Windows Environment Variables List: Complete List on Windows 10 / 11
Windows Environment Variables List: Complete List on Windows 10 / 11. Microsoft first introduced file shortcuts in Windows 95. They were designed to add customization and make resources easier to access for users. Each iteration of Windows has attempted to propagate this idea. Operating systems should ultimately be easy to use while catering to the needs of their users. This is typically done through simplification, masking and linking. In a similar fashion to how a DNS provides an easily digestible name for a long IP Address. As you’ll see, Environment Variables ultimately function on the same principle (more or less). The following guide will explore what they are and list all of them for Windows 10 and 11. Without further ado…
Let’s start with Windows Environment Variables List: Complete List on Windows 10 / 11.
What are Environment Variables?
Before you dive into Environment Variables, you must understand what variables are in reference to programming languages. In computer programming, variables act as information containers. They point towards a resource or instruction. They essentially make it easier to reference information in a programming language. Instead of typing out information repeatedly, you place it in a variable and reference it instead. Again, they work similarly to domain names.
Environment Variables are variables defined outside of programs. This allows you to change them without modifying a program’s source code. Windows applications commonly use Environment Variables to determine where to either store or fetch data. For instance, an Environmental Variable may tell an application where to store temp files. Additionally Environment variables use a key and value format.
You can also use Windows search and run with Environment Variables. For instance, %APPDATA% is an example of an extremely useful Environment Variable that points towards the AppData Roaming folder. Instead of typing the entire address out (C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming), you can just type the %APPDATA% shorthand.
Using Windows Search
- Open Windows Search (WinKey + S) or Start Menu (WinKey).
- Next, type Environment Variable into the search bar.
- Click on Edit the system environment variables. This will open the Systems Properties dialog.
- Make sure that the Advanced tab is selected and then click on the button labeled Environment Variable button.
Using the Control Panel
- Run the Windows Control Panel.
- Make sure you are viewing the Control Panel’s items as either small or large icons.
- Right click on System and select Open from the context menu.
- Click on Advanced system settings. Again, this action will bring up the System Properties Dialog.
- Click on the Environment Variables button.
Alternatively, you can use the search bar on the Control Panel window. Just click on it and type Environment Variables. This returns the System item along with some additional options underneath it. Click on Edit the system environment variables.
Using the Power User Menu
- Open the Power User Menu by right clicking on the Start Menu icon or pressing the Windows Key together with the X key on your keyboard.
- Next, select System from your Power User Menu.
- Scroll down through the list until you encounter the Advanced system settings.
- Finally, make sure that the Advanced tab is selected and then click on the Environment Variables button as you have done before.
In addition to the above options, you can also access the System Properties by using the This PC context menu. Just right click on This PC from Windows File Explorer or your desktop shortcut and select Properties.
So what are Windows Environment Variables List? Let’s find out.
List of Environment Variables
Here the Windows Environment Variables List section provides you with the complete list of variables for Windows. This list should be uniform across past (Windows 7/8/8.1) and present (Windows 10/11) versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.
All User Profile
- Variable: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%
- Default Value: C:\ProgramData
- Details: Points to the location/address of the folder Windows uses to store data shared by all users on the machine.
App Data
- Variable: %APPDATA%
- Default Value: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming
- Details: Point to the location of the Roaming folder in the Application Data folder (AppData\Roaming).
Common Program Files
- Variable: %CommonProgramFiles%
- Default Value: C:\Program Files\Common Files
- Details: Points to the location of the Common Files folder in the Program Files folder.
Common Program Files(x86)
- Variable: %CommonProgramFiles(x86)%
- Default Value: C:\Program Files(x86)\Common Files
- Details: Points to the location of the Common Files folder in the Program Files (x86) folder. Typically, this folder is reserved for 32-bit programs.
Common Program W6432
- Variable: %CommonProgramW6432%
- Default Value: C:\Program Files\Common Files
- Details: Works identically to the %CommonProgramFiles%. However, it’s only supported by 64-bit versions of the Windows operating system as it’s utilized by the WOW64 emulation layer.
Computer Name
- Variable: %COMPUTERNAME%
- Default Value: ComputerName
- Details: This environmental variable points to the name of your computer name which can be found and changed under System Properties.
Command Specifier
- Variable: %COMSPEC%
- Default Value: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
- Details: Points to the location of the system’s default command interpreter i.e. command prompt.
Current Directory
- Variable: %CD%
- Default Value: CurrentDirectory
- Details: Refers to the current directory that the command line is pointing to. Retrieve your current directory when referenced in the Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Command Line Session
- Variable: %CMDCMDLINE%
- Default Value: OriginCommandPrompt
- Details: Determines the command line that launched the current Command Prompt session.
Command Processor Extensions
- Variable: %CMDEXTVERSION%
- Default Value: CommandProcessorExtensions
- Details: Used in the command line to retrieve the number of current command processor extensions.
Date
- Variable: %DATE%
- Default Value: DATE
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return the current date.
Driver Data
- Variable: %DriverData%
- Default Value: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\DriverData
- Details: Points to the location of hardware driver data for the Windows operating system.
