How to Open MSConfig in Windows 10: 5 Easy Ways

To open MSConfig in Windows 10, press Windows+R, type msconfig, and press Enter. The System Configuration window opens. You can also find it from Start search, launch it from File Explorer, or use Task Manager or a command line. Opening the utility is quick; changing startup or boot settings deserves more care.

Open MSConfig with the Run dialog

1. Press Windows+R to open Run.
2. Type msconfig in the Open box.
3. Press Enter or select OK.

This is usually the fastest option because it works without navigating through menus. You do not need to download or install MSConfig; it is included with Windows. Windows may ask for administrator approval when you apply certain changes, but simply opening the window usually does not require an elevated prompt.

Find System Configuration from Start

1. Open Start or select the taskbar search box.
2. Type msconfig.
3. Select System Configuration in the results. Press Enter if it is already the highlighted best match.

Check the result name before opening it: the app is called System Configuration, even though the command you search for is “msconfig.” If you need it to run with administrator privileges, right-click the result and choose Run as administrator; approve the User Account Control prompt if it appears.

Launch it from File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer with Windows+E.
2. Click the address bar at the top of the window, not the “Search” box on the right.
3. Type msconfig and press Enter.

File Explorer passes the command to Windows, which opens the same System Configuration window. If you typed it into the folder search box by mistake, clear that box and try again in the address bar.

Use Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. If the compact view appears, select More details.
2. Select File > Run new task.
3. Enter msconfig and select OK.

The “Create this task with administrative privileges” checkbox is optional. Select it only when you specifically need an elevated launch and have permission to use an administrator account. For ordinary access, leave it unchecked; Windows can request approval later if a change needs it.

Open it from Command Prompt or PowerShell

In Command Prompt, run start msconfig. In PowerShell or Windows PowerShell, run msconfig. Press Enter after typing the command. You can open either shell from Start search; administrator mode is not needed just to view the System Configuration window.

What the System Configuration tabs do

• General: Choose Normal, Diagnostic, or Selective startup. Normal startup loads the usual drivers, services, and startup items.
• Boot: View or adjust startup options, including Safe boot. A Safe boot change affects how Windows starts, so use it only when following instructions for a specific troubleshooting task.
• Services: Review Windows and third-party background services. For a clean boot, Microsoft’s instructions say to select Hide all Microsoft services before disabling other services, and to keep track of changes so you can restore them.
• Startup: Windows 10 directs startup-app management to Task Manager; use the link on this tab to open it.
• Tools: Find shortcuts to Windows troubleshooting and diagnostic utilities.

Microsoft warns that changing advanced boot options incorrectly can make a computer unusable. If you are using System Configuration to investigate an app conflict, follow Microsoft’s clean boot instructions, including the steps to return to Normal startup and re-enable any startup apps you disabled.

If MSConfig does not open

First check that the command is spelled msconfig, with no space. Try the Windows+R method if search does not show the app. If Windows displays a permission prompt, sign in with an administrator account or ask the person who manages the PC. On a work or school device, organizational policies may limit access to system changes.

If the PC keeps starting in Safe Mode after troubleshooting, press Windows+R, enter msconfig, open the Boot tab, clear Safe boot, and restart. Microsoft lists this as a recovery step in its Windows startup settings guidance.

Windows 10 support note

MSConfig remains part of Windows 10, but Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says eligible devices enrolled in its consumer Extended Security Updates program can receive security updates through October 12, 2027; see Microsoft’s Windows 10 end-of-support information for current options.