How to set the path and environment variables in Windows

Setting the path and environment variables will differ depending on the version of Windows you have on your computer. Choose a link below for your version of Windows.

Administrator privileges are usually required to modify the path and environment variables.

Setting the path and variables in Windows 10

1. From the desktop, right-click the very bottom-left corner of the screen to get the Power User Task Menu.
2. From the Power User Task Menu, click System.
3. In the Settings window, scroll down to the Related settings section and click the System info link.
4. In the System window, click the Advanced system settings link in the left navigation pane.
5. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variablesbutton near the bottom of that tab.
6. In the Environment Variables window (pictured below), highlight the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the variable name and variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Setting the path and variables in Windows 8

1. From the desktop, right-click the very bottom-left corner of the screen to get the Power User Task Menu.
2. From the Power User Task Menu, click System.
3. Click the Advanced System Settings link in the left column.
4. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variablesbutton near the bottom of that tab.
5. In the Environment Variables window (pictured below), highlight the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the variable name and variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Setting the path and variables in Windows Vista and Windows 7

1. From the desktop, right-click the Computer icon and select Properties. If you don’t have a Computer icon on your desktop, click Start, right-click the Computer option in the Start menu, and select Properties.
2. Click the Advanced System Settings link in the left column.
3. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variablesbutton near the bottom of that tab.
4. In the Environment Variables window (pictured below), highlight the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the Variable name and Variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Setting the path and variables in Windows 2000 and Windows XP

The path is now managed by Windows 2000 and Windows XP and not the autoexec.bat or autoexec.nt files, as was done with earlier versions of Windows. To change the system environment variables, follow the steps below.

1. From the desktop, right-click My Computer and click Properties. If you don’t have a My Computer icon on your desktop, click Start, right-click the My Computer option in the Start menu, and select Properties.
2. In the System Propertieswindow, click the Advancedtab.
3. In the Advanced section, click the Environment Variablesbutton.
4. In the Environment Variables window (as shown below), highlight the Path variable in the System Variable section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the Variable name and Variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

What is the default Windows %PATH%?

The path is based on programs installed on the computer, so there is no «default path.» However, the Windows minimum path is often the path below.

Keep in mind that as you install programs, the path is updated with the paths for the newly installed programs. So, if you have erased your path after installing other programs, those programs may be affected.

Setting path in the MS-DOS and Windows command line

To view and set the path in MS-DOS and in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Windows 10 upgrade paths

Applies to

• WindowsВ 10
• WindowsВ 10 Mobile

Upgrade paths

This topic provides a summary of available upgrade paths to Windows 10. You can upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or a later operating system. This includes upgrading from one release of Windows 10 to later release of Windows 10. Migrating from one edition of Windows 10 to a different edition of the same release is also supported.

If you are also migrating to a different edition of Windows, see Windows 10 edition upgrade. Methods and supported paths are described on this page to change the edition of Windows. These methods require that you input a license or product key for the new Windows edition prior to starting the upgrade process. Edition downgrade is also supported for some paths, but please note that applications and settings are not maintained when the Windows edition is downgraded.

Windows 10 version upgrade: You can directly upgrade any semi-annual channel version of Windows 10 to a newer, supported semi-annual channel version of Windows 10, even if it involves skipping versions. Work with your account representative if your current version of Windows is out of support. See the Windows lifecycle fact sheet for availability and service information.

Windows 10 LTSC/LTSB: Due to naming changes, product versions that display Windows 10 LTSB will be replaced with Windows 10 LTSC in subsequent feature updates. The term LTSC is used here to refer to all long term servicing versions.

In-place upgrade from Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 semi-annual channel to Windows 10 LTSC is not supported. Note: Windows 10 LTSC 2015 did not block this upgrade path. This was corrected in the Windows 10 LTSC 2016 release, which will now only allow data-only and clean install options. You can upgrade from Windows 10 LTSC to Windows 10 semi-annual channel, provided that you upgrade to the same or a newer build version. For example, Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB can be upgraded to Windows 10 Enterprise version 1607 or later. Upgrade is supported using the in-place upgrade process (using Windows setup). You will need to use the Product Key switch if you want to keep your apps. If you don’t use the switch the option ‘Keep personal files and apps’ will be grayed out. The command line would be setup.exe /pkey xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx, using your relevant Windows 10 SAC product key. For example, if using a KMS, the command line would be setup.exe /pkey NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43.

Windows N/KN: Windows «N» and «KN» SKUs (editions without media-related functionality) follow the same upgrade paths shown below. If the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade editions are not the same type (e.g. Windows 8.1 Pro N to Windows 10 Pro), personal data will be kept but applications and settings will be removed during the upgrade process.

Windows 8.0: You cannot upgrade directly from Windows 8.0 to Windows 10. To upgrade from Windows 8.0, you must first install the Windows 8.1 update.

