Windows 11 Shell Commands – the complete list

Windows 11 Shell Command Icon

Here is the full list of Windows 11 Shell Commands that includes both friendly named commands and GUID locations. All modern Windows versions come with a number of shell commands. Such commands start with the shell: prefix which is followed by some friendly name, like shell:Startup, or by a GUID value. You can use shell commands to open some system folder, built-in feature, or a Control Panel applet directly.

A good example of such commands is shell:Startup. This is one of the most useful commands that opens the Startup folder directly for the current user.

The similar commands can be used to open the a ton of other tools and folders. There is a shell command that opens the the famous All Task folder, also known as God Mode.

So, here is the full list of Windows 11 Shell Commands.

The list of Shell Commands in Windows 11

The following tables contain the full list of shell commands available in Windows 11. The first table includes commands with friendly names, such as shell:some command name. They are easy to remember, and you can tell what they do at a glance. The next table includes a different category of shell commands, which have no friendly names, but can be started using the following syntax: shel:::{GUID}. Long story short, let's see the commands.

Windows 11 Shell commands with friendly names

To try these commands in action, copy a commands from the first column, then press Win + R and paste it to the Run box. After you hit the Enter key, Windows 11 will execute the shell command.

Shell Command What opens
shell:3D Objects 3D Objects
shell:AccountPictures Account Pictures
shell:AddNewProgramsFolder AddNewProgramsFolder
shell:Administrative Tools Windows Tools
shell:AppData AppData
shell:AppDataDesktop AppDataDesktop
shell:AppDataDocuments AppDataDocuments
shell:AppDataFavorites AppDataFavorites
shell:AppDataProgramData AppDataProgramData
shell:Application Shortcuts Application Shortcuts
shell:AppMods Application Mods
shell:AppsFolder AppsFolder
shell:AppUpdatesFolder AppUpdatesFolder
shell:Cache Cache
shell:Camera Roll Camera Roll
shell:CameraRollLibrary Camera Roll
shell:Captures Captures
shell:CD Burning Temporary Burn Folder
shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder
shell:Common Administrative Tools Windows Tools
shell:Common AppData Common AppData
shell:Common Desktop Public Desktop
shell:Common Documents Public Documents
shell:Common Programs Programs
shell:Common Start Menu Start Menu
shell:Common Start Menu Places Start Menu
shell:Common Startup Startup
shell:Common Templates Common Templates
shell:CommonDownloads Public Downloads
shell:CommonMusic Public Music
shell:CommonPictures Public Pictures
shell:CommonRingtones CommonRingtones
shell:CommonVideo Public Videos
shell:ConflictFolder ConflictFolder
shell:ConnectionsFolder ConnectionsFolder
shell:Contacts Contacts
shell:ControlPanelFolder ControlPanelFolder
shell:Cookies Cookies
shell:CredentialManager CredentialManager
shell:CryptoKeys CryptoKeys
shell:CSCFolder CSCFolder
shell:Desktop Desktop
shell:Development Files Development Files
shell:Device Metadata Store Device Metadata Store
shell:DocumentsLibrary Documents
shell:Downloads Downloads
shell:DpapiKeys DpapiKeys
shell:Favorites Favorites
shell:Fonts Fonts
shell:GameTasks GameTasks
shell:History History
shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts ImplicitAppShortcuts
shell:InternetFolder InternetFolder
shell:Libraries Libraries
shell:Links Links
shell:Local AppData Local AppData
shell:Local Documents Documents
shell:Local Downloads Downloads
shell:Local Music Music
shell:Local Pictures Pictures
shell:Local Videos Videos
shell:LocalAppDataLow LocalAppDataLow
shell:LocalizedResourcesDir LocalizedResourcesDir
shell:MAPIFolder MAPIFolder
shell:MusicLibrary Music
shell:My Music Music
shell:My Pictures Pictures
shell:My Video Videos
shell:MyComputerFolder MyComputerFolder
shell:NetHood NetHood
shell:NetworkPlacesFolder NetworkPlacesFolder
shell:OEM Links OEM Links
shell:OneDrive OneDrive
shell:OneDriveCameraRoll OneDriveCameraRoll
shell:OneDriveDocuments OneDriveDocuments
shell:OneDriveMusic OneDriveMusic
shell:OneDrivePictures OneDrivePictures
shell:Original Images Original Images
shell:Personal Documents
shell:PhotoAlbums Slide Shows
shell:PicturesLibrary Pictures
shell:Playlists Playlists
shell:PrintersFolder PrintersFolder
shell:PrintHood PrintHood
shell:Profile Profile
shell:ProgramFiles Program Files
shell:ProgramFilesCommon ProgramFilesCommon
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX64 ProgramFilesCommonX64
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 ProgramFilesCommonX86
shell:ProgramFilesX64 ProgramFilesX64
shell:ProgramFilesX86 Program Files (x86)
shell:Programs Programs
shell:Public Public
shell:PublicAccountPictures Public Account Pictures
shell:PublicGameTasks PublicGameTasks
shell:PublicLibraries PublicLibraries
shell:Quick Launch Quick Launch
shell:Recent Recent Items
shell:Recorded Calls Recorded Calls
shell:RecordedTVLibrary Recorded TV
shell:RecycleBinFolder RecycleBinFolder
shell:ResourceDir ResourceDir
shell:Retail Demo Retail Demo
shell:Ringtones Ringtones
shell:Roamed Tile Images Roamed Tile Images
shell:Roaming Tiles Roaming Tiles
shell:SavedGames Saved Games
shell:SavedPictures Saved Pictures
shell:SavedPicturesLibrary Saved Pictures
shell:Screenshots Screenshots
shell:Searches Searches
shell:SearchHistoryFolder SearchHistoryFolder
shell:SearchHomeFolder SearchHomeFolder
shell:SearchTemplatesFolder SearchTemplatesFolder
shell:SendTo SendTo
shell:Start Menu Start Menu
shell:Startup Startup
shell:SyncCenterFolder SyncCenterFolder
shell:SyncResultsFolder SyncResultsFolder
shell:SyncSetupFolder SyncSetupFolder
shell:System System
shell:SystemCertificates SystemCertificates
shell:SystemX86 SystemX86
shell:Templates Templates
shell:ThisDeviceFolder ThisDeviceFolder
shell:ThisPCDesktopFolder Desktop
shell:User Pinned User Pinned
shell:UserProfiles Users
shell:UserProgramFiles UserProgramFiles
shell:UserProgramFilesCommon UserProgramFilesCommon
shell:UsersFilesFolder UsersFilesFolder
shell:UsersLibrariesFolder UsersLibrariesFolder
shell:VideosLibrary Videos
shell:Windows Windows

