Do you need to access a certain folder at the Windows command prompt? The command prompt may seem archaic, but it’s really easy once you learn some basic commands. This guide will show you how to use the cd command to open a folder in the Windows Command Prompt (CMD), as well as how to open a command prompt window from within File Explorer and how to open a File Explorer window from within Command Prompt.

Before you start: Ensure you have access to your Windows system and the folder you wish to open.

How to easily open a folder in command prompt

Follow these steps to learn how to navigate to your desired folder using Command Prompt.

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  • Click the Windows Start button and type cmd. This displays the Command Prompt in the Windows search results.
  • Click the Command Prompt icon. It has an icon that resembles a black screen with a white text cursor.
  • Type the drive the folder is in and press Enter. If the folder you want to open is on a different drive other than the drive your Windows operating system is installed on, type the letter of the drive followed by a colon (e.g., D:) and then press Enter.
  • Type cd followed by a space. The cd command is used to change directories in the Windows Command Prompt. Type cd followed by a space, but do not press Enter just yet.
  • Type the address of the folder after the space and press Enter. Include every folder and subfolder in the path. For example, cd \Users\username\Documents. If you are unsure about the path, navigate to the folder in File Explorer, right-click the address bar, and select Copy address as text. You can then press Ctrl + V to paste the path directly into Command Prompt right after the cd command.
  • Press ⊞ Win+E to open File Explorer. File Explorer is the default file browser for Windows.
  • Navigate to the folder you want to open in Command Prompt. Use File Explorer to browse to the desired folder.
  • Type cmd in the address bar and press Enter. This opens a new Command Prompt window inside the current folder you have open in File Explorer.
  • Alternatively, on some older versions of Windows, you can right-click a blank space inside a folder and select Open command window here. On newer versions, the option is Open PowerShell window here.
  • Open your Quick Access folders in File Explorer. Type start followed by the folder name (e.g., start documents) and press Enter. Ensure you are in the same user folder as your Quick Access folders.
  • Open the folder you are currently in within File Explorer. Type start . or explorer and press Enter.
  • Open a specific folder in File Explorer. Type start . “[path to folder]” or explorer “[path to folder]” and press Enter, ensuring the path is in quotation marks. For example, for Program Files (x86), use start . “C:\Program Files (x86)”.

Pro tip: To quickly switch between drives in Command Prompt, use the drive letter followed by a colon, ensuring you’re in the correct drive to access your folders efficiently.

Learning to navigate through Command Prompt may seem daunting initially, but it provides a powerful way to access files and folders. Understanding these basic commands can enhance your productivity, especially when managing files within Windows. Whether for personal or professional use, mastering Command Prompt gives you greater control over your operating system’s file management capabilities.