ConEmu.exe command line switches

Note From build 140106 you may use either ‘/’style or ‘-‘style switches.

Argument Description
/? Show help screen
-Config configname Tells to use an existing or create a new configuration with the specified name. Each configuration keeps its own individual data in the registry or xml file (ConEmu.xml).
-Dir workdir Set working (startup) directory for ConEmu and console processes. This switch override ConEmu startup directory (defined in the ConEmu shortcut for example).
-Here Force using of ‘inherited’ startup directory. This is an alternative to the -Dir ... switch.
-FS | -Max | -Min (Full screen), (Maximized) or (Minimized) mode
-TSA Override (enable) minimize to taskbar status area (TSA)
-MinTSA Start ConEmu in TSA, but minimize to taskbar after restoring. Also ConEmu will not be exited after last console close, but hided to TSA.
-StartTSA Start ConEmu in TSA, but minimize to taskbar after restoring. ConEmu will be exited after last console close.
-Icon file Take icon from file (exe, dll, ico)
-Title title Set fixed title for ConEmu window. You may use environment variables in title.
-Multi | -NoMulti Enable or disable multiconsole features
-Single | -Reuse New console will be started in new tab of existing ConEmu
-NoSingle Force new ConEmu window even if single mode is selected in the Settings
-ShowHide | -ShowHideTSA May be used with AutoHotKey or desktop shortcuts. Works like ‘Minimize/Restore’ global hotkey.
-NoUpdate Disable automatic checking for updates on startup
-CT[0|1] Anti-aliasing: -ct0 - off, -ct1 - standard, -ct - clear type
-Font fontname Specify the font name
-FontSize fontsize Specify the font size
-FontFile fontfilename Loads font from file for ConEmu process (multiple pairs allowed)
-FontDir fontfolder Loads all fonts from folder (multiple pairs allowed)
-BufferHeight lines Set console buffer height. May be used with cmd.exe, PowerShell, etc.
-Wnd{X|Y|W|H} value Set window position and size.
-Monitor monitor-id Place window on the specified monitor. Monitor-id may be specified by: 1-based index; hex descriptor (e.g. “x00010001”); device name (e.g. “\.\DISPLAY1”). You may check this values in the About/SysInfo.
-Palette Name Choose named color palette.
-Theme [Name] Use specified Windows theme or ‘DarkMode_Explorer’.
-Log | -Log1 | -Log2 Used to create debug log files
-Reset Don’t load settings from registry/xml.
-UpdateJumpList Update Windows 7 taskbar jump list. May be used for automated ConEmu set up from batches.
-LoadCfgFile file Use specified xml file as configuration storage.
-SaveCfgFile file Save configuration to the specified xml file.
-Exit Don’t create ConEmu window, exit after actions.
-new_console
-cur_console
This special switches may be specified after -run switch. Read more about -new_console and -cur_console switches
-run commandline
-run @taskfile
-run {taskname}
Command line to start. This must be the last used switch (excepting -new_console and -cur_console). You may use “>” and “*” modifiers in taskfile and -BufferHeight argument.
taskname is one of the tasks specified on the “Tasks” page of “Settings” dialog.
-runlist commands Run several tabs on startup. This must be the last used switch (excepting -new_console and -cur_console). Use the same syntax and abilities as on the “Tasks” page of “Settings” dialog. Delimit commands (tabs) with “|||”. Note, that you must escape delimiter “^|^|^|” when running from cmd-files.

NB Switches -run and -runlist are renovated variants of -cmd and -cmdlist to avoid their confusing with cmd.exe. These switches were introduced in build 160416. Use -cmd and -cmdlist for older builds.

NB ConEmuC.exe command line switches are described here.

Examples

Example 1

ClearType is ON, using font face name ‘Lucida Console’, font height 16. Starts FAR manager in the folder ‘C:\1 2’.

ConEmu.exe -ct -font "Lucida Console" -size 16 -run far.exe "c:\1 2\"

Example 2

Starts continuous operation minimized in taskbar status area (TSA), use icon from “cmd.exe”.

ConEmu.exe -tsa -min -icon "cmd.exe" -run cmd /c dir c:\ /s

Example 3 (-runlist)

Start four cmd tabs in a grid 2x2 (Win+R or shortcut syntax).

