Ultimate shell: Commands List to Access Special Folders in Windows 7, Vista, XP

In Windows, you can use the shell: command to quickly open any special folder directly from the Start Menu, Search menu or the Run dialog box.

Suppose, if you want to launch the Documents folder of your user profile, you’ve to type shell:Personal. In Windows 7, if you want to get access to Libraries, you’ve to type shell:Libraries.

There are many shell: commands available in Windows. These shell: commands are very useful if you want to quickly access or open special folders in Windows. If you want to have all the shell: commands list, for quick reference, we have compiled the list of ultimate complete shell: commands available for Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP.

You may be also interested in Beyond Windows 7 “GodMode” — 94 More Secret Windows Shortcuts Unveiled and 140+ Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts.

Complete Windows XP shell command list

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

Complete Windows Vista shell command list

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

Complete Windows Vista shell command list

Note: All the shell commands available in Windows Vista works in Windows 7, so we are not repeating them here. We have listed below only the new shell commands that are available in addition to the shell commands available in Windows Vista here:

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

Note: We have not given any description beside each shell: command as you can easily make out what they are supposed to do by looking at its name. If you are still confused about any of the command, simply comment below, we will help you out. If we missed out any command that you know or if you’ve found any errors in the above, do comment below.