How to See and Use a List of All Windows 7 Shell Commands
Information
This article will show you a list of Windows 7 Shell commands that can be used to open certain special folders directly from the Start menu or Run dialog window.
Tip
You can find the shell commands listed at this registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions
Note
The Shell commands that are new in Windows 7 from Vista are bolded in red.
Here's How:
1. Open the Start menu and type in the shell command in bold below for the folder that you want to open, then press Enter. (See screenshot below)
OR
2. Open the Run dialog window, and type in the shell command in bold below for the folder that you want to open, then press Enter. (See screenshot below)
Shell Command | Path of Folder it Opens |
shell:AddNewProgramsFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Get Programs |
shell:Administrative Tools | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools |
shell:AppData | hidden C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming |
shell:AppUpdatesFolder | Installed Updates |
shell:Cache | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files |
shell:CD Burning | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Burn |
shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features |
shell:Common Administrative Tools | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools |
shell:Common AppData | hidden C:\ProgramData |
shell:Common Desktop | C:\Users\Public\Desktop |
shell:Common Documents | C:\Users\Public\Documents |
shell:CommonDownloads | C:\Users\Public\Downloads |
shell:CommonMusic | C:\Users\Public\Music |
shell:CommonPictures | C:\Users\Public\Pictures |
shell:Common Programs | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs |
shell:CommonRingtones | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Ringtones |
shell:Common Start Menu | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu |
shell:Common Startup | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup |
shell:Common Templates | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates |
shell:CommonVideo | C:\Users\Public\Videos |
shell:ConflictFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center\Conflicts |
shell:ConnectionsFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network Connections |
shell:Contacts | C:\Users\User-Name\Contacts |
shell:ControlPanelFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items |
shell:Cookies | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies |
shell:Cookies\Low | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low |
shell:CredentialManager | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials |
shell:CryptoKeys | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto |
shell:default Gadgets | C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets |
shell:desktop | C:\Users\User-Name\Desktop |
shell:device Metadata Store | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore |
shell:documentsLibrary | Libraries\Documents |
shell:downloads | C:\Users\User-Name\Downloads |
shell:dpapiKeys | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect |
shell:Favorites | C:\Users\User-Name\Favorites |
shell:Fonts | C:\Windows\Fonts |
shell:Gadgets | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets |
shell:Games | Games |
shell:GameTasks | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer |
shell:History | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History |
Shell:HomeGroupFolder | Homegroup |
shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\ImplicitAppShortcuts |
shell:InternetFolder | 32-bit Internet Explorer. |
shell:Links | C:\Users\User-Name\Links |
shell:Libraries | Libraries |
shell:Local AppData | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local |
shell:LocalAppDataLow | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\LocalLow |
shell:MusicLibrary | Libraries\Music |
shell:My Music | C:\Users\User-Name\Music |
shell:My Pictures | C:\Users\User-Name\Pictures |
shell:My Video | C:\Users\User-Name\Videos |
shell:MyComputerFolder | Computer |
shell:NetHood | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts |
shell:NetworkPlacesFolder | Network |
shell:Personal | C:\Users\User-Name\Documents |
shell:PicturesLibrary | Libraries\Pictures |
shell:PrintersFolder | All Control Panel Items\Printers |
shell:PrintHood | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts |
shell:Profile | C:\Users\User-Name |
shell:ProgramFiles | C:\Program Files |
shell:ProgramFilesCommon | C:\Program Files\Common Files |
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX64 | C:\Program Files\Common Files |
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 | C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files |
shell:ProgramFilesX64 | C:\Program Files |
shell:ProgramFilesX86 | C:\Program Files (x86) |
shell:Programs | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs |
shell:Public | C:\Public |
shell:PublicGameTasks | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer |
shell:PublicSuggestedLocations | C:\Users\Public\Library\PublicSuggestedLocations |
shell:Quick Launch | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch |
shell:Recent | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent |
shell:RecycleBinFolder | Recycle Bin |
shell:ResourceDir | C:\Windows\Resources |
shell:Ringtones | hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Ringtones |
shell:SampleMusic | C:\Users\Public\Music\Sample Music |
shell:SamplePictures | C:\Users\Public\Pictures\Sample Pictures |
shell:SampleVideos | C:\Users\Public\Videos\Sample Videos |
shell:SavedGames | C:\Users\User-Name\Saved Games |
shell:Searches | C:\Users\User-Name\Searches |
shell:SearchHomeFolder | search-ms: |
shell:SendTo | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo |
shell:Start Menu | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu |
shell:Startup | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup |
shell:SyncCenterFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center |
shell:SyncResultsFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center\Sync Results |
shell:SyncSetupFolder | Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center\Sync Setup |
shell:System | C:\Windows\System32 |
shell:SystemCertificates | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates |
shell:SystemX86 | C:\Windows\SysWOW64 |
shell:Templates | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates |
shell:User Pinned | hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned |
shell:UsersFilesFolder | C:\Users\User-Name |
shell:UsersLibrariesFolder | Libraries |
shell:VideosLibrary | Libraries\Videos |
shell:Windows | C:\Windows |
