Windows: Navigate in the console - how it works

This practical tip explains how to navigate in the console under Windows. If you use the terminal instead of the usual file explorer, read the following article how to switch between paths.

Windows command prompt: How to navigate the console

Similar to the Linux terminal, there are commands in Windows that you can use to navigate across versions in the console. The same commands apply for Windows 7 as for Windows 8.

1. First open the console. To do this, click on the Windows symbol in the menu bar and enter "cmd". Confirm with the Enter key.
2. You are probably now in your user folder. If you don't know exactly which files are in it, enter "dir".
3. If there is a subdirectory under the files you see, the command "cd subdirectory" directs you to the new path (see gallery).
4. If you are a directory too deep, use the command "cd ..".
5. If you do not want to navigate through your system folder by folder, you can enter an absolute path. To do this, enter "cd path". The "Path" parameter must specify a complete and valid path from the top directory. An example of this would be "cd C: \ Users \ Thorsten \ Dropbox".

Another article shows you how to use the Windows command line in full screen mode.

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View files with "dir" in the Windows console.

Navigate in the terminal with "cd".

Change to a higher-level directory with "cd ..".

Navigate to an absolute path with "cd path".