Like everyone said, time is gold. Every single second is precious and time is not to be wasted. You know, it usually takes you at least 10 seconds to open a windows programs. With today tip, you can probably open any programs within 5 seconds. So now I’m going to show you a list of general and common commands that you can use in the Run option from the start menu (Start > Run box). I consider this tip somewhat advanced, but if you get this into your head early on and spend more time familiarizing yourself, you can be a PRO in computing shortcuts!
This list is quite long and extensive. If you can’t memorize all these right away, you can always come back here and check out the commands you need when you wish to open certain windows programs. (Bookmark this page!)
Additional Advice: I strongly recommend you to use SlickRun. SlickRun is simply another “run option” that is much more simple to use.
SlickRun is a free floating command line utility for Windows. SlickRun gives you almost instant access to any program or website. SlickRun allows you to create command aliases (known as MagicWords), so C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe becomes MAIL.
Enter a web URL into SlickRun and it will launch your browser and navigate to the specified address. Run multiple programs in a few keystrokes, jot a note, look up a definition… SlickRun is the most natural way to interact with your computer.
Alright, here we go.
Run Commands that can be used in both Windows Vista and Windows XP:
| To open… | Run Commands… |
| MSN Messenger (If installed) | msnmsgr |
| Accessibility Options | control access.cpl |
| Add Hardware Wizard | hdwwiz.cpl |
| Add or Remove Programs | appwiz.cpl |
| Add/Remove Programs with Add New Programs Preselected | control appwiz.cpl,,1 |
| Add/Remove Programs with Add Remove Windows Components Preselected | control appwiz.cpl,,2 |
| Add/Remove Programs with Set Program Access & Defaults Preselected | control appwiz.cpl,,3 |
| Administrative Tools | control admintools |
| Adobe ImageReady (if installed) | imageready |
| Adobe Photoshop (if installed) | photoshop |
| Calculator | calc |
| Certificate Manager | certmgr.msc |
| Character Map | charmap |
| Command Prompt | cmd |
| Component Services | dcomcnfg |
| Computer Management | compmgmt.msc |
| Control Panel | control |
| Date and Time Properties | timedate.cpl |
| Device Manager | devmgmt.msc |
| Direct X Troubleshooter | dxdiag |
| Disk Cleanup Utility | cleanmgr |
| Disk Management | diskmgmt.msc |
| Disk Partition Manager | diskpart |
| Display Properties | control desktop |
| Display Properties | desk.cpl |
| Display Properties with Appearance Tab Preselected | control color |
| Driver Verifier Utility | verifier |
| DVD Player | dvdplay |
| Event Viewer | eventvwr.msc |
| File Signature Verification Tool | sigverif |
| Files and Settings Transfer Tool | migwiz |
| Firefox (if installed) | firefox |
| Fonts Folder | fonts |
| Fonts options | control fonts |
| Game Controllers | joy.cpl |
| Iexpress (Self Extracting Package Creator) | iexpress |
| Iexpress Wizard | iexpress |
| Internet Explorer | iexplore |
| Internet Properties | inetcpl.cpl |
| Java Web Start | javaws |
| Keyboard Properties | control keyboard |
| Logs You Out Of Windows | logoff |
| Microsoft Access (if installed) | msaccess |
| Microsoft Excel (if installed) | excel |
| Microsoft Frontpage (if installed) | frontpg |
| Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool | mrt |
| Microsoft Movie Maker | moviemk |
| Microsoft Paint | mspaint |
| Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed) | powerpnt |
| Microsoft Word (if installed) | winword |
| Mouse Properties | main.cpl |
| Mouse Properties | control mouse |
| Nero (if installed) | nero |
| Network Connections | control netconnections |
| Network Connections | ncpa.cpl |
| Notepad | notepad |
| ODBC Data Source Administrator | odbcad32 |
| On Screen Keyboard (interesting tool!) | osk |
| Outlook Express | msimn |
| Paint | pbrush |
| Phone and Modem Options | telephon.cpl |
| Phone Dialer | dialer |
| Power Configuration | powercfg.cpl |
| Printers and Faxes | control printers |
| Private Character Editor | eudcedit |
| Quicktime Player (if installed) | quicktimeplayer |
| Quicktime (If Installed) | QuickTime.cpl |
| Real Player (if installed) | realplay |
| Regional Settings | intl.cpl |
| Registry Editor | regedit |
| Registry Editor | regedt32 |
| Reliability and Performance Monitor | perfmon.msc |
| Remote Access Phonebook | rasphone |
| Remote Desktop | mstsc |
| Scheduled Tasks | control schedtasks |
| Services | services.msc |
| Shared Creation Wizard | shrpubw |
| Shared Folders | fsmgmt.msc |
