Microsoft to make Windows Terminal the default Windows 11 command line experience

Microsoft is a planning to make its Windows Terminal the default command line experience in Windows 11 next year. While Windows 11 currently supports setting Windows Terminal as default, the default terminal emulator has always been the Windows Console Host. Microsoft hasn’t ever officially supported replacing this console host, meaning that command prompt and PowerShell always open in Windows Console Host.

“Over the course of 2022, we are planning to make Windows Terminal the default experience on Windows 11 devices,” explains Kayla Cinnamon, a program manager for Windows Terminal at Microsoft. “We will start with the Windows Insider Program and start moving through rings until we reach everyone on Windows 11.”

While this change won’t affect most Windows users, developers will soon see Windows Terminal if they attempt to launch the Command Prompt. It’s a change that modernizes the overall Windows console environment, particularly as Microsoft has put a lot of effort into making Windows Terminal a solid home for developers.

Windows Terminal first appeared in Windows 10 in 2019, following a surprise announcement at Microsoft’s annual Build developers conference that year. The Windows Terminal app includes multiple tab support, alongside themes, customization, and support for full GPU-based text rendering and emoji.