The execution of commands from the Windows 11 file explorer is a function little known among the general public, but useful since it facilitates the opening of applications and internal tools of the system in a very simple and fast way.

File Explorer is getting a facelift soon to add a long -awaited component, tabs . It is a standard function in the Mac Finder, in Linux managers and in third-party developments such as the fantastic ‘Files’, but incomprehensibly the native Windows manager does not yet have it.

It is expected to be available in Windows 11 22H2 , allowing users to multitask and move between different Explorer directories without the need to activate duplicate instances of the same app. It will also feature a new home page and quick access area at the top of the screen, as well as the ability to pin individual files (favorites) and contextual suggestions powered by Context IQ to make it easier to find files.

Commands from the Windows 11 file explorer

The explorer allows you to perform other functions beyond those typical dedicated to managing files and folders. One of them is little known among the general public, but interesting because it offers the possibility of executing commands from the same manager .

The execution of commands is not as powerful as that of a complete console such as the Windows cmd and it does not have its possibilities, but it allows, for example, the quick opening of applications in a very simple way, as we are going to remind you in this simple tutorial that any user can use.

• Open the file explorer through its desktop icon or with the  hotkey shortcut“Windows + E”.
• Click on the address bar. For the example, type “Calc” and hit enter. You will see how the calculator opens:

The list of supported commands is long and can be used to launch almost any  native application  included in Windows 11 and also system tools such as control panel, disk manager, task manager, the same Windows consoles ( CMD or Powershell) or the Windows registry.

It also allows quick access to the default folders of the file explorer, although this function is less useful once we are already in the same explorer.

Some of the commands that can be executed under the same method are:

• documents– Opens the documents folder.
• downloads– opens the downloads folder.
• favorites– opens the favorites folder.
• pictures– Opens the pictures folder.
• videos– open the videos folder.
• calc– Opens the calculator.
• cleanmgr– Opens the disk cleaner.
• mscor  compmgmtlauncher  – opens the device manager.
• control– opens the control panel.
• cmd– open cmd, the Windows console
• msc– opens device manager
• dxdiag– opens the DirectX diagnostic tool.
• explorer– launches a new instance of IE
• iexplore– launches the IE browser.
• msinfo32– opens the system information tool.
• mstscs– Opens a remote desktop connection.
• notepad– open notepad
• paint– Opens the drawing application.
• powershell– Launches the advanced Windows PowerShell console.
• regedit– opens the registry editor.
• taskmgr– Opens the task manager.
• write– Opens the word processor.

It is just a sample of the commands that can be used in this interesting feature, much less known than those related to files and folders, but which allows us to open applications  from the same file explorer.