Learn how to create or add a new profile in Windows Terminal with a custom shell, title, icon, starting directory, and more.
Terminal is the default terminal application in Windows 11 and lets you access shells like PowerShell and Command Prompt. If you’ve installed a Linux distribution using WSL, Terminal automatically creates a profile for it so you can use it right away. One of the best features of Terminal is that it also lets you add new profiles with custom settings for specific command-line tools. That way, you don’t have to start from scratch every time. For example, I have a separate profile for the FFmpeg command-line tool with custom settings, including default flags, a starting directory, and an icon.
In this quick and easy guide, I will show you how to create and add a new profile in Windows Terminal. Let’s get started.
Steps to Add a New Profile in Windows Terminal
To add a new profile in the Windows Terminal, follow the simple steps below.
- Right-click the “Windows” icon on the taskbar.
- Select the “Terminal” option.
- Click the dropdown icon on the title bar.
- Select the “Settings” option.
- Click “Add a new profile” under “Profiles” on the sidebar.
- Click the “New empty profile” button.
- Press the “Name” option and they a name for the profile.
- Click the “Command line” option and add the path to the command-line tool’s exe file.
- Click “Save“.
- With that, you have added a new profile to the Windows Terminal.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, we must open the Terminal application. To do that, right-click the “Windows” icon on the taskbar or press the “Windows key + X” shortcut and then select the “Terminal” option. Once it opens, click the dropdown icon on the title bar and select “Settings“.
In the sidebar of the settings tab, scroll down and click the “Add a new profile” option under the “Profiles” section.
Now, on the right panel, you have two options. You can either duplicate an existing profile or create a new one from scratch. In this case, I’m creating a profile from scratch. So, click the “New empty profile” button.
On this page, click the “Name” option, then type the name you’d like to give the profile in the field below. In my case, I’m naming it “WindowsLoop”.
The next step is to configure the shell you want to use. By default, the new profile uses Command Prompt as its shell. If that is what you want, then ignore this step. Otherwise, click the “Command line” option, click the “Browse” button, select the exe file of the command line tool, and then click the “Open” option. This action adds your command-line tool’s path to the field.
Optionally, you can further customize various settings such as the starting directory, icon, and tab title. For example, if you want this new profile to open in a specific directory when you launch it, you can add that path under “starting directory”.
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You can also configure this profile to always run as an administrator by turning on the “Run this profile as Administrator” toggle.
Once you are done configuring the new profile, click the “Save” button.
With that, you have successfully added a new profile to the Windows Terminal. You can see it in the dropdown menu.
Selecting the profile instantly opens it in a new tab. You can start using it right away.
That is all. It is that simple to add a new profile in Windows Terminal. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
Good to read: How to delete a profile in Windows Terminal
Update: This tutorial has been updated to reflect the changes to Terminal.
