How to set the default directory of the cd command in Windows cmd terminal?

Question

The cmd command cd takes me to a directory I never spend any time in.

I would like it to take me to C:\Users\Kacy\Documents\ by default.

Unfortunately, set cd = C:\Users\Kacy\Documents\ does not work.

Is there a simple way to change this setting within the cmd terminal ?

Answer 1

The command cd without any arguments simply displays the current directory; it doesn't "take you" anywhere.

From an already open command prompt, you can't change this using simply cd. You can write a batch file that does it for you, and run that instead. Create a plain text file with Notepad that contains just one line.

cd /d"C:\Users\Kacy\Documents"

Save it as MyDocs.bat or something that you can remember easily.

If you want a command prompt to always open in a certain location, create a desktop shortcut to it with the command (program)

cmd /k cd /d"Yourdirectory"

And then double-click that desktop shortcut to open the command prompt.

Note the double quotes around the directory name are necessary if the directory name includes spaces.

Answer 2

On Windows 10, you can also navigate to C:\Users\%YOUR_USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools, then right click command prompt and select properties.

Then in the Shortcut tab, you can change the "Start in:" field to be whatever path you desire. By default it references Environment Variables, but you can update it to be C:, D:/My Folder/Foo/Bar, etc.

Answer 3

Steps to change default directory in Command Prompt in Windows 10:

1. Click on Windows icon and search for "cmd".
2. Once you see the file, right click on it and choose "Open File Location"
3. You will land on a shortcut for cmd. Now right-click again and "Open File Location".
4. Copy this location and go to Desktop.
5. Right click on the desktop in empty space and go to "New -> Shortcut". Add the value of the path in the location box i.e. "your path\cmd.exe"
6. Now you can see the shortcut on the desktop. Right click on it and choose "Shortcut" from the menu. Go to "Start in" field and update the path u want to open by default. Click Ok and you are done!

Answer 4

Easiest way for me on Win 10 Enterprise:

• click windows button and type cmd
• right click on the Command prompt link and select 'open file location'
• again in the new window right click on the Command prompt link and select 'open file location'.
• you should now be in the System 32 directory. There scroll to the cmd.exe file, and drag it to the desktop with a right click and select 'create a shortcuts here'.
• once you have your shortcut on the desktop right click it, select 'properties' and modify the path under 'start in' then click 'apply'.
• done.

Answer 5

This worked for me

STEPS TO MAKE COMMAND PROMPT OPEN AS ADMINISTRATOR IN YOUR PATH WITH WINDOWS 10

1. Create a batch file to change to your directory path. For example:

c.bat
@echo off
cd\
%your_path%

2. Create a shortcut to the command prompt. I pinned mine to the task bar
3. Right Click the command prompt and open properties
4. Change the target to open the batch file with command %windir%\system32\cmd.exe /k c.bat
5. Change the start in to your path
6. Click the Advanced and change it to Alway open as Administrator

Answer 6

Forget the classic CMD, and follow the steps:

1. Install the new Windows Terminal from the windows store:
2. Go to setting [Ctrl + ,]
3. Under Profiles, click Add new
4. Enter your custom name
5. Uncheck the User parent process directory
6. Browse your start directory
7. Enjoy it

Sample: