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On Windows 10, the fastest way to open PowerShell in a folder is to hold Shift, right-click the folder in File Explorer, and choose Open PowerShell window here. If that entry is hidden or you want it available on every right-click, add a per-user Shell verb under HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesDirectoryshell. The registry method needs no administrator rights, works with paths containing spaces when quoted correctly, and can target either Windows PowerShell or PowerShell 7.
How do I open PowerShell in a folder without changing the registry?
Use File Explorer’s extended context-menu command. This is the safest first option because it changes nothing permanently and uses the Windows 10 shell behavior already present on many installations.
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Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Open File Explorer and browse to the folder you want to use as the working directory.
- Hold the Shift key.
- While still holding Shift, right-click the folder.
- Select Open PowerShell window here.
Windows normally hides some extended verbs from the ordinary shortcut menu. Microsoft documents that holding Shift while right-clicking exposes those additional commands. The PowerShell window starts with that folder as its current location, so commands that read or write relative files operate there.
If the command is not shown, the entry may have been removed, disabled by an image customization, or replaced by another shell integration. In that case, the permanent per-user registration below gives you an always-visible folder command.
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How do I add an always-visible PowerShell command with the registry?
Create a Shell verb in your user profile. The procedure below adds Open PowerShell here to the context menu for folders and launches the inbox Windows PowerShell executable.
1. Back up the registry before editing
Registry mistakes can affect the Windows shell, so make the change reversible first. Create a system restore point, or export the key you will edit:
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regedit, and press Enter. - In Registry Editor, browse to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesDirectoryshell. - Right-click the
shellkey, choose Export, and save the.regbackup somewhere you can find later.
The path begins with HKEY_CURRENT_USER, so this registration applies only to the account that creates it. It does not alter the context menu for other Windows accounts.
2. Create the PowerShell verb key
- In the left pane, right-click
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesDirectoryshell. - Choose New > Key.
- Name the new key
PowerShellHere. - Select
PowerShellHere, double-click its (Default) value, and set the data toOpen PowerShell here.
The key name is an internal identifier; the default value is the text users see in File Explorer.
3. Add the command that launches PowerShell
- Right-click
PowerShellHereand choose New > Key. - Name the subkey
commandusing lowercase letters. - Select
command, double-click its (Default) value, and enter:
powershell.exe -NoExit -Command "Set-Location -LiteralPath '%1'"%1 is replaced by the path of the folder you right-clicked. Set-Location changes PowerShell’s working directory, and -NoExit leaves the window open after the command runs. Keep both the outer command quotes and the single quotes around %1. They ensure that a folder such as C:Game ProjectsBuild Tools is passed as one path instead of being split at its spaces.
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Quoting the executable is also important when an executable or an expanded argument can contain spaces. The Shell verb format is a registry pattern consisting of a verb key, a display label, and a command subkey containing the launch string.
4. Refresh File Explorer
Close Registry Editor and test the new entry by right-clicking a folder. Windows often notices the change immediately. If it does not, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), select Windows Explorer, and choose Restart. Signing out and back in also reloads the shell.
How can I open PowerShell when I right-click empty space inside a folder?
The folder registration above applies when you right-click the folder object itself. Empty space inside an already open folder is a separate shell target and uses a different registry path.
- Open Registry Editor and go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesDirectoryBackgroundshell. - Create a key named
PowerShellHere. - Set its default value to
Open PowerShell here. - Create a
commandsubkey beneath it and assign the launch command appropriate for your Windows 10 build.
Background-folder expansion is handled differently from a selected-folder verb. Test the resulting command on the specific Windows 10 build you support before distributing the registration to other machines. If you need both behaviors, keep both registrations; one does not automatically create the other.
How do I add PowerShell 7 to File Explorer instead?
PowerShell 7 is a separate product from the Windows PowerShell version included with Windows 10. Its executable is normally called pwsh.exe, while the registry command above calls powershell.exe.
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The PowerShell 7 MSI exposes two installer properties for Explorer integration:
| Installer property | Context-menu result | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
ADD_EXPLORER_CONTEXT_MENU_OPENPOWERSHELL=1 |
Adds Open PowerShell | Windows Explorer folder integration |
ADD_FILE_CONTEXT_MENU_RUNPOWERSHELL=1 |
Adds Run with PowerShell | Files in Explorer |
Set the relevant property to 1 when installing PowerShell 7 with its MSI. The installer may request elevation, unlike the per-user registry method. This route is appropriate when you want the PowerShell 7 integration managed by the installer rather than maintaining a custom registry verb.
