Open PowerShell in A Folder in Windows 10/11 (9 Methods & Common Issue)

PowerShell is among the most handy tools for task automation and configuration management. It is especially useful for administrators who use this command-line shell and scripts to automate tasks and manage configurations quickly without the need for an interface.

Opening PowerShell directly in a specific folder can significantly improve efficiency, and productivity and streamline workflow by eliminating the time taken by navigation. It simplifies operations and is specifically useful for IT admins who use an MDM solution like AirDroid Business to manage device configuration. It helps them execute scripts directly in a folder for troubleshooting and support.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through different methods you can use to open PowerShell in a folder across different Windows versions including Windows 10, 11, and 7.

1 How to Open PowerShell in A Folder in Windows 7/10/11

Let’s explore step-by-step what are the 9 different methods to open PowerShell directly into a folder.

1 Method 1: Using Windows File Explorer

One of the easiest and quickest methods to open PowerShell in a folder is through Windows File Explorer. Here is how to do it:

Windows 10/11

Step 1: Press the keys Win+E simultaneously to open the File Explorer.
Step 2: Navigate to the folder where you want to open PowerShell.
Step 3: Hold down on the ‘shift’ key and right-click in the folder.
Step 4: Select ‘open PowerShell window here’.

Windows 7

Step 1: Navigate to the folder where you want to open PowerShell directly.
Step 2: Hold the ‘shift’ key and right-click within the folder.
Step 3: Select the option ‘open command window here’ and type ‘PowerShell’.

2 Method 2: Using the Address Bar

Step 1: Press the keys Win+E simultaneously to open the File Explorer.
Step 2: Navigate to the folder where you want to open PowerShell.
Step 3: In the address bar on the top, type ‘powerShell’.
Step 4: Wait a moment and the PowerShell window will open.

3 Method 3: Open as Administrator

Windows 10

You can also open PowerShell as an administrator in any specific folder by following just a few simple steps. Here is how:

Step 1: Navigate to the folder where you want to open PowerShell as an admin.
Step 2: On the top right corner of your screen, click the ‘file’ tab.
Step 3: Now hover on ‘open Windows PowerShell here’ and select the option ‘Open Windows PowerShell as administrator’.

Tip: If you are someone fond of hotkeys, simply use this combination of hotkeys inside the folder and you will be able to open Windows PowerShell as an admin: Alt+f/s/a. This is how simple it is.

Windows 11

Although it is much easier to open PowerShell as an admin in a specific folder with Windows 10, it takes a few more steps to do the same in Windows 11 as the hotkeys Alt+f/s/a inside a folder do not work with Windows 11. Here is the workaround for Windows 11.

Step 1: Press the Win+E keys together.
Step 2: Right-click on the name of the folder where you want to run PowerShell as an admin.
Step 3: Select the option ‘open in terminal’.
Step 4: Once it is open, click on the small arrow on the top, pointing downwards and select ‘Settings’.
Step 5: Under the ‘profiles’ section on the left, hover your cursor over Windows PowerShell and you will see the option, ‘Run this profile as administrator’.
Step 6: Once you click it, it will be set as default and now every time you click Alt+F and press Enter key, inside a folder, you will be able to run PowerShell as an administrator.

4 Method 4: Using the Command Line

You can open PowerShell in a specific folder by navigating to that folder through Command Prompt first and then switching to PowerShell. This is how you do it:

Step 1: Open Command Prompt by typing ‘cmd’ in the search bar and selecting the ‘Command Prompt’.
Step 2: Once it is open, type ‘cd’ followed by a space, type the path to the folder you want to navigate to, and press enter. For example, you want to navigate to the documents, here is an example:
Step 3: Now type ‘PowerShell’ and press enter and that’s it. PowerShell will open in your specified location.

5 Method 5: Using Windows Terminal

This method of opening PowerShell in a folder is for Windows 11 users. They can access PowerShell in any folder by opening it in the terminal and choosing PowerShell. Here are the precise steps involved:

Step 1: Open Windows File Explorer.
Step 2: Right-click on the name of the folder where you want to open PowerShell.
Step 3: Click ‘open in terminal’.
Step 4: It will open a PowerShell window.

6 Method 6: Creating a Shortcut

Opening PowerShell in a folder can be as easy as a single click. You can create a shortcut on the desktop that opens PowerShell in your specified folder every time, sparing you the hassle of navigation. Let’s have a look at the steps involved:

Step 1: On your desktop, right-click on an empty space.
Step 2: From the options, click new > shortcut.
Step 3: In the text box, type PowerShell and hit next.
Step 4: Give a name to your shortcut and click finish.
Step 5: Now that you are done creating a shortcut for PowerShell on your desktop, it’s time to set the path of that shortcut to the specific folder where you want PowerShell to take you. This can be done by editing the properties of the PowerShell shortcut. Right-click on the shortcut you just created and click properties at the bottom of the options.
Step 6: In the ‘Start In’ tab, paste the path to the folder where you want to open PowerShell, and hit ‘ok’.
Step 7: Now every time you double-click this shortcut, it will open PowerShell in the targeted folder.

7 Method 7: Using Task Manager

You can use task manager as well to open PowerShell quickly at any location. Here are the steps to do so:

Step 1: Press a key combination Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open task manager and click ‘file’ on the top left corner.
Step 2: Click ‘run new task’.
Step 3: In the dialogue box that appears, type PowerShell in the provided text box and click Ok and it should open the PowerShell window.

