Attention, Windows users! Microsoft has made a significant announcement regarding the retirement of the legacy command console on Windows 11 and future feature releases. This change was quietly documented in December 2023, signaling the deprecation of the “legacy console mode,” which will no longer receive updates.
According to the updated documentation, the console will no longer be included as a system component on Windows 11. However, it will remain available as a “Feature on Demand,” accessible for installation via the “Optional Features” settings page or by executing the DISM /add-Capability command.
While the command console is commonly associated with Command Prompt, it serves as a gateway to various features, including PowerShell and Command Prompt itself.
Since the era of Windows 10, the system has encompassed three distinct consoles: the Windows Terminal, Windows Console, and the legacy Console mode. The “Windows Terminal” stands as the latest default interface, offering access to Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Linux via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Meanwhile, the “Windows Console” serves as a newer alternative to the original console, and the legacy Console mode provides a compatibility layer for running older command-line tools incompatible with newer versions of the console or the terminal.
To clarify, Microsoft’s decision solely affects the retirement of the legacy component. Users will still retain access to the Windows Console. However, it’s advisable to transition to the Windows Terminal, which is likely to be the default experience on Windows 11.
While Microsoft hasn’t disclosed specific reasons behind this decision, it’s probable that telemetry data indicates a declining number of users resorting to the legacy mode for command-line tool usage. As technology evolves, Microsoft aims to streamline user experiences and optimize system functionalities accordingly.
