Launch Applications Using Run Command

Windows allows you to open applications using the Run command. You need to just type the name of the application in the Run dialog box to open it. But all the applications you install cannot be started this way. But using the run command to open applications is helpful or you can say less time consuming then to go to that program to start it.

There is way to start any application you want using the run command. You just need add some entries to windows registry to get this working. But first backup you registry before changing anything.

Now to get the application you want to open using the run windows follow the instructions below.

--- Open the registry by typing regedit in the Run command box.

--- Then find the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths

--- You will see many entries under the App paths key. These are the programs you can launch using the run command. Like you will see a entry called IEXPLORE.EXE, this is the entry which lets you open Internet Explorer by typing iexplore in the run box.

--- Now you want to create a entry for your software or application the same way then follow the steps.

--- Right click on the App path key found at the above given location and Create a new key


--- Now name the key anything you want. Remember this is the name you will be typing in the Run box to open your application. So use a name that is similar to the application you are going to use. For example I want to use it to create a entry for my Foobar player then I will name it something like Foo or Foobar. Don't forget to add the .exe extension to the name, otherwise it will not work. It should look something like this.

--- Now click on the entry you just created. In the right pane you will see a string value named default. Double click on the default value and enter the location of the application file in the value data field i.e. the exe file used to start the application. For example in my case for foobar it is
C:\Program Files\foobar2000\foobar2000.exe

--- Now in the right pane create a new string value by right clicking in a empty space and selecting New --> String Value. Name it as Path.

--- Double click on the path string just created and in the value data field give the location of the program folder where that program is residing. i.e. the folder where the program is installed.
In my case it is C:\Program Files\foobar2000
It looks like this.

--- Now the work is done. Close the registry.

--- Type in the name you just used in the Run box and hit enter and the application will start.


If it doesn't you went wrong somewhere. Follow the steps again carefully.