How to Boot to Command Prompt

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Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Fact Checked

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This wikiHow teaches you how to start your Windows computer with Command Prompt open.

1

Open the Windows Start menu.

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Click the Windows icon or press the Windows key on your keyboard. This opens the Windows Start menu.
- If you're turning on a computer instead, click the lock screen when it loads. You'll see a password field appear.

2

Click the Power icon.

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Click Power
on the Start menu. A pop-up menu will appear.
- If you turned on your computer and then clicked the lock screen, this icon will be in the lower-right side of the screen.

3

Hold down the "Shift" key.

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You'll need to hold this key down until instructed to release it.^{[1]
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4

Click "Restart" as you continue holding down Shift.

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You will see Restart in the menu. Doing so will restart your computer; since you're holding down ⇧ Shift, your computer will restart into the Advanced Options menu.^{[2]
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- This process can take anywhere from several seconds to a minute, so make sure that you're still holding down the ⇧ Shift key.

5

Release the Shift key when you see a blue screen.

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Once it the blue screen appears, you can let go of the ⇧ Shift key.

6

Open the Troubleshoot menu.

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It's an image of a wrench and screwdriver. Doing so will take you to another page.^{[3]
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7

View your advanced options.

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This option is near the top of the screen.^{[4]
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Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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8

Access the command prompt.

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You'll find it on the right side of the screen.^{[5]
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9

Enter your password.

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Type your Microsoft account password and click Continue. Once the Command Prompt window opens, you can use Command Prompt as you typically would.
- You cannot use your computer's PIN to open Command Prompt.
- Once you're done with Command Prompt, you can click the red X in the top-right corner of the Command Prompt window and then click Continue on the blue screen to restart Windows normally.

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Question

How do I get a 386sx 25 DOS laptop that has Windows 3.1 installed to boot up to a C prompt rather than Win 3.1 ?

Community Answer

I think Windows 3.1 is just a program in DOS so you can just exit out of Windows and go to the DOS prompt. If you look in your C:\autoexec.bat file you will likely see win.exe (or something like that) as the last line. Just type REM in front of that line and it should stop Windows from running automatically.

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Question

What can cause my Windows computer to repair and then not go to the main start page?

Community Answer

It could be the booting manager is corrupt or there could be a virus problem in the system. Try formatting the system or change your hard drive if the problem persists.

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Question

How can I get to command prompt if my password does not work?

Community Answer

Try turning computer off by holding the power button, wait 5 seconds then turn computer back on. Repeat. Then press the F8 key a bunch of times. It should be at a recovery screen. Select safe boot with command prompt start option or repair computer advanced options, then command prompt (depends which screen pops up).

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