If you prefer a hand-created entry that launches PowerShell 7, duplicate the per-user registry structure and replace powershell.exe with the full path to pwsh.exe. Use the actual installation path on the machine rather than assuming that Windows PowerShell and PowerShell 7 share an executable location.
Which Windows 10 PowerShell context-menu method should I choose?
Each route solves a different problem. Start with the built-in command if you only need occasional access; use a per-user verb for predictable availability; choose the MSI properties when deploying PowerShell 7.
| Approach | Scope | Executable | Administrator rights | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shift-right-click built-in entry | Existing shell behavior | Usually Windows PowerShell | No | Fast, reversible access |
| HKCU registry verb | Current user | powershell.exe or a selected pwsh.exe |
No | An always-visible folder command |
| PowerShell 7 MSI properties | Installer-managed integration | PowerShell 7 | The installer may require elevation | New PowerShell 7 installations |
Do not add elevation merely to make the menu item convenient. Opening an elevated shell changes what commands can modify, and it should be an intentional security decision rather than an invisible part of a basic “open here” shortcut.
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Why is the menu item missing after I add it?
Most failures come from a misplaced key, a missing default value, or a shell refresh that has not occurred yet. Check the registration in this order:
- Wrong registry location: the selected-folder verb must be under
HKCUSoftwareClassesDirectoryshellPowerShellHere. A key under a similarly named file-type branch will not create the folder command. - Missing label: the (Default) value of
PowerShellHeremust contain the text you want displayed. - Missing command value: the
commandsubkey must have its own (Default) value containing the complete launch string. - Explorer has not reloaded: restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager or sign out and back in.
- Testing the wrong target: a selected folder uses
Directoryshell; blank space inside an open folder usesDirectoryBackgroundshell.
What should I do if folders with spaces fail?
Use the command exactly as written, including -LiteralPath and the quotes around '%1':
powershell.exe -NoExit -Command "Set-Location -LiteralPath '%1'"Without those quotes, File Explorer can pass a multiword folder name as separate command-line fragments. -LiteralPath also tells PowerShell to interpret the supplied text as a literal location rather than treating wildcard characters as a pattern.
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On some Windows 10 systems, Windows Terminal is configured as the default console host. In that situation, the context-menu registration can be correct even though the visible window is Terminal rather than the older console host.
If you require the legacy host for compatibility, review the Windows setting for the default terminal application and select Windows Console Host. Changing the host affects how console applications are displayed; it does not change the registry verb or the PowerShell executable it invokes.
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How do I remove the custom context-menu entry?
To undo the per-user registration, open Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesDirectoryshell, right-click PowerShellHere, and choose Delete. If you also created the background-folder version, delete the matching key under HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClassesDirectoryBackgroundshell. Restart Windows Explorer if the label remains visible until the shell refreshes.
Deleting these keys removes only your custom verbs. It does not uninstall PowerShell, alter other accounts, or remove the built-in extended command supplied by Windows when that command is present.
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Does Windows 10 still receive support?
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. The context-menu techniques still describe how the Windows 10 shell and PowerShell installations work, but a supported security posture may require moving the computer to a supported Windows release or using an available extended-support arrangement. Keep that lifecycle status in mind before standardizing this customization across a fleet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove the PowerShell item without affecting PowerShell itself?
Delete the PowerShellHere key from the same per-user registry branch where you created it. Removing that key only unregisters the shortcut; it does not uninstall either Windows PowerShell or PowerShell 7.
Can one context-menu entry launch PowerShell 7 while Windows PowerShell remains installed?
Yes. Keep the existing powershell.exe registration and create a separate verb whose command uses the full path to pwsh.exe. This lets both editions remain available and makes the edition choice explicit in the menu label.
Why is -LiteralPath preferable in a folder shortcut?
It treats the expanded folder text as an exact path instead of allowing wildcard characters to be interpreted as a pattern. Together with quoting around %1, it is safer for ordinary folder names that contain spaces or wildcard-like characters.
Do I need administrator rights to add the per-user menu item?
No. A verb under HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareClasses belongs to your Windows profile and can be created without changing machine-wide shell settings. Installing PowerShell 7 through its MSI can still request elevation, depending on the installation scope.
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