Shell Commands in Windows 8

List of Windows 8 and 8.1 Shell Commands​

information   Information
A shell command can be typed in the Run (Windows+R) dialog, search, File Explorer address bar, and Internet Explorer address bar to open a Windows shell folder.

This tutorial will show you a list of shell commands that can be used to easily open directly to specific folders in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

The shell commands in red listed in the table below are new to Windows 8.

Note   Note
You can find the shell command listed in the Name string value data for each CLSID (GUID) key number at the registry location below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions

Tip   Tip
How to Use the Shell Commands in Windows 8 and 8.1

This will show the various ways that you can use either the command of shell commands listed in the table below for the different example locations below.

  • shell:command
  • explorer shell:command



Shell Command

Path of Folder it Opens

shell:AccountPictures

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\AccountPictures

shell:AddNewProgramsFolder

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Get Programs

shell:Administrative Tools

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools

shell:AppData

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming

shell:AppsFolder

Applications

shell:Application Shortcuts

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Application Shortcuts

shell:AppUpdatesFolder

Installed Updates

shell:Cache

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files

shell:Camera Roll (8.1 only)

C:\Users\(user-name)\Pictures\Camera Roll

shell:CD Burning

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

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools

shell:Common AppData

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

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

shell:CommonRingtones

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Ringtones

shell:Common Start Menu

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

shell:Common Startup

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

shell:Common Templates

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

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies

shell:Cookies\Low

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies\Low

shell:CredentialManager

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials

shell:CryptoKeys

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto

shell:desktop

Your desktop folder

shell:device Metadata Store

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore

shell:documentsLibrary

Libraries\Documents

shell:downloads

C:\Users\(user-name)\Downloads

shell:dpapiKeys

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect

shell:Favorites

C:\Users\(user-name)\Favorites

shell:Fonts

C:\Windows\Fonts

shell:Gadgets

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets

shell:Games

Games

shell:GameTasks

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer

shell:History

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History

shell:HomeGroupCurrentUserFolder

Homegroup folder of current user

shell:HomeGroupFolder

Homegroup

shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\ImplicitAppShortcuts

shell:InternetFolder

Internet Explorer

shell:Libraries

Libraries

shell:Links

C:\Users\(user-name)\Links

shell:Local AppData

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local

shell:LocalAppDataLow

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\LocalLow

shell:MusicLibrary

Libraries\Music

shell:MyComputerFolder

Computer (Windows 8) or This PC (Windows 8.1)

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:NetHood

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

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 (64-bit Windows only)

shell:programFilesCommonX86

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files (64-bit Windows only)

shell:programFilesX86

C:\Program Files (x86) (64-bit Windows only)

shell:programFilesX64

C:\Program Files (64-bit Windows only)

shell:programs

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

shell:public

C:\Public

shell:publicAccountPictures

C:\Users\Public\AccountPictures

shell:publicGameTasks

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer

shell:publicLibraries

C:\Users\Public\Libraries

shell:Quick Launch

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

shell:Recent

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent

shell:RecordedTVLibrary

Libraries\Recorded TV

shell:RecycleBinFolder

Recycle Bin

shell:ResourceDir

C:\Windows\Resources

shell:Ringtones

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Ringtones

shell:Roamed Tile Images

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\RoamedTileImages

shell:Roaming Tiles

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\RoamingTiles

shell:SavedGames

C:\Users\(user-name)\Saved Games

shell:Screenshots (8.1 only)

C:\Users\(user-name)\Pictures\Screenshots

shell:Searches

C:\Users\(user-name)\Searches

shell:SearchHomeFolder

search-ms:

shell:SendTo

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

shell:SkyDrive (8.1 only)

SkyDrive shell folder

shell:SkyDriveCameraRoll (8.1 only)

C:\Users\(user-name)\SkyDrive\Pictures\Camera Roll

shell:SkyDriveDocuments (8.1 only)

C:\Users\(user-name)\SkyDrive\Documents

shell:SkyDrivePictures (8.1 only)

C:\Users\(user-name)\SkyDrive\Pictures

shell:Start Menu

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

shell:Startup

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:SystemX86

C:\Windows\SysWOW64

shell:SystemCertificates

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates

shell:Templates

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates

shell:ThisPCDesktopFolder (8.1 only)

Desktop

shell:User Pinned

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned

shell:UserProfiles

C:\Users

shell:UsersFilesFolder

C:\Users\(user-name)

shell:UsersFilesFolder\Desktop

C:\Users\(user-name)\Desktop

shell:UsersLibrariesFolder

Libraries

shell:VideosLibrary

Libraries\Videos

shell:Windows

C:\Windows



That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

 

Attachments

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Last edited:
Click to expand...
SwahiliWizz,

I see what you mean. It appears that the Recent Items folder just will not work as a toolbar, and only as a shortcut.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
I think the reason the "Recent" folder won't cascade is that the "folders" in it are NOT really in it; they're just shortcuts to other folders.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 8
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP 23-D030
Hello!
I totally ruined my User-Folders and tried to fix them with this tutorial :Personal User Folder - Restore Missing Folder
I'm not using Vista but Win 8 however and first of all when entering the command into the elevated command prompt for My Pictures it tells me the file could not be found.
Second where do I enter the Shell Command in Win 8 when there is no Start Menu?
Would be really nice if someone could help me out.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Agent47 said:
Second where do I enter the Shell Command in Win 8 when there is no Start Menu?
Would be really nice if someone could help me out.
Click to expand...
Use :winkey: + R to open the Run Dialog.

For your other problem you would be better to open a new thread.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
adamf said:
Agent47 said:
Second where do I enter the Shell Command in Win 8 when there is no Start Menu?
Would be really nice if someone could help me out.
Click to expand...
Use :winkey: + R to open the Run Dialog.

For your other problem you would be better to open a new thread.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks. I even tried that before but apparently there is a problem with the folder My Pictures.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
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