How to enable settings UI on Windows Terminal

Here are the steps to enable the new settings graphical interface in the Windows Terminal app.

Windows Terminal settingsUI
Windows Terminal settingsUI

Starting with version 1.6, the Windows Terminal app for Windows 10 introduces a new graphical interface to customize virtually every aspect of the app and profiles.

However, the settings UI is not yet fully integrated, which means that selecting the “Settings” option from the context menu won’t open the experience. Instead, you need to bind the settings UI to a keyboard shortcut in the “settings.json” file.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to enable the new settings graphical interface for the Windows Terminal app.

Enable settings UI on Windows Terminal

To enable the new settings graphical interface, use these steps:

  1. Open Windows Terminal.

  2. Click the menu (down-arrow) button next to a tab.

  3. Click the Settings option.

    Quick tip: It is recommended to use the Visual Studio Code to open the settings because it includes the JSON schema, which will make it easier to change the settings.
  4. Under the “actions” brackets, at the bottom of the page, and above the last line of code, copy and paste the following code:

    { "command": { "action": "openSettings", "target": "settingsUI" }, "keys": "ctrl+shift+," },

    Windows Terminal enable settingsUI
    Windows Terminal enable settingsUI
  5. Save the file to apply the changes.

Once you complete the steps, you can open the Windows Terminal settings UI using the “Ctrl + Shift + ,” keyboard shortcut.

Since the settings are still in preview, the app will generate a backup of the settings file in case you need to revert the changes.

If you need to undo the changes, you can find the backup opening the “settings.json” file with the Visual Studio Code app, right-clicking the tab, and selecting the Reveal in File Explorer option.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of (est. 2010). With over 21 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.

Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.

Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.

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