8 Method 8: Using Run Dialogue

This is another quick way to access PowerShell at any location and you can even use it to open an elevated PowerShell Window instead of a regular one if you want. It involves just a couple of steps as described below.

Step 1: Press the keys Win+R to open a Run Dialogue.
Step 2: In the provided space, type PowerShell.
Step 3: Now you have two options; you can either press ‘ok’ to open the PowerShell window or press a combination of these keys ‘ctrl+shift+Enter’ and this will take you to an elevated PowerShell window instead of a regular one.

9 Method 9: Using Context Menu Registry Edit

There is even a way to add the option ‘Open PowerShell window here’ to the right-click context menu so that you can easily and quickly open a PowerShell window in any location by simply right-clicking and selecting ‘open PowerShell here’. This is done by editing the registry manually and adding the said option to the right-click context menu, and here is a step-by-step guide on how you can do that:

Step 1: Open the registry editor by clicking the start menu and typing ‘regedit’ in the search bar. Select the ‘registry editor’ from the option and allow it to make changes to your system.
Step 2: Once it is open, navigate the following path in the sidebar on the left: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
Step 3: To create a new key, right-click the shell key and select new > key. Name it ‘powershellmenu’ (don’t name it ‘PowerShell’ as it already exists in Windows 10, and Windows 8).
Step 4: Now it's time to change the default value of this newly created key. Select the powershellmenu key and double-click ‘default’ on the right.
Step 5: Now you are in the properties window. In the value data box, type ‘open PowerShell Here’ and press ‘ok’. Now you have given a name to the option that you want to be displayed in the context menu.
Step 6: Now exit the registry and test the right-click context menu to see if the option has been added to it. To do that, right click on any folder’s name and you should see the option ‘Open PowerShell here’. Click on it and the PowerShell window will open. Wait a few moments and you will be inside that folder in your PowerShell window.

With these methods in mind, let's delve into some advanced tips for maximizing your PowerShell usage in folders.

10 Advanced Tips for PowerShell in Folders

Here are a few handy tips to help make your PowerShell experience more productive and get the best out of this powerful tool.

1 Running Scripts from a Folder

You can run scripts you have stored in a specific folder with PowerShell by following these steps:

Step 1: Open PowerShell as an administrator by clicking the start button, typing ‘powershell’ and then selecting ‘run as administrator’.
Step 2: In the PowerShell window, type the path to the directory that contains scripts. For example, if your scripts are named ‘newscripts’ and located in C. Your path will look like this:
```
cd "C:\newscripts"
```
Step 3: Now execute your scripts by using this syntax .\ as it tells PowerShell to look for the scripts in the current folder. So, here is how it should look like:
```
.\newscripts.ps1
```
Step 4: You can execute the script with a single command by using the complete path. For example, in the above case, the command would look like this:
```
& "C:\newscripts\newscripts.ps1"
```

Note: Don’t forget to put quotation marks around the path if it has a space or spaces.

2 Pointing PowerShell to a Folder

When your PowerShell prompt is pointed to a certain drive (in most cases it’s a C drive) and you want to change the directory, you can do it using Set-Location cmdlet. Here are the steps in detail:

Step 1: Let’s say your PowerShell prompt is currently directed to C drive and you want to change it to a folder named ‘new folder’ in D drive.
Step 2: You should use the Set-Location cmdlet as follows:
```
PS C:\> Set-Location -Path D:\new folder
```
Step 3: The prompt will then be changed like this:
```
PS D:\new folder>
```

11 Understanding PowerShell and its Uses

PowerShell, as its name implies, is a powerful command line tool, specifically useful for administrators looking for quick and easy configuration.

Let’s explore a bit in detail what it is, how it works, and what are the benefits of using PowerShell in a folder.

1 What Is PowerShell?

PowerShell is a powerful command-line shell and scripting language designed for system administration. It lets them manage configuration and automate tasks without relying on a user interface.

Importance: Used for task automation and configuration management, making it essential for IT professionals and those using an MDM solution in an enterprise for remote device configuration.

2 Why Open PowerShell In A Specific Folder?

Efficiency: Quickly execute scripts and commands in the desired directory without navigating through folders and hence save time by avoiding tedious, repetitive, and petty tasks.

Use Cases: Ideal for running scripts, managing files, and automating tasks in a specific path, especially while using an MDM solution in an enterprise for remotely configuring devices, troubleshooting, and providing support.

While leveraging PowerShell with MDM offers many advantages, users may still encounter common issues. Here's how to troubleshoot them effectively.

12 Troubleshooting Common Issues

Let’s have a look at some of the common issues faced by the users during PowerShell usage for various tasks.

1 Why Can't I Run Scripts in PowerShell?

Possible Causes:

Execution policy restrictions preventing script execution.

Solutions:

Set Execution Policy: Use Set-ExecutionPolicy to allow script execution. For example, Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned allows scripts to run if they are signed by a trusted publisher.

2 Why Does PowerShell Open in the Wrong Directory?

Possible Causes:

Incorrect navigation or command input.

Solutions:

Use Set-Location: Ensure you're using Set-Location or cd to navigate to the correct directory before opening PowerShell.
Address Bar Check: If using the address bar, ensure the path is correct before typing PowerShell.

3 How to Fix PowerShell Opening as a Regular User Instead of Admin?

Possible Causes:

Incorrect method used to open PowerShell with elevated permissions.

Solutions:

Open as Administrator: Right-click the folder and select "Open PowerShell window here as administrator" or use keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Shift + Right-click).

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