How to launch Windows Scheduler by command-line?

Question

I mean to open the built-in Windows GUI from command line- not to launch by Schtasks

Perhaps move this question to superuser.com instead of closing? This is a useful question with valid answers. — Hanxue, Jun 11 '14 at 16:22

score 73 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 20 '18 at 05:37

73

taskschd.msc is available in Windows Vista and later.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721871.aspx

I could have sworn I'd seen a little task scheduler GUI like you're talking about prior to Vista, but maybe I was thinking of the "Add Scheduled Task" wizard.

You might have to settle for opening the scheduled tasks explorer with this command:

control schedtasks

I couldn't find any way to launch the "Add Scheduled Task" wizard from the command line, unfortunately (there has to be a way!)

edited Nov 20 '18 at 05:37

NextInLine

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answered Mar 12 '09 at 04:52

Andy White

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Works on Win 7 as well. – Joel Peltonen Oct 21 '14 at 06:41
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@Nenotlep, Win 8.1 too. – Pacerier Apr 21 '15 at 19:42
@Andy, For pre-Vista, Shouldn't there be some way to run `mmc` and feed it the task scheduler as input? – Pacerier Apr 21 '15 at 19:42
Works also on Windows Server 2016, so I guess also on most previous and future versions :-) – Dude Feb 28 '19 at 12:07

score 44 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 13 '13 at 05:58

I'm using Windows 2003 on the server. I'm in action with "SCHTASKS.EXE"

    SCHTASKS /parameter [arguments]

    Description:
        Enables an administrator to create, delete, query, change, run and
        end scheduled tasks on a local or remote system. Replaces AT.exe.

    Parameter List:
        /Create         Creates a new scheduled task.

        /Delete         Deletes the scheduled task(s).

        /Query          Displays all scheduled tasks.

        /Change         Changes the properties of scheduled task.

        /Run            Runs the scheduled task immediately.

        /End            Stops the currently running scheduled task.

        /?              Displays this help message.

    Examples:
        SCHTASKS
        SCHTASKS /?
        SCHTASKS /Run /?
        SCHTASKS /End /?
        SCHTASKS /Create /?
        SCHTASKS /Delete /?
        SCHTASKS /Query  /?
        SCHTASKS /Change /?

    ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
    │ Executed Wed 02/29/2012 10:48:36.65 │
    └─────────────────────────────────────┘

It's quite interesting and makes me feel so powerful. :)

+1 for: "It's quite interesting and makes me feel so powerful. :)" — Peter Schuetze, Oct 23 '13 at 14:14
great answer. just provide one more linke from microsoft http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725744.aspx#BKMK_create — temple, Oct 25 '13 at 18:18

TheSoftwareJedi · Answer 3 · 2014-09-27T16:59:34.547

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This launches the Scheduled Tasks MMC Control Panel:

%SystemRoot%\system32\taskschd.msc /s

Older versions of windows had a splash screen for the MMC control panel and the /s switch would supress it. It's not needed but doesn't hurt either.

edited Sep 27 '14 at 16:59

answered Dec 28 '08 at 12:36

TheSoftwareJedi

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Are you sure? I can't find it. I'm using Win XP SP2 – Dec 28 '08 at 15:14
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What is the `/s` switch for? It works even without it. – orad Sep 26 '14 at 20:46
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MMC used to have a splash screen, and the /s switch would suppress it. Wow, these answers are making me feel old. I've updated the answer. – TheSoftwareJedi Sep 27 '14 at 16:58
People here are mostly looking for running command version of the scheduler but looking at the question that is asking for the command to run the GUI, this is the correct answer. – orad Sep 27 '14 at 17:13
@TheSoftwareJedi, Doesn't seem to work on pre-Vista...... – Pacerier Apr 21 '15 at 19:44
@Pacerier update the answer if you find a solution :) I don't have an ancient image to test with – TheSoftwareJedi May 07 '15 at 13:54

score 8 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 25 '10 at 14:36

Yes, the GUI is available in XP. I can get the list of scheduled tasks (but not the GUI) to open with the following command,

control.exe  schedtasks

Then you can use the wizard to add a new scheduled task, for example.

