Javascript required
Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer
Home / How to Set the Path and Environment Variables in Windows

How to Set the Path and Environment Variables in Windows

How to set the path and environment variables in Windows

Updated: 11/06/2021 by Computer Hope

Setting the path and environment variables differs depending on the version of the Windows operating system you have on your computer. Choose a link below for your version of Windows.

Note

Administrator privileges are usually required to modify the path and environment variables.

  • Windows 10.
  • Windows 8.
  • Windows Vista and Windows 7.
  • Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
  • What is the default Windows %PATH%?
  • Setting %PATH% from the command line.

Setting the path and variables in Windows 10

  1. From the desktop, right-click the very bottom-left corner of the screen to access the Power User Task Menu.
  2. In the Power User Task Menu, select the System option.
  3. In the Settings window, scroll down to the Related settings section and click the System info link.
  4. In the System window, click the Advanced system settings link in the left navigation pane.
  5. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variables button near the bottom of that tab.
  6. In the Environment Variables window (pictured below), highlight the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.
C:\Program Files;C:\Winnt;C:\Winnt\System32

Windows 10 environmental path settings

Note

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the variable name and variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Setting the path and variables in Windows 8

  1. From the desktop, right-click the very bottom-left corner of the screen to access the Power User Task Menu.
  2. In the Power User Task Menu, select the System option.
  3. Click the Advanced System Settings link in the left column.
  4. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variables button near the bottom of that tab.
  5. In the Environment Variables window (pictured below), highlight the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.
C:\Program Files;C:\Winnt;C:\Winnt\System32

Windows environmental path settings

Note

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the variable name and variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Setting the path and variables in Windows Vista and Windows 7

  1. On the desktop, right-click the Computer icon and select Properties. If you don't have a Computer icon on your desktop, click Start, right-click the Computer option in the Start menu, and select Properties.
  2. Click the Advanced System Settings link in the left column.
  3. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variables button near the bottom of that tab.
  4. In the Environment Variables window (pictured below), highlight the Path variable in the System variables section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.
C:\Program Files;C:\Winnt;C:\Winnt\System32

Windows environmental path settings

Note

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the Variable name and Variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

Setting the path and variables in Windows 2000 and Windows XP

The path is now managed by Windows 2000 and Windows XP and not the autoexec.bat or autoexec.nt files, as was done with earlier versions of Windows. To change the system environment variables, follow the steps below.

  1. From the desktop, right-click My Computer and click Properties. If you don't have a My Computer icon on your desktop, click Start, right-click the My Computer option in the Start menu, and select Properties.
  2. In the System Properties window, click the Advanced tab.
  3. In the Advanced section, click the Environment Variables button.
  4. In the Environment Variables window (as shown below), highlight the Path variable in the System Variable section and click the Edit button. Add or modify the path lines with the paths you want the computer to access. Each different directory is separated with a semicolon, as shown below.
C:\Program Files;C:\Winnt;C:\Winnt\System32

Windows environmental path settings

Note

You can edit other environment variables by highlighting the variable in the System variables section and clicking Edit. If you need to create a new environment variable, click New and enter the Variable name and Variable value.

To view and set the path in the Windows command line, use the path command.

What is the default Windows %PATH%?

The path is based on programs installed on the computer, so there is no "default path." However, the Windows minimum path is often the path below.

%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

Note

Keep in mind that as you install programs, the path is updated with the paths for the newly installed programs. So, if you have erased your path after installing other programs, those programs may be affected.

Setting path in the MS-DOS and Windows command line

To view and set the path in MS-DOS and in the Windows command line, use the path command.

How to Set the Path and Environment Variables in Windows

Source: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000549.htm