This guide teaches you how to boot your Windows computer to Command Prompt for troubleshooting or advanced recovery tasks.
Before you start: You will need your Microsoft account password (your PIN will not work to access Command Prompt).
How to boot to command prompt
Follow these steps to restart into Advanced Startup Options and launch Command Prompt on your Windows PC.
- Open the Windows Start menu by clicking the Windows icon or pressing the Windows key. If turning on the computer, click the lock screen when it loads to show the password field.
- Click the Power icon in the lower-right corner of the Start menu (or on the lock screen).
- Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and keep holding it.
- While holding Shift, clickRestart in the power menu to reboot into the Advanced Options screen.
- Release the Shift key once the blue Advanced Options screen appears.
- ClickTroubleshoot (it shows a wrench and screwdriver icon).
- ClickAdvanced options near the top of the screen.
- ClickCommand Prompt on the right side of the screen.
- Enter your Microsoft account password and clickContinue. Note: Your PIN cannot be used here. Warning: Be cautious with commands, as they can affect your system.
- To exit, click the red X in the top-right corner of Command Prompt, then clickContinue on the blue screen to restart Windows normally.
Pro tip: Once in Command Prompt, run recovery tools like chkdsk C: /f /r or sfc /scannow to fix boot issues without fully loading Windows.
With Command Prompt open at startup, you can diagnose and repair common problems like corrupted system files or disk errors. Type commands such as dir C:\ to check drives or bootrec /fixmbr for boot repair.
After completing your tasks, always exit safely by closing the window and selecting Continue to avoid leaving your PC in recovery mode. If issues persist, consider creating a Windows recovery USB for offline repairs. This method keeps your data safe while giving full system access.
