How to Enable Telnet in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Telnet is a useful tool for managing and controlling remote devices and servers through the command line. However, by default, the Telnet client is not installed in Windows 10 and Windows 11. This guide will walk you through the steps to enable Telnet on these operating systems.

1. Enabling Telnet via the Control Panel

The easiest way to activate the Telnet client in Windows is through the Control Panel. Follow these steps:

  1. Open the Start menu, type “Control Panel” in the search bar, and press Enter.
  2. In the Control Panel, go to “Programs” and then select “Programs and Features”.
  3. On the left side of the window, click on “Turn Windows features on or off”.
  4. In the list that appears, find Telnet Client and check the box next to it.
  5. Click OK and wait for the installation to complete.

Now, the Telnet client is enabled, and you can start using it from the command line.

2. Enabling Telnet via Command Prompt (CMD)

If you prefer using the Command Prompt, Telnet can also be activated there. Here’s how:

  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Press Win + S, type “cmd”, right-click on Command Prompt, and choose “Run as administrator”.
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:
DISM /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:TelnetClient

Once the command is executed, the Telnet client will be installed, allowing you to connect to remote servers and devices.

3. Verifying Telnet Client Installation

To check if Telnet is installed and working correctly, run the following command in Command Prompt:

telnet

If Telnet is installed properly, you’ll see a message confirming its launch, and you’ll be able to enter commands. If not, ensure that the installation process completed successfully.