5 Powerful Windows Terminal Tricks to Boost Your Productivity

Windows Terminal has come a long way since its initial release and become an essential tool for developers, system administrators and advanced users. It has become more customizable, faster and feature rich than ever before with its regular updates. Whether you’re working with PowerShell, Command Prompt, WSL, or SSH connections, learning how to navigate your way in Windows Terminal will simplify your workflow greatly.

In this blog, I will guide you through the features of Windows Terminal that have become more flexible over the years which helps you boost productivity, stay focused, and work more efficiently.

Launch Windows Terminal Instantly with Quake Mode

Quake Mode is a powerful feature in Windows Terminal which enables to open a terminal in form of a window from any point on your desktop by using a simple keyboard shortcut. It’s best for quickly checking logs, running short commands, or accessing remote servers in a timely manner.

Step 1: Press Windows + ‘(backtick) to activate it. If it doesn’t work, make sure Windows Terminal is installed from the Microsoft Store.

Step 2: You can also launch it using the command:

wt -w _quake

Step 3: Open Windows Terminal, go to Settings > Actions, and assign a shortcut (default: Win + `) to toggle Quake Mode.

Quake Mode increases productivity by providing instant access to the terminal from anywhere on your desktop which keeps you in context while running commands, and saving time by eliminating the need to open multiple terminal sessions.

Personalize Tabs and Profiles for Better Organization

If you work with multiple tabs of applications like PowerShell, Git Bash, WSL, or remote SSH sessions, you might get trouble to identify which tab is which. However, Windows Terminal gives you the ability to change the tabs, icons, and colors to your liking, making multitasking as easy as a tap of a finger on your keyboard. Each profile can be labeled with specific names that are easily identifiable, in addition to being assigned unique icons, and colors along with background images.

Step 1: Open Settings → Profiles → Select the profile (e.g., WSL, Command Prompt).

Step 2: Edit the following:

Tab name (e.g., “Dev Env”, “Server 1”)
Tab color
Profile icon

Customizing tabs and profiles help you visually differentiate between the various environments, avoid critical mistakes such as entering ‘rm -rf’ in the wrong tab and decrease the overall effort and mistakes made when multitasking.

Unlock Efficiency with the Command Palette

The Command Palette in Windows Terminal is a powerful tool that lets you conveniently search for commands, settings, and actions using a simple search interface, accessed with the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + P. Much like the Command Palette in editors such as VS Code, it allows users to perform actions like opening new tabs, switching profiles, splitting panes, and handling many other features—all exclusively with the keyboard.

The Command Palette increases productivity by streamlining browser navigation and limiting menu and hotkey use. It also enhances feature discoverability and make it easier for experts and novices to better use the program.

Split Panes for Simultaneous Workflows

When using Windows Terminal, you can run multiple command line sessions simultaneously with the Split Panes feature.you can use simple keyboard shortcuts to split your screen horizontally or vertically within the same terminal window Instead of opening multiple tabs or windows.

Alt + Shift + Plus (+) → Split vertically

Alt + Shift + Minus (-) → Split horizontally

This feature is especially useful when you want to monitor logs in one pane, execute commands in another or multitask without losing context across different environments.

Eliminate Distractions with Focus and Fullscreen Modes

You can further customize Windows Terminal for the best experience with Focus Mode and Fullscreen Mode to improve immersion while working on tasks. Focus Mode removes the tabs and title bar, while Fullscreen Mode goes a step further by eliminating window borders entirely, allowing the terminal to fully utilize your screen space. The two modes offer a simple interface, perfect for deep work, scripting, presentations, and even minimalistic aesthetics.

Focus Mode removes both the tab and title bars that provides a sleek interface for improved concentration. You can enable it by going to the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl, Shift and P, or selecting “Toggle Focus Mode.”

You can enable full screen mode in the terminal by pressing F11. When it combines with Focus Mode, these features create a streamlined, distraction-free workspace ideal for coding, scripting, or giving presentations.

Final Thought: 5 Powerful Windows Terminal Tricks to Boost Your Productivity

Windows Terminal is far more than a basic command-line utility—it’s a fast, adaptable, and highly customizable tool designed to boost productivity for power users. A few features include Quake Mode, Tab Customization, and Split Pane, all of which cater to advanced multitasking alongside Focus Mode, profile-tailored command palettes, and customizable commands.

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