What is Windows Terminal and why is it replacing Command Prompt?

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Windows Terminal is Replacing Command Prompt as the Default Terminal Emulator in Windows 11

Windows Terminal is a modern terminal emulator developed by Microsoft, first released in 2019, that will soon replace the legacy Windows Console Host as the default terminal on Windows 11 machines. This change is driven by Windows Terminal's advanced features, which offer a significantly improved user experience for command-line tools like Command Prompt and PowerShell compared to the older Console Host.
Enhanced Functionality Offered by Windows Terminal

Windows Terminal provides a suite of modern capabilities that the previous Windows Console Host lacked. These include the ability to manage multiple command-line sessions simultaneously through a tabbed interface, robust support for Unicode and UTF-8 characters enabling better handling of diverse text, and GPU-accelerated text rendering for smoother performance. Furthermore, users can personalise their command-line environment with custom themes and styles, features not available in the default Console Host.
Transition to Windows Terminal as the Default

Microsoft has outlined a plan to make Windows Terminal the default terminal emulator across all Windows 11 installations. While the update allowing users to choose Windows Terminal as the default has already been implemented, the long-term objective is for this transition to be fully completed sometime in 2022. This move aims to bring a more contemporary and feature-rich experience to users interacting with command-line applications.
How to Set Windows Terminal as the Default

For Windows 11 users who wish to switch to Windows Terminal before it becomes the default, the process is straightforward. Users can navigate to the Settings application, then select 'Privacy & security', followed by 'For developers'. Within this section, there is an option to change the terminal setting from the default Windows Console Host to Windows Terminal, thereby enabling the use of its advanced features for all command-line tools.

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What is Windows Terminal and why is it replacing Command Prompt?

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