ConEmu.exe -runlist cmd -cur_console:fn ||| cmd -cur_console:s1TVn ||| cmd -cur_console:s1THn ||| cmd -cur_console:s2THn

Example 4 (four tabs)

Starts with four tabs: Far Manager, CMD, PowerShell and Bash.

  • Far.exe will be active console;
  • Cmd.exe will be started with 400 lines buffer height in the %ALLUSERSPROFILE% directory and special color 4F (white on red);
  • PowerShell will be started as Administrator with 1000 lines buffer height in the %USERPROFILE% directory;
  • Bash (MinGW) will be started in the C:\Source directory.

Win+R or shortcut syntax (following is one-line command, splitted for clearness)

ConEmu.exe -runlist
  >"C:\Program Files\Far\far.exe"
  ||| cmd /k color 4F "-cur_console:h400d:%ALLUSERSPROFILE%"
  ||| *powershell "-cur_console:h1000d:%USERPROFILE%"
  ||| C:\MinGW\msys\1.0\bin\sh.exe --login -i "-cur_console:d:C:\Source"

batch files (bat, cmd) syntax (following is one-line command, splitted for clearness).

rem Remove line breaks after paste!
start "ConEmu" "C:\Program Files\ConEmu\ConEmu.exe" -runlist
  ^>"C:\Program Files\Far\far.exe"
  ^|^|^| cmd /k color 4F "-cur_console:h400d:%ALLUSERSPROFILE%"
  ^|^|^| *powershell "-cur_console:h1000d:%USERPROFILE%"
  ^|^|^| C:\MinGW\msys\1.0\bin\sh.exe --login -i "-cur_console:d:C:\Source"

or

ConEmu.exe -run @startfile.txt

or

ConEmu.exe -run {taskname}

Sample startfile.txt or contents of {taskname}

>"C:\Program Files\Far\far.exe"
cmd /k color 4F "-cur_console:h400d:%ALLUSERSPROFILE%"
*powershell "-cur_console:h1000d:%USERPROFILE%"
C:\MinGW\msys\1.0\bin\sh.exe --login -i "-cur_console:d:C:\Source"

Example 5

Following example is for use within cmd’s batch files or from cmd.exe prompt itself. Starts with three cmd tabs, set different bg/fg color (color command after /k switch) and different working directory (C:\, D:\, E:\).

Following is one-line command, splitted for clearness.

start "Three tabs" "C:\Program Files\ConEmu\ConEmu.exe" -runlist
  ^> cmd /k color 4C -cur_console:d:C:\
  ^|^|^| cmd /k color 5D -cur_console:d:D:\
  ^|^|^| cmd /k color 2A -cur_console:d:E:\

Rarely used switches

Argument Description  
-debug Show message box immediately after ConEmu starts  
-autosetup 1 0 Install or remove ConEmu autostart with cmd.exe
-visible Starts with visible real console  
-detached Starts with no console, ConEmu is ready for attaching from another real console or FAR manager  
-noautoclose Don’t close ConEmu window automatically with last tab; may be used with ‘-detached’  
-nocascade Disable ‘Cascade’ option may be set in the Settings  
-nodefterm Don’t start initialization procedure for setting up ConEmu as default terminal  
-nohookswarn Don’t show ‘hooks are detected’ warning in console.  
-nokeyhooks Disable SetWindowsHookEx and global hotkeys  
-nomacro Disable hotkeys with GuiMacro actions  
-nohotkey Disable all hotkeys  
-noregfonts Disable auto register fonts (font files from ConEmu folder)  
-nocloseconfirm Disable confirmation of ConEmu’s window closing  
-inside
-insidepid PID
-insidewnd xHWND
Starts ConEmu in ‘inside’ mode (act as child window of parent process)  
-demote Run command de-elevated, using Task Sheduler. May be useful in Vista and higher with UAC enabled. Example: ConEmu.exe -demote -run powershell.exe  
-resetdefault Same as -reset and don’t show fast configuration dialog.  
-basic Same as -resetdefault and disable ‘Save settings’ button in Settings dialog.  
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