Most times, we get to ask how we can open Excel through cmd apart from the normal state people do it. Launching Excel using Command Prompt in your Windows Search bar is possible. You can also launch Microsoft Excel by configuring the command and switches using desktop shortcuts.
Here, we give you steps to follow when you want to open Excel through cmd. Let’s get started.
Steps to follow to open Excel through cmd
1. Start by opening Command Prompt. To do this, type ‘cmd’ in your Windows Search bar.
2. Next, click the Command Prompt app from the search results displayed.
3. This will open the Command Prompt window. To launch your Excel program from here, type the command below and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
Start excel
4. After pressing the Enter key, Excel should launch immediately on your computer.
Use Windows +R to open Excel
Apart from this method, you can open Excel using cmd by locating the directory that holds your excel extension file (excel.exe file). You can run a command from the directory. Here is what to do.
1. First, press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run console.
2. Type in “excel.exe” in the Run console.
3. Press the Enter key to execute the command above.
How to start Excel in Safe mode using CMD
You can use the command prompt to start Excel in safe mode. Starting Excel in safe mode helps Excel to start using the slightest resources. This is a beneficial hack, especially when you wish to get Excel to start responding.
1. Search and start CMD
2. Type in this command to start excel /safe
3. Excel will launch in safe mode
Method 3
You can also use a different command to open the Microsoft Office file on your computer and access Excel. To do this;
Run the command below in the Command Prompt
cd Microsoft Office\root\Office16
Here, you will be in the correct directory. All you have to do is type excel in the Command Prompt and press the Enter key on your keyboard to run it.
This will open Excel.
Desktop shortcut to open Excel through cmd
1. Open your PC.
2. Right-click on a space on your desktop to display a menu.
3. On the pop up, click the “New” option
4. Click on Shortcut .
5. Type in the path to get your Microsoft Excel file. Alternatively, you can select “Browse” and then navigate through the results to Excel EXE file. Use quotation marks while doing this.
6. Add all command- parameters and click “Next.”
7. Enter a name or the shortcut you have created then select “Finish”
8. Click the shortcut icon to open your Excel program.
Apart from the above method, you can also use the command below to launch Excel
1. Locate your Excel extension file (exe file) from the Program Files directory in Command Prompt.
2. Alternatively, you can use the cd command to change the directory.
3. Next, type in the command below in the Command Prompt
cd\ “program files.”
5. Press Enter to open the Program Files directory.
6. Next, using the Command Prompt, find out which directory your excel.exe file is located in. to do so, you will need to run the command below:
dir excel.exe /s
The command will return the directory of the excel.exe file.
7. Navigate through the directory to open your Excel program.
How to close Excel using command prompt
1. Open CMD
2. Type this command taskkill /im excel.exe
3. Press enter
CMD will return a success message, and Excel will shut down