Windows Is Giving the Command Line a Makeover

By Andrew E. Freedman
published

Emoji in the Windows Terminal. (Image credit: Microsoft)

The command line is about to get a little prettier and a lot more personal. Today, at Microsoft’s Build conference here in Seattle, the company announced Windows Terminal, a command line tool with new features and personalization options. It will arrive in mid-June.

The program will have multiple tabs, themes and customization choices. It will utilize different fonts and emojis and offer GPU-accelerated text rendering as well. Themes can be applied to different tabs, should you want to color code per workspace. There will also be a category for extensions to create a group of add-ons.

Notice the tab up top. (Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft said the Terminal will make command line better on Windows with an environment for those who utilize “PowerShell, Cmd, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and all forms of command-line application.”

Some environment options. (Image credit: Microsoft)

I’ve been told that Windows Terminal will not immediately replace the existing Command Prompt (Microsoft wants to ensure users aren’t left without compatibility), but that Microsoft is looking into ways to make Terminal the default app.

Microsoft is also announcing Microsoft Windows Sybsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) and introduced a Linux kernel within Windows (opens in new tab) that should be available in tests this summer.

Andrew E. Freedman
Andrew E. Freedman

Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Twitter: @FreedmanAE

10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • ingtar33
    color me skeptical but knowing microsoft this will be one more step toward locking down and removing tools for system admins.
    Reply
  • Mandark
    :rolleyes: probably be better for admins. don't you already use powershell?
    Reply
  • tommo1982
    It looks like copy/paste from Linux terminal. How I wish the games I play would run on Ubuntu natively. I'd switch from Win10 this instant.
    Reply
  • TerryLaze
    WOW finally "and offer GPU-accelerated text rendering as well " no more lagg while typing /s
    Reply
  • Mandark
    you get lag while typing?
    Reply
  • thebigt42
    TerryLaze said:
    WOW finally "and offer GPU-accelerated text rendering as well " no more lagg while typing /s

    I sure hope my GTX 970 can handle a text window! I may need to upgrade to a 1080 or 2080 /s
    Reply
  • Darkmatterx
    Microsofrt is also announcing Microsoft Windows Sybsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2) and introduced a Linux kernel within Windows.

    Would this mean you could run... Photoshop for example, with a Nvidia card on a 10bit display and get 10bit output without buying a Pro card? I actually have no idea if Photoshop even has a port for Linux.

    Thx
    Reply
  • computerjoe314
    In the last paragraph,

    "Microsofrt"
    That's a great company...
    Reply
  • Math Geek
    no stable updates, crazy amounts of M$ spying, massive bloat and unneeded "features" and 100 ways to put ads in front of me

    but hey smiley faces for command line, i'm good now. carry on MS, carry on
    Reply
  • littleleo
    tommo1982 said:
    It looks like copy/paste from Linux terminal. How I wish the games I play would run on Ubuntu natively. I'd switch from Win10 this instant.
    You and me both!
    Reply