Environment variables are a set of dynamic named values that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer.
In this guide, we will show you how to view, set, and remove environment variables on Windows 11 using commands.
Viewing Environment Variables
To view the current environment variables on your Windows 11 computer, follow these steps:
- Open a Command Prompt window. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + X and selecting “Windows Terminal (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.
- Type the command “set” and press Enter.
- This will display a list of all the current environment variables on your computer.
Setting Environment Variables
To set a new environment variable on your Windows 11 computer, follow these steps:
- Open a Command Prompt window.
- Type the command “setx” followed by the name of the environment variable you want to set, followed by the value of the environment variable. For example, to set the variable “MY_VAR” to the value “hello”, type the command “setx MY_VAR hello” and press Enter.
- This will create a new environment variable with the name and value you specified.
Removing Environment Variables
To remove an environment variable on your Windows 11 computer, follow these steps:
- Open a Command Prompt window.
- Type the command “setx” followed by the name of the environment variable you want to remove, followed by the value “/m”. For example, to remove the variable “MY_VAR”, type the command “setx MY_VAR /m” and press Enter.
- This will remove the environment variable from your computer.
Using Environment Variables in Commands
You can use environment variables in commands by enclosing the variable name in percent signs (%). For example, if you have a variable named “MY_VAR” with the value “hello”, you can use it in a command by typing “%MY_VAR%” instead of “hello”.
Some frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Q: What are environment variables in Windows 11? A: Environment variables are dynamic values that can affect the behavior of running processes and applications in Windows 11. They provide a way for applications to access system-related information, such as the location of executable files or system folders.
Q: How can I view and modify environment variables in Windows 11? A: You can view and modify environment variables in Windows 11 by accessing the System Properties window. To do this, right-click on the Windows Start menu and select “System.” Then, click on “Advanced system settings” and go to the “Environment Variables” section. From there, you can view, add, or modify environment variables.
Q: What are some common environment variables in Windows 11? A: Some common environment variables in Windows 11 include “PATH,” which specifies the directories that contain executable files, and “TEMP” and “TMP,” which specify the location where temporary files are stored.
Q: How do I set a new environment variable in Windows 11? A: To set a new environment variable in Windows 11, click on “New” under the “User variables” or “System variables” section in the Environment Variables window. Then, enter a name and value for the new variable and click “OK” to save the changes.
Q: What are some common command prompt commands related to environment variables in Windows 11? A: Some common command prompt commands related to environment variables in Windows 11 include “set,” which displays all environment variables and their values, and “setx,” which sets a new environment variable from the command line. For example, “setx PATH C:\Python27” would add the Python27 directory to the PATH variable.