Windows Terminal: The Ultimate Power User Guide

Introduction

Windows Terminal is the best thing to happen to the Windows command line in a decade. It replaced the legacy Command Prompt and the old PowerShell console with a modern, GPU-accelerated terminal that supports tabs, panes, Unicode, and deep customization.

If you are still using the default PowerShell window or the old Command Prompt, you are missing out on a dramatically better experience. In this guide, you will learn how to configure Windows Terminal like a power user, from custom profiles and keybindings to productivity tricks that will change how you work on Windows.

Installation

Windows Terminal is pre-installed on Windows 11. On Windows 10, install it from the Microsoft Store or via winget:

winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal

Custom Profiles

Profiles define how each shell appears and behaves. Open settings with Ctrl + , and you will see the JSON configuration file.

Add a Custom Profile

Add a new profile for a specific use case:

{
  "profiles": {
    "list": [
      {
        "name": "Node.js Dev",
        "commandline": "pwsh -NoExit -Command Set-Location C:\projects\myapp; npm run dev",
        "startingDirectory": "C:\projects\myapp",
        "icon": "C:\icons\node.png",
        "colorScheme": "Tokyo Night",
        "font": { "face": "CaskaydiaCove Nerd Font", "size": 14 }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Configure the Default Profile

Set your default profile to PowerShell 7 (not the old Windows PowerShell):

{
  "defaultProfile": "{61c54bbd-c2c6-5271-96e7-009a87ff44bf}",
  "profiles": {
    "defaults": {
      "font": { "face": "CaskaydiaCove Nerd Font", "size": 14 },
      "opacity": 95,
      "useAcrylic": true,
      "padding": "12, 12, 12, 12",
      "scrollbarState": "visible"
    }
  }
}

Color Schemes

Color schemes change the appearance of your terminal. Here is a popular one:

{
  "schemes": [
    {
      "name": "Tokyo Night",
      "background": "#1A1B26",
      "foreground": "#C0CAF5",
      "cursorColor": "#C0CAF5",
      "black": "#15161E",
      "red": "#F7768E",
      "green": "#9ECE6A",
      "yellow": "#E0AF68",
      "blue": "#7AA2F7",
      "purple": "#BB9AF7",
      "cyan": "#7DCFFF",
      "white": "#A9B1D6",
      "brightBlack": "#414868",
      "brightRed": "#F7768E",
      "brightGreen": "#9ECE6A",
      "brightYellow": "#E0AF68",
      "brightBlue": "#7AA2F7",
      "brightPurple": "#BB9AF7",
      "brightCyan": "#7DCFFF",
      "brightWhite": "#C0CAF5"
    }
  ]
}

Keybindings

Keybindings let you control the terminal entirely from the keyboard. Add these to your settings:

Split Panes

{
  "actions": [
    { "command": "splitPane:horizontal", "keys": "alt+-" },
    { "command": "splitPane:vertical", "keys": "alt+|" },
    { "command": "closePane", "keys": "ctrl+shift+w" },
    { "command": "moveFocus:up", "keys": "alt+up" },
    { "command": "moveFocus:down", "keys": "alt+down" },
    { "command": "moveFocus:left", "keys": "alt+left" },
    { "command": "moveFocus:right", "keys": "alt+right" },
    { "command": "toggleFocusMode", "keys": "alt+shift+f" }
  ]
}

Tab Management

{
  "actions": [
    { "command": "newTab", "keys": "ctrl+t" },
    { "command": "closeTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+t" },
    { "command": "nextTab", "keys": "ctrl+tab" },
    { "command": "prevTab", "keys": "ctrl+shift+tab" },
    { "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": { "action": "switchToTab", "index": 3 }, "keys": "alt+4" }
  ]
}

Useful CLI Commands

wt.exe (Windows Terminal CLI)

Open specific profiles from the command line:

# Open PowerShell in a specific directory
wt -d C:\projects\myapp

# Open multiple tabs at once
wt new-tab -d C:\projects\frontend; new-tab -d C:\projects\backend

# Open a specific profile
wt -p "Node.js Dev"

Useful PowerShell Aliases

Add these to your PowerShell profile ($PROFILE):

function dev { Set-Location C:\projects\$args }
function gs { git status }
function gp { git pull --rebase }
function gc { git commit -m $args }
function gd { git diff }
function ll { Get-ChildItem -Force }
function ports { netstat -an | Select-String "LISTENING" }

Power Tips

Quick Edit Mode

Hold Alt and click to select text in the terminal without entering edit mode. This is useful for copying paths or commands.

Find Text

Press Ctrl + Shift + F to open the search bar in the terminal. This works across your entire scrollback buffer.

Always on Top

Press Alt + Shift + D to toggle "always on top" mode, keeping your terminal above other windows.

Focus Mode

Press Alt + Shift + F to enter focus mode, which hides the tab bar and title bar for a distraction-free experience.

Conclusion

Windows Terminal is a modern, fast, and deeply customizable terminal emulator. With the right profiles, color schemes, and keybindings, it becomes a productivity multiplier. Spend 30 minutes customizing it to match your workflow, and you will never go back to the default console.