tldr/pages/windows/start.md

start

Start a command in a new console. Can also be used to run Windows programs registered in the App Paths Windows Registry despite not registered in PATH environment variable. In PowerShell, this command is an alias of Start-Process. This documentation is based on the Command Prompt (cmd) version of start. More information: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/start.

• View the documentation of the equivalent PowerShell command:

tldr start-process

• Start a new shell window with a custom title:

start "{{window_title}}" {{cmd|powershell|python|...}}

• Open a specific directory on Windows Explorer (equivalent to explorer path\to\directory):

start "" "{{path\to\directory}}"

• Start a specific Windows program file (command-line programs will open on a new console window):

start {{path\to\file}}

• Start a registered Windows program name and pass its command arguments:

start {{msedge}} {{--inprivate example.com}}

• Start a Windows program in minimized or maximized window mode:

start {{/min|/max}} {{path\to\file.exe}}

• Start a command or Windows program with a specified working directory:

start /d {{path\to\directory}} {{command_or_program}}

• Do not finish this command until the target command or program exits:

start /wait {{command_or_program}}