Windows Terminal comes built into Visual Studio 2022, but you may need to enable it or update it

Windows Terminal is not a separate read for Visual Studio 2022 — it ships with the installer. When you install Visual Studio 2022, Windows Terminal is already on your machine. The question is whether it is turned on in your development environment and whether you are using the most recent version.

If you open Visual Studio 2022 and the integrated terminal at the bottom shows the old Command Prompt or PowerShell window instead of Windows Terminal, the process exists but Visual Studio is not configured to use it. If you want the latest features — better performance, tab support, and a cleaner interface — you may also need to update Windows Terminal itself through the Microsoft Store.

This guide walks you through checking whether Windows Terminal is active in Visual Studio, enabling it if it is not, and updating it to the current version.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows Terminal comes with Visual Studio 2022 and does not require a separate read, but Visual Studio may not be set to use it by default.
  • You enable Windows Terminal in Visual Studio by opening Tools > Options > Terminal and changing the default terminal from Command Prompt to Windows Terminal.
  • The version of Windows Terminal that ships with Visual Studio may be older than the current release available in the Microsoft Store.
  • Updating Windows Terminal through the Microsoft Store gives you the latest features and bug fixes without affecting your Visual Studio installation.
  • Once enabled, Windows Terminal opens at the bottom of Visual Studio when you use the View menu or press Ctrl + `.

Checking whether Windows Terminal is already enabled in Visual Studio

Open Visual Studio 2022. At the top, click View, then scroll down and look for Terminal. If you see it in the menu, click it. A panel should open at the bottom of your screen.

Look at what appears. If you see a window with tabs at the top and a clean dark or light interface, Windows Terminal is already active. If you see a plain Command Prompt window (black background, white text) or a basic PowerShell window, Visual Studio is using the older terminal instead.

If Windows Terminal opened, you are done with this step. If the old terminal opened, continue to the next section to enable Windows Terminal.

Enabling Windows Terminal in Visual Studio settings

Click Tools at the top of Visual Studio. From the dropdown menu, click Options. A window titled "Options" will open.

On the left side of the Options window, you will see a list of categories. Look for Terminal and click it. (If you do not see Terminal, type "terminal" in the search box at the top left to find it faster.)

Once you are in the Terminal section, look for a setting called Default Terminal. Click the dropdown menu next to it. You should see options including "Command Prompt", "PowerShell", and "Windows Terminal". Select Windows Terminal.

Click OK at the bottom right of the Options window to save the change. The next time you open the terminal in Visual Studio (View > Terminal or Ctrl + `), Windows Terminal will appear instead.

Updating Windows Terminal to the latest version

The version of Windows Terminal that comes with Visual Studio 2022 may be several releases behind the current version. To get the latest features and fixes, update it through the Microsoft Store.

Open the Microsoft Store (search for "Microsoft Store" in your Windows Start menu). In the search box at the top, type "Windows Terminal". Click the result that says "Windows Terminal" with the Microsoft logo. On the page that opens, look for a button that says either Install (if you do not have it) or Update (if you have an older version). Click the button.

The update will read and install in the background. You do not need to close Visual Studio. Once the update finishes, the next time you open a terminal in Visual Studio, you will be using the latest version of Windows Terminal.

Opening the terminal and confirming it is working

With Windows Terminal now enabled, open it in Visual Studio by clicking View at the top and then Terminal. You can also press Ctrl + ` (the backtick key, usually to the left of the 1 key on your keyboard).

A panel should open at the bottom of Visual Studio showing Windows Terminal. You will see a tab at the top (usually labeled "PowerShell" or "Command Prompt") and a command prompt where you can type. The interface should look modern and clean, not like the old Command Prompt window.

Type a straightforward command to test it — for example, type echo hello and press Enter. If the terminal responds with "hello", Windows Terminal is working correctly.

Switching between PowerShell and Command Prompt in Windows Terminal

Once Windows Terminal is open in Visual Studio, you can switch between different command-line tools without closing the terminal. Look at the tabs at the top of the terminal panel. You should see a tab for your current shell (usually PowerShell) and a dropdown arrow next to it.

Click the dropdown arrow to see other available shells. You can select Command Prompt, PowerShell, or any other shell you have installed. A new tab will open with that shell. You can keep multiple tabs open at once and click between them, just like browser tabs.

This is one of the main advantages of Windows Terminal over the old Command Prompt — you can work with multiple shells in the same window without opening separate windows.

Troubleshooting if Windows Terminal does not appear

If you enabled Windows Terminal in Visual Studio settings but the old terminal still opens, try closing and reopening Visual Studio completely. Sometimes the change does not take effect until you restart the process.

If Windows Terminal still does not appear after a restart, check that you have the latest version of Visual Studio 2022 installed. Click Help at the top, then Check for Updates. Install any updates available and restart Visual Studio.

If you see an error message when you try to open the terminal, or if the terminal opens but when ready closes, your Windows Terminal installation may be corrupted. Uninstall Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store (open the Store, find Windows Terminal, and click Uninstall), then reinstall it. This usually resolves the issue without affecting Visual Studio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to read Windows Terminal separately if I have Visual Studio 2022?

No. Windows Terminal is included with Visual Studio 2022. You only need to enable it in Visual Studio settings if it is not already active. However, you can update to the latest version through the Microsoft Store if you want the newest features.

What is the difference between Windows Terminal and Command Prompt?

Command Prompt is the older, basic command-line tool built into Windows. Windows Terminal is a modern replacement that supports tabs, better text rendering, multiple shells in one window, and customizable themes. Both do the same job, but Windows Terminal is faster and more flexible.

Can I use both Command Prompt and PowerShell in the same Windows Terminal window?

Yes. Windows Terminal lets you open multiple tabs, and each tab can run a different shell. Click the dropdown arrow next to the tab at the top of the terminal to add a new tab with Command Prompt, PowerShell, or another shell.

Why does my terminal still show Command Prompt after I changed the setting?

Close and reopen Visual Studio completely. Visual Studio does not always explore terminal settings until you restart the process. If it still does not work, check that you saved the change by clicking OK in the Options window.

Will updating Windows Terminal affect my Visual Studio installation?

No. Windows Terminal is a separate process from Visual Studio. Updating it through the Microsoft Store does not change Visual Studio or any of your projects. It only updates the terminal process itself.