In Windows 11/10 you can open a Command Prompt in full-screen, but in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, if you try to maximize the command prompt window, it will expand only to cover around half the screen. You will not be even able to drag and increase its size.
Full screen command prompt
In Windows 11/10, after you open the command prompt, you can click on the middle square button to maximize the CMD window.
To make it go full-screen so as to cover the whole screen including the Taskbar, in Windows 11/10, you need to open the Command Prompt and then press Alt+Enter, and the CMD window will open in fullscreen, covering even the taskbar!
To exit, you need to Press+Enter again.
In Windows XP, after you open a command prompt, you could run the cmd in full-screen mode by clicking Alt+Enter, but if you try this in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you will get the following message:
This system does not support fullscreen mode.
This happens because, in Windows 7, the device drivers do not support running all of the DOS video modes. The device drivers are based on the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).
You may be able to work around this problem by installing the Microsoft Windows XP version of the video drivers for your video adapter. But by doing this, while you may be able to run full-screen DOS programs, you may lose the ability to run Aero.
There is another workaround of sorts, being recommended on the Internet for this if you want the cmd to fill your screen. But remember that it is NOT the full-screen command prompt as is understood in Windows XP; it is only a maximized window!
- Type cmd in Windows Search box and right-click on the cmd shortcut which appears in the results. Select Run CMD as administrator.
- Next, in the command prompt, type wmic and hit Enter.
- Now try to maximize it!
- Close it and again open it. It will open as a maximized window!
You may have to ensure that the Quick Edit Mode in the Options tab is checked.
Of course, you could instead, also change its screen buffer size and window size, to achieve the same results!
If you want to reset the size back to normal defaults, right-click the title bar and open Properties.
In the Layout tab, set Screen Buffer Size Width to 80, Window Size Width to 80 and Window Size Height to 25. Click OK.
In Windows 7, there’s no such thing as a real full-screen window-less cmd! What this trick does is simply make the screen size big!
How to open Command Prompt without login?
If you want to open Command Prompt without logging in to your Windows computer, you have to enter Windows Recovery Environment. Windows Recovery Environment is used to troubleshoot issues and repair Windows. If you are locked out of your computer, force shut it down by pressing and holding the power button. Turn it on. When you see the manufacturer’s logo or Microsoft logo, force shut it down again. Repeat this step until Windows opens up in Repair Mode. Now, you are in Windows Recovery Environment.
Why Command Prompt is not opening in Windows 11?
There can be many reasons why the Command Prompt is not opening or working on your Windows 11 computer. Your system image files or your user profile might have been corrupted. It is also possible that your antivirus is blocking the Command Prompt. You can restore your system to the previous working state by using the System restore tool.
Hope this helps.