That's all about the friendly named shell commands. How, let's see the shell commands that are represented by GUID values.

Shell commands with GUID values

The commands in the table below may or may not have a corresponding "friendly named" equivalent. Their syntax is slightly different. So, to launch a GUID command, run it as follows: shell::{SOME GUID}. For example, the command shell::{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} opens the OneDrive folder for the current user. The other command, shell::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921}, open the classic Personalization dialog in Windows 7 style.

Shell command with GUID What opens
shell:::{088e3905-0323-4b02-9826-5d99428e115f} Downloads
shell:::{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A} 3D Objects
shell:::{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE} Music
shell:::{24ad3ad4-a569-4530-98e1-ab02f9417aa8} Pictures
shell:::{2559a1f8-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0} Windows Search
shell:::{3134ef9c-6b18-4996-ad04-ed5912e00eb5} Recent Files
shell:::{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} Downloads
shell:::{38A98528-6CBF-4CA9-8DC0-B1E1D10F7B1B} Connect To
shell:::{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA} Pictures
shell:::{3dfdf296-dbec-4fb4-81d1-6a3438bcf4de} Music
shell:::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} My Documents
shell:::{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6} Quick Access
shell:::{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C} Videos
shell:::{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0} Documents
shell:::{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641} Desktop
shell:::{d3162b92-9365-467a-956b-92703aca08af} Documents
shell:::{f86fa3ab-70d2-4fc7-9c99-fcbf05467f3a} Videos
shell:::{D4480A50-BA28-11d1-8E75-00C04FA31A86} Add Network Place
shell:::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} All Control Panel Items
shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} All Tasks
shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1} Applications
shell:::{c57a6066-66a3-4d91-9eb9-41532179f0a5} AppSuggestedLocations
shell:::{9C60DE1E-E5FC-40f4-A487-460851A8D915} AutoPlay
shell:::{28803F59-3A75-4058-995F-4EE5503B023C} Bluetooth Devices
shell:::{9343812e-1c37-4a49-a12e-4b2d810d956b} Classic Windows Search
shell:::{437ff9c0-a07f-4fa0-af80-84b6c6440a16} Command Folder
shell:::{d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938} Common Places FS Folder
shell:::{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C} Network Computers and Devices
shell:::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683} Control Panel
shell:::{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0} Control Panel command object for Start menu and desktop
shell:::{1206F5F1-0569-412C-8FEC-3204630DFB70} Credential Manager
shell:::{b155bdf8-02f0-451e-9a26-ae317cfd7779} delegate folder that appears in Computer
shell:::{A8A91A66-3A7D-4424-8D24-04E180695C7A} Devices and Printers
shell:::{289AF617-1CC3-42A6-926C-E6A863F0E3BA} Media Servers
shell:::{D555645E-D4F8-4c29-A827-D93C859C4F2A} Ease of Access Center
shell:::{ECDB0924-4208-451E-8EE0-373C0956DE16} Work Folders
shell:::{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E} Favorites
shell:::{6DFD7C5C-2451-11d3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF} File Explorer Options
shell:::{93412589-74D4-4E4E-AD0E-E0CB621440FD} Font settings
shell:::{3936E9E4-D92C-4EEE-A85A-BC16D5EA0819} Frequent folders
shell:::{1D2680C9-0E2A-469d-B787-065558BC7D43} Fusion Cache
shell:::{F6B6E965-E9B2-444B-9286-10C9152EDBC5} File History
shell:::{67CA7650-96E6-4FDD-BB43-A8E774F73A57} HomeGroup
shell:::{0907616E-F5E6-48D8-9D61-A91C3D28106D} Remote File Browser
shell:::{15eae92e-f17a-4431-9f28-805e482dafd4} Get Programs
shell:::{d450a8a1-9568-45c7-9c0e-b4f9fb4537bd} Installed Updates
shell:::{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6} Linux
shell:::{1FA9085F-25A2-489B-85D4-86326EEDCD87} Manage Wireless Networks
shell:::{63da6ec0-2e98-11cf-8d82-444553540000} Microsoft FTP Folder
shell:::{89D83576-6BD1-4c86-9454-BEB04E94C819} Microsoft Office Outlook
