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How to Change Directories in CMD (Command Prompt)
Type cmd into the Windows search bar to get started
By Jennifer Allen Jennifer Allen Writer Swansea University, Staffordshire University Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 27, 2022 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Open the Prompt in Win10 Changing Directories Navigate to Folder in Command Prompt Why Can't I Change Directory in CMD? Frequently Asked Questions What to Know
Type cmd into the Windows 11 or Windows 10 search bar to open the command prompt.Type cd followed by a space, and then drag the folder or type the name of the folder into the command prompt.Check that your syntax is correct if directory changes don't work. This article teaches you two different methods to change directories in the command prompt in Windows 11 and Windows 10. It also teaches you what to do if you're unable to change directories. How to Open the Command Prompt in Windows 11 and 10
Before you can navigate around the command prompt in Windows 11 and 10, it's useful to know how to open the command prompt. Here's how to do so. On the Windows 11 or 10 search bar, type cmd. Select Open or click Run as Administrator to open the command prompt with full access rights to do whatever you need to do. How Do I Change Directories in Command Prompt
Changing directories in the command prompt can be a lot simpler than you'd think. Here's one method of doing so. This method works in both Windows 11 and Windows 10. Type cd followed by a space in the command prompt window. Drag and drop the folder you want to browse into the window. Press Enter. How Do I Navigate to a Folder in Command Prompt
If drag and drop isn't convenient or accessible, or you'd prefer to type your commands, there's another way of navigating to a folder in the command prompt easily enough. Here's how to do so in Windows 11 and 10. You'll need to know the name of the directory. In the command prompt window, type cd followed by the folder's name you wish to find. This only works for immediate folders straight after the one you're in. Alternatively, type cd name\name to go down two levels of documents at once. For example: cd Admin\Downloads If you want to go back one directory, type cd .. to go up a level before typing cd to go back to the original option. If you feel lost within the directory, type dir and press enter to view the contents of the directory you're in. Why Can' t I Change Directory in CMD
If you can't change directories within the command prompt, you may be doing something wrong or have your permissions set incorrectly. Here are some things to bear in mind that should make it simple to change directories again. Check you are typing the correct command. Make sure to start your command by typing cd. You may have mistyped something or typed too many characters. Be sure you're accurate in your syntax usage. Check the directory exists. Check the directory you're trying to browse to exists; otherwise, your command won't work. Type dir to check the contents of a folder. Check you're browsing the correct hard drive. If you have multiple hard drives installed, check you're browsing the correct one. Change hard drives by typing X: where X is the letter of the hard drive. Check you have admin permissions. Check you're running the command prompt as an Administrator; otherwise, you may be limited with what you can do. FAQ What is Command Prompt? It's a command-line interpreter program that's available on all Windows PCs. It's often used to perform more advanced administrative functions or to troubleshoot an issue. The commands you can use depend on which version of Windows you own. How do you clear Command Prompt? Type cls and press Enter. This clears all of the previous commands you entered. Can I use copy/paste in Command Prompt? Yes, but you need to enable it first. Open Command Prompt, right-click on the top bar, and select Properties. Under Edit Options, select the checkbox next to Use Ctrl+Shift+C/V as Copy/Paste. What is an elevated command prompt? Specific commands require an elevated Command Prompt to run. You'll know you need this if you get an error message about having insufficient privileges or needing administrator-level access. To elevate Command Prompt, run it as an administrator. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Clear Cache in Windows 11 How to Enable or Disable the Administrator Account in Windows How to Open Command Prompt (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, etc.) How to Access Samsung Notes On a PC How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows How to Find a Windows 11 Product Key How to Access Device Manager From the Command Prompt How to Open Disk Management From Command Prompt List of Windows XP Command Prompt Commands How to Open Command Prompt in a Folder DIRECTORY File (What It Is & How to Open One) List of Windows 7 Command Prompt Commands 35 Best Free Data Destruction Tools (October 2022) How to Start System Restore From the Command Prompt Net Send Command (Examples, Switches, and More) 21 Best Command Prompt Tricks Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies