From Windows Terminal
How to switch from Windows Terminal to Mel: install, keys, PowerShell and WSL.
How do I switch from Windows Terminal to Mel? Install Mel with the Windows installer and open it from the Start menu. Mel runs commands in Command Prompt (cmd.exe), and many Windows Terminal keys work the same. Mel doesn't import Windows Terminal's settings.json, so set your theme, text size and any other shells by hand.
Steps
- Install Mel. Run
Mel-windows-x86_64-setup.exe(or the ARM build on a Snapdragon PC). It installs for your user with no admin prompt, adds a Start-menu entry, and appears in Settings ▸ Apps with an Uninstall. See Installation. - Open Mel from the Start menu. If SmartScreen asks the first time, choose More info, then Run anyway.
- Pick a theme. Windows Terminal colour schemes don't carry over. Open Settings ▸ Appearance and pick a dark and a light theme, or follow Windows.
- Set the text size. Settings ▸ Appearance ▸ Font size for terminal text, Zoom for the whole window (Ctrl+= and Ctrl+-).
- Bring your other shells. Mel's panes run Command Prompt. To open PowerShell or WSL as a full-screen session inside a pane, add
pwsh,powershellorwslto Settings ▸ Melt ▸ Added commands, then type that command in a pane. - Rebuild your profiles as tab configs. A profile that opens a folder and runs a command becomes a tab config: it opens a tab with its panes, folders and start-up commands, from the + menu.
- Right-click paste. Windows Terminal pastes on right-click. In Mel, turn on Settings ▸ Features ▸ Right-click pastes for the same.
Windows Terminal keys in Mel
| Action | Windows Terminal | Mel |
|---|---|---|
| New tab | Ctrl+Shift+T | Ctrl+Shift+T |
| Close pane or tab | Ctrl+Shift+W | Ctrl+Shift+W |
| Next / previous tab | Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab | Ctrl+Tab / Ctrl+Shift+Tab |
| Go to tab 1–8 | Ctrl+Alt+1 … 8 | Ctrl+1 … Ctrl+8 |
| Split pane | Alt+Shift+= / Alt+Shift+- | Ctrl+Shift+D (right) / Ctrl+Shift+E (down) |
| Command palette | Ctrl+Shift+P | Ctrl+Shift+P |
| Settings | Ctrl+, | Ctrl+, |
| Zoom | Ctrl+= / Ctrl+- | Ctrl+= / Ctrl+- / Ctrl+0 |
Mel's main shortcuts use Ctrl+Shift so Ctrl+C, Ctrl+D and Ctrl+W still reach the program in your terminal. Change any key in Settings ▸ Keyboard shortcuts. See Keyboard shortcuts.
What you gain
- Blocks: each command and its output is one unit you can copy, filter and bookmark.
- Ghost autocomplete from your history and your files as you type.
- An AI agent one key away: Ctrl+Enter hands it a task in the current folder. It reads your code, edits files and runs commands, and asks before every change.
- Code review and an editor built in, so you can read and accept the agent's changes without leaving the terminal. See Code review panel.
FAQ
Does Mel use PowerShell? Mel's panes run Command Prompt. Add pwsh or powershell to Settings ▸ Melt ▸ Added commands to run PowerShell as a full-screen session in a pane.
Can I use WSL in Mel? Add wsl to Added commands the same way, and type wsl in a pane.
Do I need admin rights to install? No. The installer is per-user. A portable zip is also available: extract it and run mel.exe.
Does it run on Windows on ARM? Yes, there's a native ARM build for Snapdragon PCs.