How to Run Any Program Using Run in Windows 10 and 11

The Run tool available in the Windows operating system is one of the most important and useful tools, allowing you to execute many commands quickly. The Run window also allows you to easily run any program on your computer by simply typing its name inside the window. However, you may not always be able to run programs as easily using the Run window.

This is because the window does not support running all programs installed on your device automatically. Third-party programs will not be supported by default in the tool, and many programs specifically designed for the operating system may also not work through the Run window after typing their names. But why is that? In this article, we will explain in detail how to run any program on your computer by simply typing its name in the Run window, which will definitely speed up and streamline your use of Windows 10 or 11.

To run any program using the Run tool in Windows 10 or 11, simply enter the name of the program in the window and click the Enter button. This will open the program instantly, and this method will work with many applications. For example, to run Calculator, type “Calc,” for Google Chrome, type “Chrome,” for Registry Editor, type “regedit,” and for Excel, type “Excel.”

However, this method may not work with all programs installed on your device. We are not only talking about third-party programs but even Microsoft-owned programs may not work. For example, typing Word will not open Microsoft Word, and typing Edge will not open Microsoft Edge. This is because you need to enter a slightly different command based on the program’s EXE file name.

You can find this name by accessing the System Drive (C:), then opening the Programes Files folder, and searching for the program folder you want to run. Enter the folder to find the program’s EXE file name. This is the name you need to enter in the Run window to run the program. For example, to run Microsoft Edge, type “msedge” instead of Edge, for PowerPoint, type “powerpnt” instead of Powerpoint, and for Word, type “Winword” instead of Word, and so on for other programs.

But what if you try this method and still cannot run the program? In that case, you will need to make some minor modifications in the Registry Editor, which is explained in the following steps.

Read also: What does “Run as Administrator” mean in Windows?

To begin, access the Registry Editor by typing the command “regedit” in the Run window or by searching for it in the Start menu. Then, you will need to navigate to the following path in the registry window:

Next, right-click on “App Paths” and choose “New” and then “Key.” Here, enter the name of the program’s EXE file that you can obtain from the “Programes Files” folder. It is important to enter the program’s name exactly as it appears with the .exe extension. For example, Photoshop.exe, and click Ok after entering the program’s name.

In the next step, double-click on the registry key you just added, such as Photoshop.exe, and then double-click on the “Default” option that appears on the right to edit it. Here, enter the full path of the program with the .exe extension in the Value data field. For example: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop\Photoshop.exe and click Ok.

Then, right-click on the registry key you added again, choose “New,” then “String Value,” and set the name to “Path,” and click Ok. Double-click on the Path string that appears on the right, and enter the program’s path again without the .exe extension this time. For example: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop and click Ok.

All you need to do now is restart your computer, then open the Run window by clicking the Windows button and the letter R on the keyboard, then type the program’s name, for example, Photoshop.exe with or without the extension, and Windows will run the program instantly. You will need to add each program individually to the registry to be able to run it using the Run window.