What Is Windows Terminal and How Does It Differ From CMD
Tabs, panes, customisation, and how it hosts different command interpreters in a single window.
If you've seen an app called "Terminal" in your Windows Start menu and wonder whether it's the same as classic CMD, the short answer is: not exactly. This article focuses on what Windows Terminal itself is and its own features — if you're after the full comparison between CMD, PowerShell and Terminal, we have a guide dedicated to that comparison.
Simple explanation
Think of Windows Terminal as the TV set, and CMD or PowerShell as the channel you're watching on that TV. The TV set (Terminal) is the window, with its layout, its tabs and its customisation. The channel (CMD, PowerShell, or even Linux through WSL) is what actually runs your commands underneath.
What it adds over the classic windows
- Tabs: several sessions open in a single window, instead of loose windows scattered across the desktop.
- Panes: split a single tab into several sections, to see two sessions side by side without switching tabs.
- Customisation: themes, colours, fonts, even background images.
- WSL compatible: you can have a Linux tab next to a PowerShell one, in the same window.
How to open a tab of each type
Click the arrow next to the "+" button (new tab) — you'll see a list with every profile available on your machine (CMD, PowerShell, and any Linux distribution you have installed via WSL). Choose whichever you need each time.
Tip: hold down Alt while clicking
"+" to open a new pane (splitting the current tab) instead of a new
tab — useful for comparing the output of two commands at once.
Customising themes and profiles
From the dropdown menu → "Settings", you can change colours, font
and text size for each profile (CMD, PowerShell, etc. can each look
different). More advanced users can also edit a configuration file
directly (settings.json) for more detailed
customisation, but the graphical interface covers the essentials
with no need to touch any file.
Note: Windows Terminal comes pre-installed by default from Windows 11 onward. On Windows 10, it may need installing separately from the Microsoft Store, for free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install anything extra to have Windows Terminal?
On Windows 11 it comes included by default. On Windows 10, you may need to install it from the Microsoft Store — it's free and takes only a minute.
Does Windows Terminal run commands by itself?
Not directly — it hosts CMD, PowerShell or others, which are what actually interpret and run the commands. Windows Terminal handles the window, the tabs and the customisation.
Can I have CMD and PowerShell open at the same time?
Yes, in separate tabs or even split panes within the same tab — it's one of the main advantages over separate classic windows.