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

---

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

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.

   

   https://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Windows-11-create-new-shortcut-1.png
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.

   

   https://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Windows-11-shell-command-in-shortcut-object-2.png
3. Give your shortcut some meaningful name.

   

   https://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Give-shell-command-shortcut-some-name.png
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.

   

   https://winaero.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/change-shortcut-icon-1.png

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.