Error Level
- Variable: %ERRORLEVEL%
- Default Value: Exit Status
- Details: Used to retrieve the exit status of the last command.
Home Drive
- Variable: %HOMEDRIVE%
- Default Value: C:
- Details: Points to the dive letter where all the user profiles are located.
Home Path
- Variable: %HOMEPATH%
- Default Value: \Users\Username
- Details: Signifies the location of the current user’s profile directory. The drive letter is omitted from the path.
Local Application Data
- Variable: %LOCALAPPDATA%
- Default Value: C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local
- Details: Points to the location of the local subfolder found in the AppData folder.
Logon Server
- Variable: %LOGONSERVER%
- Default Value: \\DomainLogonServer
- Details: Points to the network location of the group or domain from which your computer is connected. If you’re not connected to a domain or group, it will use the local computer’s location.
One Drive
- Variable: %OneDrive%
- Default Value: C:\Users\UserName\OneDrive
- Details: Points to the location of the OneDrive local folder.
Operating System
- Variable: %OS%
- Default Value: Operating System
- Details: Used to return and display the version of the Windows operating system.
Path
- Variable: %PATH%
- Default Value: C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem; etc.
- Details: Contains a list of paths to binary files used by various programs. You can execute the files kept in these directories directly from the command line without using the entire path e.g. Java.exe as opposed to C:\Program Files\Oracle\Java.exe. Typically, files with the extensions found in the %PATHEXT% are the only ones executable.
Path Extensions
- Variable: %PATHEXT%
- Default Value: com;.exe;.bat;.cmd;.vbs;.vbe;.js;.jse;.wsf;.wsh;.msc
- Details: Refers to the filetypes which can be directly executed from the command line.
Processor Identifier
- Variable: %PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER%
- Default Value: Processor Identifier
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return the processor identifier.
Processor Level
- Variable: %PROCESSOR_LEVEL%
- Default Value: Processor Level
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return the processor level.
Processor Revision
- Variable: %PROCESSOR_REVISION%
- Default Value: Processor Revision
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return the processor revision.
Number of Processors
- Variable: %NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS%
- Default Value: Number of processors
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return and display the number of virtual and physical cores.
Program Data
- Variable: %ProgramData%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\ProgramData
- Details: Points to the location of the hidden Program Data folder. This folder is used by some applications to store data.
Program Files
- Variable: %ProgramFiles%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Program Files
- Details: Points to the location of the default Program Files folder on your system.
Program Files x86
- Variable: %ProgramFiles(x86)%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Program Files (x86)
- Details: Points to the location of the Program Files folder that is intended for 32-bit.
Program W6432
- Variable: %ProgramW6432%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Program Files
- Details: Used by the WOW32 Emulation Layer to find the default path to the Program Files folder.
Prompt
- Variable: %PROMPT%
- Default Value: $p$g
- Details: Used to change and restore the command prompt to its default setting.
PowerShell Module Path
- Variable: %PSModulePath%
- Default Value:
%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\ — (Windows 7/8/10) %ProgramFiles%\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\;C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\ — (Windows 11) - Details: Points to the path where PowerShell’s modules are stored.
Public
- Variable: %PUBLIC%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Users\Public
- Details: Points to the location of the Public user profile
Random
- Variable: %RANDOM%
- Default Value: Random number between 0 and 32767
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return a number between 0 and 32767
System Drive
- Variable: %SystemDrive%
- Default Value: C:
- Details: Refers to the drive letter of the drive where your operating system is installed and running from.
System Root
- Variable: %SystemRoot%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Windows
- Details: Refers to the install folder of the Windows OS.
Time
- Variable: %TIME%
- Default Value: TIME
- Details: Used in Command Prompt to return the current time.
Temp
- Variable: %TEMP% or %TMP%
- Default Value: User Processes – %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp
System Process – %SystemRoot%\TEMP - Details: Points to the location of the temporary files folder. These files are typically transient files used by installers and other programs.
User Domain
- Variable: %USERDOMAN%
- Default Value: UserDomain
- Details: Refers to the current user’s domain or group.
User Name
- Variable: %UserName%
- Default Value: UserName
- Details: Refers to the current user’s name.
User Profile
- Variable: %USERPROFILE%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Users\UserName
- Details: Points to the current user’s profile path where their data is stored.
Windows Directory
- Variable: %windir%
- Default Value: %SystemDrive%\Windows
- Details: Much like the %SystemRoot% variable, it points to the directory of the Windows operating system.
Thank you for reading Windows Environment Variables List: Complete List on Windows 10 / 11.
Windows Environment Variables List: Complete List on Windows 10 / 11 Conclusion
Above guide provides you with a comprehensive list of Environment Variables for Windows 10 and 11. Also it briefly investigates how you can see and edit some of your Windows operating system’s variables. Summarizing the Environment Variables can enhance your Windows experience by offering you new ways to customize and use it. Every administrator and power user should have a healthy understanding of Environmental Variables. Nevertheless, if you have any corrections or queries, please leave them down below. How do you utilize Windows Environment Variables?
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