Windows 10 comes with a variety of handy pre-installed MS Store apps. One of the most useful apps that the platform includes is Windows Calculator. Of course, your PC is one big calculator in itself; and you can make the most of it with the calculator app. There are various ways you can open Windows 10’s calculator app.
Windows Calculator is an advanced calculator. You can utilize that calculator for standard, scientific, programming, and date calculation mathematics. It also incorporates currency, weight, volume, length, and temperature unit conversion tools. Windows Calculator’s graphing feature is certainly something you don’t get in most other alternatives. Therefore, Windows Calculator is worth noting because it’s probably better than any non-software calculator you might have. Here are several different ways you can open the calculator in Windows 10.
Method 1. Open Calculator in Windows 10 by Searching
You can open Windows Calculator by searching for it. If you’re wondering how to find the calculator on Windows 10, click the “Type here to search” button on the left side of the taskbar. Type the keyword calculator in the search box. Then click Calculator in the search result to open that app.
Method 2. Find and Open Calculator in Windows 10 on the Start Menu
The Windows Calculator app is listed on the Start menu. Click the “Start” button. Then scroll down to apps listed under the letter C on the Start menu. Click Calculator to open that app’s window.
Method 3. Open Calculator in Windows 10 via the Run Command Box
Step 1: Run is a handy accessory with which you can open Calculator in Windows 10. To open Run, first press the Windows key + X hotkey.
Step 2: Select “Run” on the Win + X menu.
Step 3: Then type calc in Run’s Open box.
Step 4: Press the “OK” button to open Calculator in Windows 10.
Method 4. Open Calculator in Windows 10 via Command Prompt
Step 1: The Command Prompt is a command-line tool with which you can open Calculator in Windows 10. To open Command Prompt, you’ll need to press the Windows and S keys on your keyboard at the same time to bring up the search tool first.
Step 2: Type cmd in Windows 10’s search box to find and open the Command Prompt.
Step 3: Click Command Prompt in Windows 10’s search tool.
Step 4: Next, type calc into the Command Prompt as in the shot directly below.
Step 5: Press Enter after typing the command to open Windows Calculator.
Method 5. Open Calculator in Windows 10 via Windows PowerShell
Step 1: PowerShell is an alternative command-line utility you can open Windows Calculator in much the same way as with the Command Prompt. To open PowerShell, first, you’ll need to press the Windows and E keys simultaneously.
Step 2: Select any folder in File Explorer.
Step 3: Click the File tab shown directly below.
Step 4: Next, select “Open Windows PowerShell” on the File tab.
Step 5: Input calc within the PowerShell window.
Step 6: Press the Enter keyboard key to launch Windows Calculator.
Method 6. Create a Desktop Shortcut to Open Calculator in Windows 10
If you want a more direct way to open Windows Calculator than the above methods, set up a desktop shortcut for the app. Adding a Windows Calculator shortcut to the desktop will enable you to open that app with just a single click. This is how you can set up a Calculator shortcut in Windows 10.
Step 1: Right-click a space on your desktop and select “New” to open a context menu submenu.
Step 2: Click “Shortcut” to open a Create Shortcut wizard.
Step 3: Type %WinDir%\System32\calc.exe in the location box as shown in the screenshot directly below.
Step 4: Select the “Next” option.
Step 5: Type Windows Calculator in the shortcut name box.
Step 6: Press the “Finish” button to add the Windows Calculator shortcut to the desktop, as in the snapshot directly below.
Aside from the desktop, you can add a Windows Calculator shortcut to the taskbar. To do so, left-click the calculator desktop shortcut and hold down the left mouse button. Then drag the Windows Calculator shortcut over your taskbar. When you see a “Pin to taskbar” tooltip appear, release the left mouse button. Thereafter, you can click the Windows Calculator taskbar button to open that app from there.
If you prefer the Start menu, right-click the Windows Calculator and select “Pin to Start” on the context menu. Then open your Start menu. You’ll find a new Windows Calculator tile there you can click to open that app.
Method 7. Create a Keyboard Shortcut to Open Calculator in Windows 10
Keyboard shortcuts are a very direct way to open apps and tools in Windows 10. You can apply a hotkey to your Windows Calculator desktop shortcut and any other, in a few simple steps. Thereafter, you’ll be able to open the calculator by pressing a Ctrl + Alt key combination. Follow the steps below to create a keyboard shortcut for the calculator in Windows 10.
Step 1: Right-click the Windows Calculator shortcut and select the “Properties” option.
Step 2: Next, click inside the Shortcut box on the General tab.
Step 3: Press C on your keyboard to set up a Ctrl + Alt + C hotkey.
Step 4: Make sure you click “Apply” to save the new settings.
Step 5: Click “OK” to close the shortcut properties window.
Step 6: Now press the Ctrl + Alt + C keys at the same time to open Windows Calculator.
Note that this hotkey is for the Windows Calculator desktop shortcut. Deleting that shortcut will also erase its hotkey. So, the shortcut must remain on the desktop for its hotkey to work.
FAQs about Calculator in Windows 10
What folder is the Windows Calculator app in?
The Windows Calculator app is in the C:\Windows\System32 folder path. You can click calc.exe in that folder to open the calculator in Windows 10.
Is it possible to add a Windows Calculator shortcut to the context menu on the desktop?
Yes, you can add a Windows Calculator shortcut to that context menu by editing the Calculator registry key. Instead of manually editing the registry, you can also add new context menu shortcuts with third-party software like Right-Click Extender.
Are the above methods for opening Windows Calculator relevant to other Windows platforms?
The above methods are specifically for opening the Windows Calculator UWP app within Windows 10. Windows 7, and other earlier platforms, do not have the same calculator. However, you can still open the calculator accessories in other Windows platforms from their Start menus and respective search tools. You can also set up desktop shortcuts for calculator accessories in other Windows platforms, but how you do that might not be entirely the same as outlined above.
How can I fix the Windows Calculator app when the above methods don’t open it?
If the calculator doesn’t open, try resetting the app. You can do that by opening Apps & features in Settings and clicking “Advanced options” for the Windows Calculator app. Then click the “Reset” button.
Failing that, try reinstalling Windows Calculator. To do so, click the “Uninstall” button that’s beneath the “Reset” option. You can reinstall the app by clicking “Get” on Windows Calculator’s MS Store page.
Conclusion
So, you can quickly open Windows 10’s Calculator with any of the above methods. Don’t overlook the calculator in Windows 10 whenever you need one for calculations. You’ll find that calculator to be more than adequate for whatever mathematics you need it for. With its additional unit conversion tools, Windows Calculator is a cut above bog-standard pocket calculators.