| Shuts Down Windows | shutdown |
| Sounds and Audio Properties | mmsys.cpl |
| SQL Client Configuration | cliconfg |
| Sync Center | mobsync |
| Syncronization Tool | mobsync |
| System Configuration Editor | sysedit |
| System Configuration Utility | msconfig |
| System Information | msinfo32 |
| System Properties | sysdm.cpl |
| Task Manager | taskmgr |
| Telnet Client | telnet |
| Tweak UI (if installed) | tweakui |
| Utility Manager | utilman |
| Windows Address Book (Contacts) | wab |
| Windows Address Book Import Utility | wabmig |
| Windows exprorer(It shows me Documents) | explorer |
| Windows Firewall | firewall.cpl |
| Windows Magnifier (Try this out!) | magnify |
| Windows Management Infrastructure | wmimgmt.msc |
| Windows Media Player | wmplayer |
| Windows Picture Import Wizard (require camera connected) | wiaacmgr |
| Windows Security Center | wscui.cpl |
| Windows System Security Tool | syskey |
| Windows Version (About your Windows) | winver |
| Wordpad | write |
Run Commands that are only usable In Windows Vista:
| To open… | Run Commands… |
| Adapter Troubleshooter | AdapterTroubleshooter |
| Advanced User Accounts Control Panel | Netplwiz |
| Authorization Manager | azman.msc |
| Back up or Restore your stored User Names and Passwords | credwiz |
| Backup Status and Utility | sdclt |
| Color Management | colorcpl |
| Computer Management Snapin Launcher | CompMgmtLauncher |
| Disk Defragmenter | dfrgui |
| Ditilizer Calibration Tool | tabcal |
| DPI Scaling | dpiscaling |
| Driver Package Installer | dpinst |
| Firewall Control Panel | FirewallControlPanel |
| Firewall Settings | FirewallSettings |
| iSCSI Initiator | iscsicpl |
| Language Pack Installer | lpksetup |
| Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool | msdt |
| Problem Reports and Solutions | wercon |
| Remote Assistance | msra |
| Software Licensing (Windows Activation) | slui |
| Sound Recorder | soundrecorder |
| Sound Volume | sndvol |
| System Properties (Advanced tab preselected) | SystemPropertiesAdvanced |
| System Properties (Computer Name tab preselected) | SystemPropertiesComputerName |
| System Properties (Data Execution Prevention preselected) | SystemPropertiesDataExecutionPrevention |
| System Properties (Hardware options preselected) | SystemPropertiesHardware |
| System Properties (Performance options preselected) | SystemPropertiesPerformance |
| System Properties (Protection options preselected) | SystemPropertiesProtection |
| System Properties (Remote options preselected) | SystemPropertiesRemote |
| Trusted Platform Module Initialization Wizard | TpmInit |
| Windows Features | optionalfeatures |
| Windows Firewall with Advanced Security | wf.msc |
| Windows Image Acquisition (only if you have a scanner) | wiaacmgr |
| Windows Mobility Center (Only For Mobile PC) | mblctr |
| Windows Update Application | wuapp |
| Windows Update Standalone Installer | wusa |
Run Commands that are only usable In Windows XP:
| To open… | Run Commands… |
| Check Disk Utility | chkdsk |
| Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) | gpedit.msc |
| Local Security Settings | secpol.msc |
| Local Users and Groups | lusrmgr.msc |
| Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) | rsop.msc |
| Windows XP Tour Wizard | tourstart |
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April 8th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Typo: the command for “Windows explorer (It shows me Documents)” should be “explorer” instead of “explore”
April 8th, 2008 at 10:23 am
SlickRun (http://www.bayden.com/SlickRun) can also save you a lot of time. You can configure the keystrokes you want it to recognize for even faster launches.
April 8th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Thanks for the correction and the sharing of SlickRun! I really appreciate it.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Launchy 2.0 is something very similar to SlickRun. If you have used spotlight on the mac, you will love Launchy.
http://www.launchy.net/
May 27th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Time is your slave holder. You are it’s slave as well as a slave to the money that comes with it. The only existence time has is as
the illusion that it is real. No one, therefore, is free who believes
that they are human and belong in this physical realm.
As long as you believe time is real, you are not free.—Doug
June 11th, 2008 at 4:20 am
Thanks for this very useful list of run commands.
There have been a lot of times in the past when trying to access items like the control panel and add/rem programs on a sow unresponsive m/c has take a long time, these commands im sure will reduce the time
thx aagin
Keith