# Ramesh - Shell Commands to Access the Special Folders in Windows 10-11 ## Metadata **Author**:: [[Ramesh]] **Created**:: [[2024-04-05]] **Host**:: [[www.winhelponline.com]] **Source**:: #from/clipper **Status**:: #x **Title**:: Shell Commands to Access the Special Folders in Windows 10/11 **URL**:: [www.winhelponline.com](https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/shell-commands-to-access-the-special-folders/?expand_article=1) **Zettel**:: #zettel/fleeting **Topic**:: [[♯ Windows]] ## Synopsis The `shell:` protocol can be used to open a special folder directly from the Start → Search or the Run dialog. For example, the command `shell:sendto` opens the “Send To” folder of your user profile. To launch the Documents folder of your user profile, you’d type `shell:Personal`. Below is a complete **shell:** commands listing for Windows XP through Windows 10/11. The entire listing is stored in the following registry key: ``` HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions ``` *Credits to Keith Miller for this tip.* ## Complete list of Shell: commands in Windows 10 and 11 The list of Windows 10 and 11 shell commands (**\*** with the exception of the two folders/commands, namely: `shell:HomeGroupCurrentUserFolder` and `shell:HomeGroupFolder` — they don’t exist in Windows 11) **(Windows 10 v21H2 and Windows 11 21H2)** - shell:3D Objects - shell:AccountPictures - shell:AddNewProgramsFolder - shell:Administrative Tools - shell:AppData - shell:AppDataDesktop - shell:AppDataDocuments - shell:AppDataFavorites - shell:AppDataProgramData - shell:AppMods - shell:AppUpdatesFolder - shell:Application Shortcuts - shell:AppsFolder - shell:CD Burning - shell:CSCFolder - shell:Cache - shell:Camera Roll - shell:CameraRollLibrary - shell:Captures - shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - shell:Common Administrative Tools - shell:Common AppData - shell:Common Desktop - shell:Common Documents - shell:Common Programs - shell:Common Start Menu - shell:Common Start Menu Places - shell:Common Startup - shell:Common Templates - shell:CommonDownloads - shell:CommonMusic - shell:CommonPictures - shell:CommonRingtones - shell:CommonVideo - shell:ConflictFolder - shell:ConnectionsFolder - shell:Contacts - shell:ControlPanelFolder - shell:Cookies - shell:CredentialManager - shell:CryptoKeys - shell:Desktop - shell:Development Files - shell:Device Metadata Store - shell:DocumentsLibrary - shell:Downloads - shell:DpapiKeys - shell:Favorites - shell:Fonts - shell:GameTasks - shell:History - shell:HomeGroupCurrentUserFolder  **\*** - shell:HomeGroupFolder  **\*** - shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts - shell:InternetFolder - shell:Libraries - shell:Links - shell:Local AppData - shell:Local Documents - shell:Local Downloads - shell:Local Music - shell:Local Pictures - shell:Local Videos - shell:LocalAppDataLow - shell:LocalizedResourcesDir - shell:MAPIFolder - shell:MusicLibrary - shell:My Music - shell:My Pictures - shell:My Video - shell:MyComputerFolder - shell:NetHood - shell:NetworkPlacesFolder - shell:OEM Links - shell:OneDrive - shell:OneDriveCameraRoll - shell:OneDriveDocuments - shell:OneDriveMusic - shell:OneDrivePictures - shell:Original Images - shell:Personal - shell:PhotoAlbums - shell:PicturesLibrary - shell:Playlists - shell:PrintHood - shell:PrintersFolder - shell:Profile - shell:ProgramFiles - shell:ProgramFilesCommon - shell:ProgramFilesCommonX64 - shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 - shell:ProgramFilesX64 - shell:ProgramFilesX86 - shell:Programs - shell:Public - shell:PublicAccountPictures - shell:PublicGameTasks - shell:PublicLibraries - shell:Quick Launch - shell:Recent - shell:Recorded Calls - shell:RecordedTVLibrary - shell:RecycleBinFolder - shell:ResourceDir - shell:Retail Demo - shell:Ringtones - shell:Roamed Tile Images - shell:Roaming Tiles - shell:SavedGames - shell:SavedPictures - shell:SavedPicturesLibrary - shell:Screenshots - shell:SearchHistoryFolder - shell:SearchHomeFolder - shell:SearchTemplatesFolder - shell:SearchTemplatesFolder - shell:Searches - shell:SendTo - shell:Start Menu - shell:Startup - shell:SyncCenterFolder - shell:SyncResultsFolder - shell:SyncSetupFolder - shell:System - shell:SystemCertificates - shell:SystemX86 - shell:Templates - shell:ThisDeviceFolder - shell:ThisPCDesktopFolder - shell:User Pinned - shell:UserProfiles - shell:UserProgramFiles - shell:UserProgramFilesCommon - shell:UsersFilesFolder - shell:UsersLibrariesFolder - shell:VideosLibrary - shell:Windows ## Complete list of Shell: commands in Windows 8 - shell:AccountPictures - shell:Roaming Tiles - shell:Common Programs - shell:PublicAccountPictures - shell:GameTasks - shell:UserProfiles - shell:MyComputerFolder - shell:SearchHistoryFolder - shell:SyncSetupFolder - shell:DpapiKeys - shell:Favorites - shell:My Video - shell:SearchHomeFolder - shell:RecordedTVLibrary - shell:System - shell:Libraries - shell:ThisDeviceFolder - shell:AppsFolder - shell:MusicLibrary - shell:CommonVideo - shell:SkyDriveDocuments - shell:SyncResultsFolder - shell:Cookies - shell:Original Images - shell:CommonMusic - shell:SkyDrivePictures - shell:My Pictures - shell:Cache - shell:Downloads - shell:CommonDownloads - shell:AppData - shell:SyncCenterFolder - shell:PublicLibraries - shell:VideosLibrary - shell:My Music - shell:ConflictFolder - shell:SavedGames - shell:InternetFolder - shell:HomeGroupFolder - shell:Quick Launch - shell:SystemCertificates - shell:Contacts - shell:UserProgramFiles - shell:Device Metadata Store - shell:Profile - shell:Start Menu - shell:Common AppData - shell:PhotoAlbums - shell:ConnectionsFolder - shell:Administrative Tools - shell:ThisPCDesktopFolder - shell:SkyDriveCameraRoll - shell:PrintersFolder - shell:DocumentsLibrary - shell:ProgramFilesX86 - shell:Searches - shell:SearchTemplatesFolder - shell:Common Startup - shell:ControlPanelFolder - shell:SendTo - shell:ResourceDir - shell:ProgramFiles - shell:CredentialManager - shell:PrintHood - shell:MAPIFolder - shell:HomeGroupCurrentUserFolder - shell:User Pinned - shell:CD Burning - shell:UsersLibrariesFolder - shell:AppUpdatesFolder - shell:Application Shortcuts - shell:Common Start Menu - shell:LocalAppDataLow - shell:OneDrive - shell:Templates - shell:Programs - shell:PicturesLibrary - shell:Roamed Tile Images - shell:Camera Roll - shell:Recent - shell:Desktop - shell:CommonPictures - shell:RecycleBinFolder - shell:Screenshots - shell:CryptoKeys - shell:Common Templates - shell:Startup - shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts - shell:UserProgramFilesCommon - shell:Links - shell:OEM Links - shell:SkyDriveMusic - shell:Common Desktop - shell:NetHood - shell:Ringtones - shell:Games - shell:Common Administrative Tools - shell:NetworkPlacesFolder - shell:SystemX86 - shell:History - shell:AddNewProgramsFolder - shell:Playlists - shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 - shell:PublicGameTasks - shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - shell:Public - shell:CommonRingtones - shell:Common Documents - shell:CSCFolder - shell:Local AppData - shell:StartMenuAllPrograms - shell:Windows - shell:UsersFilesFolder - shell:ProgramFilesCommon - shell:Fonts - shell:Personal ## New Shell: commands in Windows 7 In addition to most of the shell commands in Windows Vista, Windows 7 also has these new commands in **addition**: - shell:Libraries - shell:MusicLibrary - shell:VideosLibrary - shell:OtherUsersFolder - shell:Device Metadata Store - shell:PublicSuggestedLocations - shell:SuggestedLocations - shell:RecordedTVLibrary - shell:UserProgramFiles - shell:DocumentsLibrary - shell:User Pinned - shell:UsersLibrariesFolder - shell:PicturesLibrary - shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts - shell:UserProgramFilesCommon - shell:Ringtones - shell:CommonRingtones ## shell: commands in Windows Vista - shell:Common Programs - shell:GameTasks - shell:UserProfiles - shell:MyComputerFolder - shell:SyncSetupFolder - shell:DpapiKeys - shell:SamplePlaylists - shell:Favorites - shell:My Video - shell:SearchHomeFolder - shell:System - shell:CommonVideo - shell:SyncResultsFolder - shell:LocalizedResourcesDir - shell:Cookies - shell:Original Images - shell:CommonMusic - shell:My Pictures - shell:Cache - shell:Downloads - shell:CommonDownloads - shell:AppData - shell:SyncCenterFolder - shell:My Music - shell:ConflictFolder - shell:SavedGames - shell:InternetFolder - shell:Quick Launch - shell:SystemCertificates - shell:Contacts - shell:TreePropertiesFolder - shell:Profile - shell:Start Menu - shell:Common AppData - shell:PhotoAlbums - shell:ConnectionsFolder - shell:Administrative Tools - shell:PrintersFolder - shell:Default Gadgets - shell:ProgramFilesX86 - shell:Searches - shell:Common Startup - shell:ControlPanelFolder - shell:SampleVideos - shell:SendTo - shell:ResourceDir - shell:ProgramFiles - shell:CredentialManager - shell:PrintHood - shell:MAPIFolder - shell:CD Burning - shell:AppUpdatesFolder - shell:Common Start Menu - shell:LocalAppDataLow - shell:Templates - shell:Gadgets - shell:Programs - shell:Recent - shell:SampleMusic - shell:Desktop - shell:CommonPictures - shell:RecycleBinFolder - shell:CryptoKeys - shell:Common Templates - shell:Startup - shell:Links - shell:OEM Links - shell:SamplePictures - shell:Common Desktop - shell:NetHood - shell:Games - shell:Common Administrative Tools - shell:NetworkPlacesFolder - shell:SystemX86 - shell:History - shell:AddNewProgramsFolder - shell:Playlists - shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 - shell:PublicGameTasks - shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - shell:Public - shell:Common Documents - shell:CSCFolder - shell:Local AppData - shell:Windows - shell:UsersFilesFolder - shell:ProgramFilesCommon - shell:Fonts - shell:Personal ## shell: commands in Windows XP - shell:Common Programs - shell:Favorites - shell:My Video - shell:System - shell:CommonVideo - shell:LocalizedResourcesDir - shell:Cookies - shell:My Pictures - shell:Cache - shell:AppData - shell:My Music - shell:InternetFolder - shell:Profile - shell:Start Menu - shell:Common AppData - shell:ConnectionsFolder - shell:Administrative Tools - shell:PrintersFolder - shell:ProgramFiles - shell:Common Startup - shell:ControlPanelFolder - shell:SendTo - shell:ResourceDir - shell:ProgramFiles - shell:PrintHood - shell:CD Burning - shell:Common Start Menu - shell:Templates - shell:Programs - shell:Recent - shell:Desktop - shell:CommonPictures - shell:RecycleBinFolder - shell:Common Templates - shell:Startup - shell:Common Desktop - shell:NetHood - shell:Common Administrative Tools - shell:SystemX86 - shell:History - shell:Common Documents - shell:Local AppData - shell:Windows - shell:Fonts - shell:Personal