shell:::{5ea4f148-308c-46d7-98a9-49041b1dd468} Windows Mobility Center
shell:::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D} Network
shell:::{8E908FC9-BECC-40f6-915B-F4CA0E70D03D} Network and Sharing Center
shell:::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} Network Connections
shell:::{992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48} Network Connections
shell:::{BD7A2E7B-21CB-41b2-A086-B309680C6B7E} Offline Files
shell:::{AFDB1F70-2A4C-11d2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E} Offline Files Folder
shell:::{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} OneDrive
shell:::{6785BFAC-9D2D-4be5-B7E2-59937E8FB80A} Homegroup
shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} Personalization
shell:::{35786D3C-B075-49b9-88DD-029876E11C01} Portable Devices
shell:::{025A5937-A6BE-4686-A844-36FE4BEC8B6D} Power Options
shell:::{9DB7A13C-F208-4981-8353-73CC61AE2783} Previous Versions
shell:::{a3c3d402-e56c-4033-95f7-4885e80b0111} Previous Versions Results Delegate Folder
shell:::{f8c2ab3b-17bc-41da-9758-339d7dbf2d88} Previous Versions Results Folder
shell:::{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} Printers
shell:::{ed50fc29-b964-48a9-afb3-15ebb9b97f36} printhood delegate folder
shell:::{7b81be6a-ce2b-4676-a29e-eb907a5126c5} Programs and Features
shell:::{4336a54d-038b-4685-ab02-99bb52d3fb8b} Public Folder
shell:::{4564b25e-30cd-4787-82ba-39e73a750b14} Recent Items Instance Folder
shell:::{22877a6d-37a1-461a-91b0-dbda5aaebc99} Recent Places Folder
shell:::{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} Recycle Bin
shell:::{863aa9fd-42df-457b-8e4d-0de1b8015c60} Remote Printers
shell:::{F5FB2C77-0E2F-4A16-A381-3E560C68BC83} Removable Drives
shell:::{a6482830-08eb-41e2-84c1-73920c2badb9} Removable Storage Devices
shell:::{2965e715-eb66-4719-b53f-1672673bbefa} Results Folder
shell:::{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0} Run...
shell:::{D9EF8727-CAC2-4e60-809E-86F80A666C91} BitLocker Drive Encryption
shell:::{BB64F8A7-BEE7-4E1A-AB8D-7D8273F7FDB6} Security and Maintenance
shell:::{2559a1f7-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0} Set Program Access and Computer Defaults
shell:::{17cd9488-1228-4b2f-88ce-4298e93e0966} Default Programs
shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257} Show desktop
shell:::{58E3C745-D971-4081-9034-86E34B30836A} Speech Recognition
shell:::{48e7caab-b918-4e58-a94d-505519c795dc} Start Menu
shell:::{F942C606-0914-47AB-BE56-1321B8035096} Storage Spaces
shell:::{9C73F5E5-7AE7-4E32-A8E8-8D23B85255BF} Sync Center
shell:::{2E9E59C0-B437-4981-A647-9C34B9B90891} Sync Setup Folder
shell:::{BB06C0E4-D293-4f75-8A90-CB05B6477EEE} About System
shell:::{9FE63AFD-59CF-4419-9775-ABCC3849F861} System Recovery
shell:::{3f6bc534-dfa1-4ab4-ae54-ef25a74e0107} System Restore
shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} Taskbar
shell:::{0DF44EAA-FF21-4412-828E-260A8728E7F1} Taskbar
shell:::{5b934b42-522b-4c34-bbfe-37a3ef7b9c90} This Device
shell:::{f8278c54-a712-415b-b593-b77a2be0dda9} This Device
shell:::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} This PC
shell:::{C58C4893-3BE0-4B45-ABB5-A63E4B8C8651} Troubleshooting
shell:::{60632754-c523-4b62-b45c-4172da012619} User Accounts
shell:::{7A9D77BD-5403-11d2-8785-2E0420524153} User Accounts
shell:::{1f3427c8-5c10-4210-aa03-2ee45287d668} User Pinned
shell:::{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} UsersFiles
shell:::{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5} Libraries
shell:::{3080F90E-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257} Switch between windows
shell:::{B98A2BEA-7D42-4558-8BD1-832F41BAC6FD} Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
shell:::{4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423} Windows Defender Firewall
shell:::{67718415-c450-4f3c-bf8a-b487642dc39b} Windows Features
shell:::{2559a1f2-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0} Windows Security
shell:::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153} Windows Tools
shell:::{241D7C96-F8BF-4F85-B01F-E2B043341A4B} RemoteApp and Desktop Connections
shell:::{F874310E-B6B7-47DC-BC84-B9E6B38F5903} The Home folder in File Explorer