In XP, you can find the Scheduler GUI from within Windows Help if you search for "Scheduled Tasks" then click on "Step by Step instructions" and open the scheduler GUI. Clicking on the last link executes the following command, which likely could be translatedinto something that would open the Scheduler GUI from the command line. Does anyone know how?

ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\mstask.chm::/EXEC=,control.exe, schedtasks CHM=ntshared.chm FILE=alt_url_windows_component.htm

score 7 · Answer 5 · answered May 21 '12 at 17:16

7

Here is an example I just used:

at 8am /EVERY:M,T,W,Th,F,S,Su cmd /c c:\myapp.exe

The result was:

Added a new job with job ID = 1

Then, to check my work:

at

answered May 21 '12 at 17:16

wayneseymour

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score 6 · Answer 6 · edited Apr 07 '11 at 05:51

You might want to have look at simple command line scheduler "at":

C:\Documents and Settings\mahendra.patil>at/?

The AT command schedules commands and programs to run on a computer at a specified time and date. The Schedule service must be running to use the AT command.

AT [\\computername] [ [id] [/DELETE] | /DELETE [/YES]]
AT [\\computername] time [/INTERACTIVE]
    [ /EVERY:date[,...] | /NEXT:date[,...]] "command"

\computername Specifies a remote computer. Commands are scheduled on the local computer if this parameter is omitted.

id Is an identification number assigned to a scheduled command.

/delete Cancels a scheduled command. If id is omitted, all the scheduled commands on the computer are canceled.

/yes Used with cancel all jobs command when no further confirmation is desired.

time Specifies the time when command is to run.

/interactive Allows the job to interact with the desktop of the user who is logged on at the time the job runs.

/every:date[,...] Runs the command on each specified day(s) of the week or month. If date is omitted, the current day of the month is assumed.

/next:date[,...] Runs the specified command on the next occurrence of the day (for example, next Thursday). If date is omitted, the current day of the month is assumed.

"command" Is the Windows NT command, or batch program to be run.

I realize this answer goes back to 2008, so it was probably valid then. If you run `at` now in a recent version of Windows you'll get this error back: "The AT command has been deprecated. Please use schtasks.exe instead" — Adam Plocher, Dec 21 '20 at 18:28

score 6 · Answer 7 · edited May 17 '16 at 12:32

6

You can make a new shortcut to:

control schedtasks

Name it something easy like "tsks.lnk" and then save it in c:\windows\system32.

You can now press Windows Key + R, then type "tsks" and press Enter and voila. No mouse necessary at that point.
Or in Windows Vista/7/2008, just press Windows Key, then type "tsks" and press Enter.

edited May 17 '16 at 12:32

ROMANIA_engineer

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answered Feb 06 '12 at 13:45

Jeremy Bradshaw

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score 4 · Answer 8 · edited Nov 16 '12 at 19:04

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You can use either TASKSCHD.MSC or CONTROL SCHEDTASKS

Here are some more such commands.

edited Nov 16 '12 at 19:04

SomeWittyUsername

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answered Jul 19 '11 at 12:51

AmThreat

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RodneyL · Answer 9 · 2011-05-11T16:13:40.443

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I'm also running XP SP2, and this works perfectly (from the command line...):

start control schedtasks

edited May 11 '11 at 16:13

answered May 10 '11 at 15:51

RodneyL

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**NOTE:** this does exactly what you asked for: "_open the built-in Windows GUI from command line_." – RodneyL May 11 '11 at 16:15

score -3 · Answer 10 · edited Oct 21 '12 at 11:53

-3

If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, you can open it by executing this:

explorer.exe "C:\WINDOWS\Tasks\"

edited Oct 21 '12 at 11:53

Uwe Keim

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answered May 25 '12 at 20:30

Anonymous

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Don't forget "C:\Windows\System32\Tasks". Your answer only gives a subset of the jobs. – deutschZuid Apr 02 '13 at 00:57

How to launch Windows Scheduler by command-line?

10 Answers10