their performance by rearranging fragmented files, but it’s not recommended for SSD drives as it can reduce their lifespan. For SSD drives, it’s advisable to use the TRIM command to optimize performance(which is already set automatically for windows).
Other Commands:
control printers
This command opens the Devices and Printers window, allowing users to manage printers, scanners, and other connected devices.
control
This command launches the Control Panel, providing users with a centralized interface to adjust system settings, install and uninstall programs, manage user accounts, and perform various administrative tasks.
optionalfeatures
Executing this command opens the Windows Features dialog, enabling users to enable or disable optional features and components of the Windows operating system.
cleanmgr
Utilizing this command launches the Disk Cleanup utility, designed to free up disk space on the computer by removing unnecessary or temporary files.
regedit
This command launches the Registry Editor, allowing users to view and modify the Windows registry, including system settings, installed software, and user preferences.
msconfig
Executing this command opens the System Configuration utility, enabling users to manage startup programs, services, boot options, and system components.
taskmgr
Executing this command opens the Task Manager, allowing users to view and manage running processes, monitor system performance, and control startup programs and services. Ctrl+Shift+Esc Open Task Manager directly
perfmon
This command opens the Performance Monitor, enabling users to monitor system performance in real-time, analyze performance data, and create custom performance counters and logs.
perfmon /rel
This command triggers the Reliability Monitor in Windows, a tool that logs system stability and key events over time. It assists users in diagnosing issues by providing a historical overview of system performance and critical events, including software installations, application failures, and hardware issues.
resmon
This command opens the Resource Monitor, which provides detailed real-time information about the usage of hardware (CPU, memory, disk, and network) and software (processes and services) resources on a Windows system.
msinfo32
This command opens the System Information utility, providing detailed information about the computer’s hardware, software, components, and system resources.
winver
This command opens the Windows Version Information utility, displaying detailed information about the current Windows version installed on the system.
sdclt
This command opens up the Backup and Restore utility, allowing you to perform both backup and restoration tasks.
netplwiz
This command opens up the User Accounts window, providing access to various account management settings.
rstrui
Typing “rstrui” in the Run dialog launches the System Restore utility, allowing users to restore their system to a previous state.
osk
Typing “osk” in the Run dialog launches the On Screen Keyboard, allowing users to type using a virtual keyboard displayed on the screen instead of a physical keyboard. Ctrl+⊞ Win+o Opens the On-Screen Keyboard OSK
snippingtool
This command opens the Sinpping tool, which allows users to capture screenshots of selected areas on their screen and save them as an image file. ⊞ Win+Shift+S for screenshot ⊞ Win+Shift+R for video
charmap
This command opens the Character Map utility, which provides a visual representation of characters and symbols available in various fonts, facilitating their insertion into documents and text fields.
This post introduces useful Windows Run commands, facilitating easy access to various apps and settings. Additionally, numerous other commands are available including dialer, notepad, winword, excel, and more. Hope this helps!
