5 Tips for Using the Web From a Windows Terminal

Highlights:

• The start command opens a URL in the default web browser and can open a URL in a particular web browser if specified in the command.
• The explorer opens a URL in the default web browser using Windows Explorer.
• The curl command-line utility downloads a URL’s content and displays it in the terminal.

Method 1: Using the Start Command

You can use the start command in Windows Terminal to launch web pages in your web browser. It helps to quickly and easily access web pages without switching to your browser’s interface. The following steps show you how. The steps may work similarly to Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell:

1. Press the Windows key, enter the terminal keyword in the search bar, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter simultaneously to open the terminal as an administrator.
   
2. Enter the following command and replace the URL placeholder with the actual web address you want to open:
   start URL
   • For example, to open the Fuzo Tech website, type the following:
     start https://www.fuzotech.com
     
3. You could also omit the HTTPS/HTTP protocol and enter the address directly.
   
4. Once entered, press Enter, and the web page will open in your default web browser.
5. To open the website in a different browser, specify the browser by adding its executable path in the following way.
   Remember to replace the example placeholder with the actual web address:
   • Google Chrome:
     start chrome www.example.com
     
   • Microsoft Edge:
     start msedge www.example.com
     
   • Mozilla Firefox:
     start firefox www.example.com
     
   • Brave Browser:
     start brave www.example.com
     
   • Other Browsers:
     • Enter the start command, followed by the browser PATH and the URL in the following format:
       start PATH URL
     • For example, you can open the Vivaldi browser in the following way:
       start "C:\Users\HP\AppData\Local\Vivaldi\Application\vivaldi.exe" www.fuzotech.com
       
6. The path to your browser’s executable may vary by installation. Find yours by doing the following:
   • Right-clicking the browser’s shortcut.
   • Then, select Properties.
     
   • Lastly, look in the Target field for the path.
     

Method 2: Using the Explorer Command

You can also access the web through the Windows Terminal via the Explorer command. This command primarily allows you to navigate and manage files and folders in File Explorer. Although it’s not directly intended for web browsing, you can indirectly use it in the following way via Windows Terminal only:

1. Press the Windows key, enter the terminal keyword in the search bar, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter simultaneously to open the terminal as an administrator.
   
2. Enter the following command and replace the URL placeholder with the actual web address you want to open (for terminal only):
   explorer URL
   • For example, to open the Fuzo Tech website, type the following:
     explorer www.fuzotech.com
     
3. Use the following format to open your web browser and enter the address directly (works on Terminal, PowerShell, and Command Prompt):
   explorer PATH
   • For example, the following code will open the Vivaldi browser on your computer:
     explorer "C:\Users\HP\AppData\Local\Vivaldi\Application\vivaldi.exe"
     
4. The path to your browser’s executable may vary by installation. Find yours by doing the following:
   • Right-clicking the browser’s shortcut.
   • Then, select Properties.
     
   • Lastly, look in the Target field for the path.
     

Method 3: Using the Curl Command-Line Tool

The curl command-line tool is a powerful utility for transferring data with protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP. It doesn’t open browser tabs but fetches web content programmatically. I recommend using it if you are an advanced user. The following steps show how to use curl in Windows Terminal:

1. Press the Windows key, enter the terminal keyword in the search bar, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter simultaneously to open the terminal as an administrator.
   
2. Enter the following command and replace the URL placeholder with the actual web address you want to open:
   curl URL
   • For example, to open the Google browser, type the following:
     curl www.google.com
     
3. Afterward, it will download the relevant web content programmatically.
   
   

Method 4: Using the Wget Command-Line Tool

The wget command is a powerful command-line tool that allows you to download files, folders, or entire websites directly from the terminal. While it doesn’t directly web page in the browser, it helps to fetch web content programmatically for advanced users via Windows Terminal.

The following steps show how to use wget in Windows Terminal:

1. Press the Windows key, enter the terminal keyword in the search bar, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter simultaneously to open the terminal as an administrator.
   
2. Enter the following command and replace the URL placeholder with the actual web address you want to open:
   wget URL -O filename.html
   Where -O filename.html specifies that the downloaded content should be saved to a file named filename.html.
   • For example, to open Google, type the following:
     wget www.google.com
     

Method 5: Using the PowerShell’s Invoke-WebRequest

The Invoke-WebRequest cmdlet in PowerShell allows you to send HTTP and HTTPS requests to web pages or services. While it doesn’t directly open new tabs in browsers, it helps to fetch data programmatically, similar to curl. The following shows how you can use it:

1. Press the Windows key, enter the terminal keyword in the search bar, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter simultaneously to open the terminal as an administrator.
   
2. Enter the following command and replace the URL placeholder with the actual web address you want to open:
   Invoke-WebRequest URL
   • For example, to open Google, type the following:
     Invoke-WebRequest www.google.com
     
3. Afterward, it will download the relevant web content programmatically.
   

For a better browsing experience, use the built-in productivity features incorporated in browsers. We recommend the Opera browser. You can also consider using browsers with Web 3 capabilities, like the Brave browser.