How to Get to the Command Line on a Mac

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Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: December 31, 2024

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Using Launchpad

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Using Spotlight

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Using Finder

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

This wikiHow teaches you how to open the Terminal (command prompt) application in macOS using Launchpad, Spotlight, or Finder. Terminal gives you access to the Unix part of macOS so you can manage files, edit settings, and run scripts using text commands.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Launchpad

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1
Open Launchpad. It’s the silver icon in the Dock that looks like a rocket. The Dock is a panel of icons usually found at the bottom of the screen, though it can also be moved to the screen’s left or right side.^{[1]
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Research source}
- If you’re on a laptop, you can also open Launchpad by doing a four-finger pinch gesture on the trackpad.
- You may also be able to open it by pressing F4 on the keyboard.
It’s a square icon containing several smaller icons.

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3
Click Terminal. The Terminal application will now launch to the command prompt.
- If you don’t see Terminal in the Other folder, it may have been moved elsewhere in Launchpad. If you’re unable to find it, try another method.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Spotlight

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1
Click the Spotlight icon. It’s the magnifying glass at the top right corner of the screen.^{[2]
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Research source}
- You can also open Spotlight by pressing ⌘ Command+Space on the keyboard.
“Terminal” will appear in the search results.
The Terminal application will now launch to the command prompt.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Finder

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It’s the icon at the bottom of the screen that looks like a two-toned smiling face.
2
Click Applications. It’s in the left panel of Finder.
- If you don't see "Applications" in the left panel, click Go at the top of the screen and select Applications.
You may have to scroll down to find it.
You may have to scroll down to find it. The Terminal application will now launch to the command prompt.

Community Q&A

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What is the command for my ip address?

Community Answer

ipconfig getifaddr en0

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How do I ping the gateway from terminal?

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At the command prompt, type "ping " and press Return.

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Question

How to find a list of all terminal commands?

Community Answer

Press the Escape key (on the keyboard) twice, then press "y" when you're asked if you want to see all commands.

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Tips

To close Terminal, press ⌘ Command+Q.

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To change the color scheme of your Terminal window, click Terminal at the top of the screen and select Preferences. Choose one of the themes on the left side of the screen or customize the colors in the main panel.

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