Is there a way to change the default shell in Windows Terminal?

windows windows-terminal

62,376

Solution 1

Open Windows Terminal JSON settings. Next, in profiles array find the object for the shell you're searching and copy the guid value from it. The last step is to paste this value into the defaultProfile attribute.

{
    "$schema": "https://aka.ms/terminal-profiles-schema",

    "defaultProfile": "{0caa0dad-35be-5f56-a8ff-afceeeaa6101}"

    ....

It may change your default shell.

Solution 2

The procedure requires some knowledge about JSON file format. Here is a brief outline. Every member is represented as "name":"value" pair. Arrays use square brackets and Objects use curly brackets. Read this Wikipedia: JSON for more details.

Procedure:

Open Windows Terminal. Click on the down arrow symbol ˅ from menu bar. This will open a drop down menu from which select Settings option. Alternatively use Ctrl + , to open Settings directly. Here is a sample screenshot:

After selecting the Settings, Notepad (or the default text editor) will open profiles.json file. Here is a sample, see first JSON object i.e. "globals".

"globals" : 
{
    "alwaysShowTabs" : true,
    "copyOnSelect" : false,
    "defaultProfile" : "{12345678-1234-1234-1234-1234567890AB}",
    "initialCols" : 120,
    "initialRows" : 30,

We are interested in defaultProfile name. The value with 128-bit format {12345678-1234-1234-1234-1234567890AB} is called UUID. Assume its like a nickname for default shell :)

Now in that file, find "name" : "cmd" pair (or "commandline" : "cmd.exe" pair) for Command Prompt. There will be a "guid" pair adjacent of it. Copy the value, i.e. the 128-bit nickname. And paste it to globals > defaultProfile.
Restart Windows Terminal.

If you have installed Windows Terminal without Windows Store, the actual path of the profiles.json is "%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows Terminal\profiles.json". You can directly open the path in any text editor.

Solution 3

Edit settings and change the defaultProfile value to the GUID value of the profile you want to be the default. For example:

{
"$schema": "https://aka.ms/terminal-profiles-schema",

"defaultProfile": "{d3f31bee-5823-5ed8-8e04-f31ed54f2cd9}",

...

62,376

Bob Kimani

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Bob Kimani over 1 year

When opening the new Windows Terminal, it opens up PowerShell. Also by default new tabs are PowerShell.

You have to manually switch to your desired shell.

Is there a way in the settings JSON file to change this to cmd or something else?

windows version : 1903
- Admin almost 5 years
  
  What version of Windows 10 are you running. Edit your question instead of submitting a comment
- Admin almost 5 years
  
  Did you install the new Windows Terminal UWP application from the Windows Store?
- Admin almost 5 years
  
  yes, the preview version
- Admin over 4 years
  
  The tags on this question may need tweaking. The terminal tag is too generic and it's not a direct powershell question.
Danny Fanta about 4 years

Note that the curly braces must be included: {CMD-GUID-GOES-HERE}
Orangutech about 4 years

Note also that in mine, (Version 0.9.443.0), there's no "globals" section, it starts thusly: (after I changed mine to use PS7/Core) // To view the default settings, hold "alt" while clicking on the "Settings" button. // For documentation on these settings, see: https://aka.ms/terminal-documentation { "$schema": "https://aka.ms/terminal-profiles-schema", "defaultProfile": "{574e775e-4f2a-5b96-ac1e-a2962a402336}", "profiles": [ { // Make changes...
Aaron about 4 years

That json is not longer valid. globals is not allowed
Mark almost 4 years

I just replaced the defaultProfile (line 11) with the GUID mentioned in the Ubuntu array. Worked fine for me
NetMage about 3 years

This doesn't appear to work with the "Open in Windows Terminal" command in File Explorer