How to Enable or Disable Legacy Console Mode for All Console Windows in Windows 10


A console (or "terminal) is an application that provides I/O to character-mode applications.

For example: command prompt, PowerShell, or Linux

The console host (conhost.exe) for a console window has been updated with new features in Windows 10.

Windows Console features include:

Enable Ctrl key shortcuts
Allows new Ctrl key shortcuts for consoles, but may interfere with some applications.

Filter clipboard contents on paste
When you paste text into a console, unsupported characters will either be converted or stripped out, remove tabs, and convert smart quotes to regular quotes.

Enable line wrapping selection
When you select and copy lines of text in a console, it will include wrapping lines instead of being rectangular.

Extended text selection keys
Enable enhanced keyboard editing on command line. For example, you can use Shift and the arrow keys to select characters or lines of text or Ctrl+A to select all the text on the command line or all the text in the window.

Wrap text output on resize
When resizing a console window, wrap text to fit width.

Transparency (opacity)
You can set the transparency level of a console window by setting an opacity value between 30-100%.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable using legacy console mode for all console windows (ex: command prompt, PowerShell, Linux) for your account in Windows 10.

 CONTENTS:

• Option One: Enable or Disable Legacy Console Mode for All Console Windows in Properties
• Option Two: Enable or Disable Legacy Console Mode for All Console Windows using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Features disabled when you use legacy console

OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Legacy Console Mode for All Console Windows in Properties

1. Open a command prompt, elevated command prompt, PowerShell, elevated PowerShell, or Linux console window.

You could also just directly right click on the console window shortcut or file, click/tap on Properties, and go to step 3 below.

2. Right click or press and hold on the title bar of the console window, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshots below)

3. Click/tap on the Options tab, check or uncheck (default) the Use legacy console box for what you want, and click/tap on OK to apply. (see screenshots below)

4. Close and reopen the console window to apply.

OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Legacy Console Mode for All Console Windows using a REG file

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console

ForceV2 DWORD

0 = Use legacy console (enable)
1 = Don't use legacy console (disable)

1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

 2. To Enable Use Legacy Console

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Use_legacy_console.reg

Download

 3. To Disable Use Legacy Console

NOTE: This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Do_not_use_legacy_console.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. Close and reopen any console windows to apply.

8. If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open Windows PowerShell in Windows 10
• How to Open Elevated Windows PowerShell in Windows 10
• How to Open a Command Prompt in Windows 10
• How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Windows PowerShell 2.0 in Windows 10
• How to Change Console Window Font and Font Size in Windows
• How to Change Screen Buffer Size of Console Window in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Line Wrapping Selection in Console Window in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Wrap Text Output on Resize of Console Window in Windows
• How to Change Default Console Window Size in Windows
• How to Customize Console Window Position in Windows
• How to Customize Colors of Console Window in Windows
• How to Change Transparency Level of Console Window in Windows 10
• How to Change Cursor Size for Console Window in Windows
• How to Change Cursor Shape of Console Window in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Scroll Forward in Console Window in Windows 10
• How to Change Cursor Color of Console Window in Windows 10
• How to Change Foreground and Background Terminal Colors of Console Window in Windows 10
• How to Install PowerShell Core on Windows