How to Install Windows Terminal from the Microsoft Store

Note: The screenshots in this article were captured in a Japanese-language Windows environment. Menu and setting names may differ slightly in an English-language installation.

Before trying to install Windows Terminal, first check the Start Menu. Windows 11 may already have Windows Terminal available. If it has not been installed yet, install it from the Microsoft Store and check if it starts.

Check first: Search for "Terminal" in the Start menu. If it cannot be found, install it from the Microsoft Store, and if a PowerShell prompt appears after startup, installation is complete.

What is Windows Terminal (Why is it necessary to install it)

Windows Terminal is Microsoft's latest terminal app that allows you to manage multiple shells such as "Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL" in one window.

On the Microsoft Store product page, it is introduced as a terminal app that can handle command prompt, PowerShell, WSL, etc. It supports multiple tabs and windows, Unicode/UTF-8 character display, etc.

Publisher is Microsoft Corporation, category is "Developer Tools".

Commands can be executed using the traditional command prompt or Windows PowerShell, but Windows Terminal has features such as the ability to switch between multiple shells with tabs, display Unicode/UTF-8 characters, split screen, and customize appearance. When using PowerShell and the command prompt together, or when setting up a development environment using WSL, you can combine multiple operation screens into one app.

Windows Terminal installation instructions

Windows Terminal can be installed by clicking the "Download" button from the Microsoft Store product page and running the downloaded installer. Follow the four steps below.

Before that, search for "Terminal" in the Start menu. If you can start it already, the following installation operation is not necessary.

1. Open the Windows Terminal product page in the Microsoft Store

Access the following URL in a web browser to open the product page in Windows Terminal.

Windows Terminal（Microsoft Store）

2. Click the "Download" button

Click the blue "Download" button in the center of the product page to begin downloading the installer file via your browser. Just like a .dmg file on macOS, the installer itself is saved on the PC first.

Once the download is complete, the following files will be saved in your Explorer's Downloads folder:

3. Run the downloaded installer

Double-click "Windows Terminal Installer" saved in the "Downloads" folder to run it. The Microsoft Store app will automatically launch and a dialog will appear showing the installation progress.

Waits until the progress reaches 100% without closing the dialog.

4. Start Windows Terminal and check operation

After installation is complete, start Windows Terminal and the "Windows PowerShell" tab will open as the default profile. Immediately after startup, the following screen appears.

Windows PowerShell

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Install the latest PowerShell for new features and improvements! https://aka.ms/PSWindows

PS C:\Users\<username>>

If the prompt is displayed in the PS C:\Users\<username>> format and the cursor is blinking, the installation and startup of Windows Terminal has been completed successfully.

Please note that the message "Please install the latest PowerShell" that is displayed is a guide from Windows PowerShell to the new PowerShell, and is not the same as installing Windows Terminal itself. Windows Terminal is an app that displays a shell and does not include PowerShell. Installing new PowerShell is not required.

Points to check during installation

App updates are automatically delivered when installed via the Microsoft Store, so you usually don't need to manage versions manually. Unless you have a special reason, the easiest way to install it is via the Microsoft Store.

In environments where Microsoft Store is not available, you can also use GitHub's release version or package manager. However, according to Microsoft official documentation, it will not be updated automatically if installed from GitHub. The installation of Microsoft Store and apps on your organization's PC may be restricted by your administrator, so if this is the case, please check with your system administrator.

Reference materials

• Installing Windows Terminal (Microsoft Learn)
• Windows Terminal（Microsoft Store）

Summary

procedure	Operation details	Check points
1	Open the Windows Terminal product page in the Microsoft Store	URL is apps.microsoft.com/detail/9n0dx20hk701
2	Click the "Download" button	"Windows Terminal Installer" will be saved in the "Downloads" folder.
3	Run the downloaded installer	The progress (%) is displayed in the Microsoft Store installation dialog.
4	Start Windows Terminal	PS C:\Users\<username>> prompt will be displayed.

If Windows Terminal is not already installed, click Download from the Microsoft Store product page and run the saved installer. If a PowerShell prompt appears after startup, installation and operation confirmation are complete.