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Windows Setup

Windows Terminal: Power User Configuration Guide

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Tech Setup

Published August 1, 2026 · Editorial policy

Windows Terminal: Power User Configuration Guide

Installing Windows Terminal

  1. Open Microsoft Store
  2. Search "Windows Terminal"
  3. Install (free)

Or via winget:

winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal

Settings File

Open settings: Ctrl + ,

The settings file is settings.json — edit it directly for full control.

Open Settings File

# In Windows Terminal
Ctrl + ,

# Or navigate to
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json

Custom Profiles

PowerShell 7 Profile

{
  "profiles": {
    "list": [
      {
        "name": "PowerShell 7",
        "source": "Windows.Terminal.PowershellCore",
        "startingDirectory": "%USERPROFILE%\Projects",
        "font": {
          "face": "CaskaydiaCove Nerd Font",
          "size": 12
        },
        "colorScheme": "Catppuccin Mocha",
        "tabTitle": "PS7",
        "icon": "ms-appx:///ProfileIcons/pwsh.png",
        "padding": "8, 8, 8, 8",
        "useAcrylic": true,
        "opacity": 90
      }
    ]
  }
}

Ubuntu/WSL Profile

{
  "name": "Ubuntu",
  "source": "Windows.Terminal.Wsl",
  "startingDirectory": "~",
  "font": {
    "face": "JetBrainsMono Nerd Font",
    "size": 12
  },
  "colorScheme": "One Half Dark",
  "tabTitle": "Ubuntu"
}

SSH Profile

{
  "name": "My Server",
  "commandline": "ssh user@192.168.1.100",
  "font": {
    "face": "Cascadia Code",
    "size": 12
  },
  "colorScheme": "Solarized Dark",
  "icon": "ms-appx:///ProfileIcons/{550ce7b8-d500-50ad-8a1a-c400c3262db3}.png"
}

Color Schemes

Catppuccin Mocha

{
  "schemes": [
    {
      "name": "Catppuccin Mocha",
      "background": "#1E1E2E",
      "foreground": "#CDD6F4",
      "cursorColor": "#F5E0DC",
      "black": "#45475A",
      "red": "#F38BA8",
      "green": "#A6E3A1",
      "yellow": "#F9E2AF",
      "blue": "#89B4FA",
      "purple": "#F5C2E7",
      "cyan": "#94E2D5",
      "white": "#BAC2DE",
      "brightBlack": "#585B70",
      "brightRed": "#F38BA8",
      "brightGreen": "#A6E3A1",
      "brightYellow": "#F9E2AF",
      "brightBlue": "#89B4FA",
      "brightPurple": "#F5C2E7",
      "brightCyan": "#94E2D5",
      "brightWhite": "#A6ADC8"
    }
  ]
}

Dracula

{
  "name": "Dracula",
  "background": "#282A36",
  "foreground": "#F8F8F2",
  "cursorColor": "#F8F8F2",
  "black": "#21222C",
  "red": "#FF5555",
  "green": "#50FA7B",
  "yellow": "#F1FA8C",
  "blue": "#BD93F9",
  "purple": "#FF79C6",
  "cyan": "#8BE9FD",
  "white": "#F8F8F2"
}

Keybindings

Essential Shortcuts

{
  "actions": [
    { "command": "toggleFocusMode", "keys": "alt+shift+f" },
    { "command": "toggleFullscreen", "keys": "F11" },
    { "command": "duplicateTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+d" },
    { "command": "closeTab", "keys": "ctrl+w" },
    { "command": "newTab", "keys": "ctrl+t" },
    { "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 0 }, "keys": "alt+1" },
    { "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 1 }, "keys": "alt+2" },
    { "command": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 2 }, "keys": "alt+3" },
    { "command": "toggleZoomPane", "keys": "alt+shift+z" },
    { "command": "togglePaneReadOnly", "keys": "alt+shift+r" }
  ]
}

Split Pane Shortcuts

{ "command": "splitPane", "keys": "alt+shift+-" },
{ "command": "splitPane", "keys": "alt+shift+=" },
{ "command": { "action": "splitPane", "split": "horizontal" }, "keys": "alt+shift+_"}

Useful Features

Quake Mode

Pull down a terminal from the top of the screen:

  1. Settings → Actions → "Toggle quake mode"
  2. Set shortcut: `ctrl+``
  3. Terminal slides down like a console

Focus Mode

Hide tabs and title bar for distraction-free work:

  1. Settings → Actions → "Toggle focus mode"
  2. Or press Alt+Shift+F

Retro Effects

{
  "profiles": {
    "defaults": {
      "experimental.input.forceVT": true
    }
  }
}

Then run: conhost → Properties → Font → Raster Fonts

Broadcast Input

Send keystrokes to all panes simultaneously:

  1. Right-click on a pane
  2. "Send input to all panes"

Useful for running the same command on multiple servers.

Startup Configuration

{
  "startupAction": "defaultProfile",
  "firstWindowPreference": "defaultProfile",
  "launchMode": "maximized",
  "snapToGridOnResize": true,
  "confirmCloseAllTabs": true,
  "copyOnSelect": true,
  "trimBlockSelection": true,
  "trimPaste": true,
  "wordDelimiters": " /\()"'-.,:;<>~!@#$%^&*|+=[]{}~?│"
}

Profiles with Custom Tasks

Development Environment

{
  "name": "Dev - Node.js",
  "commandline": "pwsh -NoExit -Command "cd ~/Projects; nvm use 20; Clear-Host"",
  "startingDirectory": "%USERPROFILE%\Projects",
  "tabTitle": "Dev"
}

Quick SSH

{
  "name": "SSH - Production",
  "commandline": "ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 deploy@prod.example.com",
  "tabTitle": "PROD",
  "colorScheme": "Solarized Dark"
}

Backup and Sync Settings

OneDrive Sync

# Create symlink to OneDrive
mklink /D "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState" "%USERPROFILE%\OneDrive\TerminalSettings"

Export Settings

# Backup
copy "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json" "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\terminal-settings-backup.json"

Nerd Fonts

Install Nerd Fonts for icons in terminal:

winget install JanDeDobbeleer.OhMyPosh
oh-my-posh init pwsh --config "$env:POSH_THEMES_PATH/catppuccin_mocha.omp.json" | Invoke-Expression

Add to PowerShell Profile

notepad $PROFILE
# Add:
oh-my-posh init pwsh --config "$env:POSH_THEMES_PATH/catppuccin_mocha.omp.json" | Invoke-Expression

Troubleshooting

Slow Performance

  1. Disable acrylic: "useAcrylic": false
  2. Reduce font size
  3. Disable cursor blinking
  4. Use "experimental.input.forceVT": true

Wrong Font Characters

Install a Nerd Font and set it in your profile:

"font": {
  "face": "CaskaydiaCove Nerd Font"
}

Settings Not Saving

  1. Check file permissions
  2. Close all Windows Terminal instances
  3. Delete and recreate settings.json
  4. Reopen Windows Terminal

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