On Windows 11, the Windows Terminal is expected to become the new default command-line application in 2022, Microsoft confirms. Although the modern Terminal app already ships with Windows 11, the legacy Windows Console Host continues to be the default experience to run Command Prompt and PowerShell commands.
According to Kayla Cinnamon, a program manager for Windows Terminal at Microsoft, in 2022, the company plans to make Windows Terminal the default experience for Windows 11 users. It’ll first start with devices enrolled in the Insider program, and then it’ll eventually roll out to everyone.
The Windows Terminal version 1.0 first shipped on May 2020, and it’s an app that has been designed to be the command line experience to run Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Linux. Unlike the Windows Console Host, the Terminal opens the doors to many new features, such as tabs and panes, and you can create different profiles with unique customizations.
Also, the app provides a lot of customizations settings, including the ability to use custom themes. You can use acrylic backgrounds and background images with unique color schemes and custom fonts. And there’s support for custom key bindings.
Furthermore, the new command-line experience uses GPU accelerated rendering for text, which offers a faster experience when using an app. Thanks to this capability, it’s possible to use emojis.
While the change won’t happen until sometime in 2022, the option to make the Windows Terminal the new default command-line experience is already available for Windows 11 and Windows 10 users.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].