вњ” = Full upgrade is supported including personal data, settings, and applications.
D = Edition downgrade; personal data is maintained, applications and settings are removed.

Add to the PATH on Windows 10

📅 March 17, 2018 ⏱ 1 min read

Hello fellow internet citizens! Here is a concise guide to modifying the PATH on Windows 10!

• Open the Start Search, type in “env”, and choose “Edit the system environment variables”:
• Click the “Environment Variables…” button.
• Under the “System Variables” section (the lower half), find the row with “Path” in the first column, and click edit.
• The “Edit environment variable” UI will appear. Here, you can click “New” and type in the new path you want to add. From this screen you can also edit or reorder them.
• Dismiss all of the dialogs by choosing “OK”. Your changes are saved!
• You will probably need to restart apps for them to pick up the change. Restarting the machine would ensure all apps are run with the PATH change.

To test it, in new PowerShell window, type:

Written by Ryan Hoffman, an experienced team leader, certified Scrum Master and software architect.
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Как отредактировать PATH в Windows 7, 8 и Windows 10?

Как запустить программу из командной строки не переходя каждый раз в папку с программой?! Как запускать сторонние программы так, как, например, программу IPCONFIG, которая не требует перехода в папку?

Что такое PATH система Windows?

Если вы скачали программу командной строки, например ADB (Android Debuggin Bridge), то вы не сможете запустить ее просто вписав adb в командной строке, как вы всегда поступали с системными командами Windows (IPCONFIG, NETSTAT и т.п.). Вместо этого вы должны будете указать командную строку содержащую полный путь к exe-файлу.

Это достаточно сложно писать в командной строке без ошибок, тем более, если вам приходится делать это достаточно часто.

PATH система Windows сообщает вашей операционной системе каталоги, в которых следует искать исполняемые файлы. Например ранее упоминаемая программа ipconfig.exe расположена в каталоге C:\Windows\System32, который в свою очередь уже добавлен в PATH Windows. При вводе команды ipconfig система обыщет все папки из PATH на наличие файла ipconfig.exe и запустит его выполнение.

Если вы хотите то же удобство с программой (в нашем примере это ADB), то приложение ADB необходимо добавить в PATH Windows и после этого для запуска достаточно будет вписать в командную строку:

Больше ничего впечатывать не придется.

Как добавить папку в PATH?

В Windows 7, 8 и Windows 10 попасть в настройки PATH можно так: Панель управления / Система / Дополнительные переменные среды.

Далее перейти в «Переменные среды».

В окне «Переменные среды» обратите внимание на переменную с именем Path. Выберите ее и нажмите «Изменить..»

Дальнейшие действия одинаковы в Windows 7 и 8, но иные, облегченные, в Windows 10.

Path в операционной системе Windows 7 и Windows 8

В этих системах переменная Path является не более, чем длинной строкой текста с адресами каталогов системы. В этот текст мы добавим каталог и с нашей программой ADB.

Для того, чтобы добавить запись с путем к исполняемому файлу в Windows 7 и 8 к тексту нужно добавить путь, которому предшествует точка с запятой, разделяющая различные записи. Например так:

Добавлять такой путь в текст path нужно только в конец строки.

После ввода нажмите ОК. Все, мы добавили каталог в patch Windows 7 и 8.

Path в операционной системе Windows 10

В операционной системе Windows 10 этот процесс проще и менее запутанный. После нажатия кнопки «Изменить…» откроется новое диалоговое окно с расположенными в отдельных строках путях path.

Это улучшение позволяет проще и нагляднее видеть имеющиеся пути path и облегчает добавить новые пути.

Для добавления нового пути в переменную path Windows 10 нужно нажать «Новый», добавить путь C:\Android\platform-tools и нажать ОК.

Новая запись появится в низу списка.

Теперь запуск Android Debug Bridge доступен из любого раздела командной строкой без ввода полного пути к исполняемому файлу.

How to update system PATH variable permanently from cmd?

We can use setx as discussed here.

But this command can just make changed to user PATH variable not the system one.

How can we make a similar system wide command?

4 Answers 4

Type setx /? to get basic command help. You’ll easily discover:

You need to run this from an elevated command prompt. Right-click the cmd shortcut and select Run as Administrator .

We may destroy the current system’s PATH variable. Make sure you backup its value before you modify it.

One problem with %PATH%, is it includes the user’s path. If you don’t mind Powershell, you can run the following

If you want to add some location to the PATH environment variable on user level, use the following on the command line:

Why the strange syntax? First, you do not want to expand the system PATH variable but keep it as a symbol, otherwise you will not participate in future additions to the system PATH variable. Therefore, you have to quote the % characters with ^.

If you use this in a command script, you have to use double %% instead of ^%.

The » encloses a string that contains spaces. If you do not have spaces, you can omit the quotes.

The added string has to follow directly without space so the whole thing forms a single argument to the setx command.