Almost a year ago, we learned that Microsoft is working on making Windows Terminal the default command line experience in Windows. For the past decade or so, the default had been Windows Console Host (conhost.exe) and Microsoft had explained that it"s a mammoth effort to migrate to a new tool. Now, this endeavor is finally complete and Windows Terminal is the default experience with the latest Windows 11 2022 optional update.
The latest optional preview update for Windows 11 started rolling out a few hours ago. It contains new experiences such as tabbed File Explorer, Suggested actions, Taskbar Overflow, and more. However, Microsoft did not highlight the Windows Terminal change in its initial release notes. Instead, the company has a dedicated blog post on the topic.
Basically, if you open the Settings app and navigate to Privacy & security > For developers, you"ll notice that the dropdown next to Terminal says "Let Windows decide". And the latest update to Windows 11 basically has the OS opt for Windows Terminal.
Microsoft says that Windows Terminal packs a number of features loved by its users including multiple profiles, tabs and panes, command palette, and customization, among other things. You can find our detailed coverage on Windows Terminal updates here.
It is important to understand that the latest Windows 11 update is only available as an optional preview for now and will start rolling out generally with next month"s Patch Tuesday. This command line will take effect after you install the latest update and have version 1.15 or higher of Windows Terminal installed.