Finally, you can create a shortcut to any shell command from the tables above. Here's how you can do it.

Create a shortcut to a shell command in Windows 11

  1. Right-click your desktop, and select New item > Shortcut from the menu.
  2. In the object box, type explorer.exe shell:command. Substitute the "command" portion with the desired friendly name or GUID. Don't forget to add three colons to get the shell:::{GUID} value.
  3. Give your shortcut some meaningful name.
  4. Click on Finish to close the create new shortcut wizard.
  5. Finally, right-click your shortcut and change its icon to something other than the default Explorer icon.

For example, you can create a "minimize all windows" shortcut. The command is shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}. When you click this shortcut, it will minimize all windows to the taskbar.

That's it.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

3 thoughts on “Windows 11 Shell Commands – the complete list”

  1. This is a great and wonderful list. Someone might ask “why are there 2 different ways to get to Downloads” (for example). I don’t know if this is typical across the entire list, but one of the Downloads is that which is a child to “This PC” and the other is a child to “Desktop”. Or in tree form:
    (USER) -> Desktop -> This PC -> Downloads
    -> Downloads
    Same great directory, just different parent. If you are like me and love the Up-Arrow button in File Explorer, then it makes a difference

  2. So much for the pretty picture. (The arrows were on separate lines, but the picture just shows the other “Downloads” as coming from “Desktop” directly.

  3. In windows 11 22h2, the shell location for the new “home” folder in file explorer is as follows –
    shell:::{F874310E-B6B7-47DC-BC84-B9E6B38F5903}

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