Windows has a powerful shortcut menu called the Run command. You open it by pressing the Windows key and the R key (🪟 + r) at the same time.
While there are over a hundred different Run commands, the truth is that most of them aren’t very useful for everyday problems. After helping people with their PCs for over 10 years here at Computer Repair Adelaide, we’ve learned you only need a handful to solve most issues.
So, we created a short list of the run commands that actually matter. These are the ones we use in our computer repair shop every day, and they are the same ones that real power users online recommend. This is our guide to the shortcuts that will help you solve problems faster.
The Run Commands You'll Use Every Day
ncpa.cpl (Network Connections)
If there is one run command that every IT professional knows by heart, it’s this one.
When your Wi-Fi is acting strange or your internet suddenly drops, this command is the fastest way to get to the Network Connections screen. It saves you from having to click through the confusing Settings menu to find where this panel is hidden. From here, you can quickly disable and re-enable your Wi-Fi adapter (a common fix), check its status, or diagnose other connection problems.
. (The Dot Command)
This next one is probably the coolest trick you’ll learn today, and it’s the simplest run command of all: just a single dot.
Typing . into the Run box and hitting Enter will instantly open your main user folder (the one at C:\Users\YourName).
Since your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders are all stored inside this one place, it’s the quickest way to get to all your personal files without having to open File Explorer and navigate there manually.
Diagnosing a Slow Computer with These Run Commands
When a customer brings us a computer with the classic complaint that it’s “just running slow,” these are the first two commands we use to investigate and start the cleanup process.
resmon (Resource Monitor)
This is our go-to tool for finding hidden resource hogs. While Task Manager gives you a basic overview, the Resource Monitor gives you the full, detailed story of what your computer is doing in real-time.
We use this to see exactly which program is using up all the CPU power, hogging the memory, or constantly writing to the hard drive.
Sometimes, the culprit is a legitimate program that has gone haywire. But often, we use this tool to find malware or a virus that’s secretly running in the background and draining all the system’s resources. It’s the best tool for answering the question, “What is actually slowing my computer down right now?”
appwiz.cpl (Programs and Features)
Once you’ve used the Resource Monitor to identify a strange program that’s causing problems, this is your next step. This command is the fastest way to get to the “Uninstall a program” screen.
From here, you can find that problem program on the list and remove it.
We also use this screen to look for other common issues. One of the most frequent problems we see is customers who have two or even three different antivirus programs installed at the same time. They are often conflicting with each other, fighting for resources, and slowing the computer down to a crawl. Uninstalling all but one of them is often a huge performance boost.
Run Commands to Solve Hardware and Driver Problems Instantly
devmgmt.msc (Device Manager)
Think of the Device Manager as your computer’s hardware report card. It gives you a complete list of every single component inside your computer, from the processor to the webcam.
This is the very first place we look when a customer says a piece of their hardware isn’t working, especially after a big Windows Update.
A failed update can sometimes break or delete a device’s driver, which is the special instruction manual that Windows needs to be able to talk to the hardware.
dxdiag (DirectX Diagnostic Tool)
If the Device Manager shows no errors but you’re still having problems with games or video playback, this is your next stop. Think of dxdiag as a health check specifically for your graphics and sound cards.
When you run this command, it opens a window with several tabs. The most important ones are “Display” and “Sound”. At the bottom of each tab is a “Notes” box. In a healthy system, this box will simply say, “No problems found.”
If there is an issue with your graphics card drivers or sound drivers, this box will often have a clue about what’s going wrong. We use this to quickly confirm that a computer’s multimedia hardware is correctly installed and recognized before we move on to more complex troubleshooting.
Advanced Run Commands: For Experts Only (Read This Warning First)
We are including this final section so you know what these powerful tools are, but we need to start with a serious warning. The commands below make fundamental changes to how Windows works.
Our Honest Advice: Please do not change any settings in these tools unless you are a professional. We have had customers come into our repair shop after following an online video, changing one setting they didn’t understand, and ending up with a computer that wouldn’t start at all. This often requires a complete Windows reinstallation, which can lead to permanent data loss or the need for expensive data recovery.
These tools are best left to the experts.
gpedit.msc (Group Policy Editor)
This tool is like the master control panel for Windows. It’s used by IT professionals in large companies to change deep system settings and restrict what users can do on their computers.
While it can be used to make interesting customisations, a wrong move here can cause parts of your system to stop working as expected. Because of this, we recommend leaving it alone.
regedit (The Registry Editor)
If the Group Policy Editor is the master control panel, then the Registry is the very DNA of your operating system. It contains millions of low-level settings that control every single aspect of how Windows looks, feels, and functions.
We strongly advise that you should never delete or change anything here. There is no “undo” button. Deleting even one wrong entry can corrupt your system. This is a powerful tool for professional technicians, but for everyday users, it’s a “look but don’t touch” area.
A Quick Reference Table of More Useful Run Commands
The run commands we’ve detailed above are the ones we use most often for troubleshooting. However, there are many others that are useful for quickly accessing different settings.
Here is a bonus “cheat sheet” of some other helpful run commands you might want to remember.
| Run Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| control | Opens the classic Control Panel. |
| cleanmgr | Starts the Disk Cleanup utility to free up space. |
| services.msc | Opens the Services panel to manage background processes. |
| sysdm.cpl | Opens System Properties (to change computer name, etc.). |
| powercfg.cpl | Opens Power Options to manage your power plans. |
| main.cpl | Opens Mouse Properties to change pointer speed or buttons. |
| desk.cpl | Opens Display Settings to change screen resolution. |
| timedate.cpl | Opens the Date and Time settings. |
| firewall.cpl | Opens the Windows Defender Firewall settings. |
| mrt | Runs the built-in Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. |
| %temp% | Opens the folder where Windows stores temporary files. |
| %windir% | Opens the main Windows directory (usually C:\Windows). |
| shell:startup | Opens the Startup folder to see which apps run on login. |
| osk | Opens the On-Screen Keyboard. |
| charmap | Opens the Character Map to find special symbols. |
When a Run Command Isn't Enough for Your Computer
These Run commands are great for finding out what’s wrong with your computer.
But finding the problem is often the easy part. Fixing it can be complex and risky if you’re not sure what you’re doing.
If you’ve found an issue you’re not comfortable fixing yourself, we’re here to help. Here at Computer Repair Adelaide, we have the experience to solve the problem safely and quickly. Give us a call or stop by the shop today.
