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Windows Terminal and ConPTY

Microsoft's terminal for Windows 10 and 11, and the console host (conhost.exe / OpenConsole) that provides the pseudo-console every Windows terminal uses to run console applications.

Identity

  • TERM: not set by Windows Terminal. WSL distributions set xterm-256color; Cygwin/MSYS2 shells set their own.
  • TERM_PROGRAM: not set.
  • WT_SESSION: a GUID identifying the Windows Terminal session; its presence is the usual detection heuristic. WT_PROFILE_ID is also set.
  • DA1: CSI ? 61 ; 4 ; 6 ; 7 ; 14 ; 21 ; 22 ; 23 ; 24 ; 28 ; 32 ; 42 c ? (VT100-level class with feature flags; check the current build).
  • DA2: CSI > 0 ; 10 ; 1 c ?.
  • XTVERSION: ?

ConPTY

Console applications on Windows do not write to a PTY. They call the console API or write VT to a console handle owned by the console host. ConPTY renders that into an internal screen buffer and then re-emits the buffer state as a VT stream to the attached terminal. Consequences:

  • sequences the console host does not model never reach the terminal;
  • attributes and cursor movement may be re-serialized in a different form;
  • input from the terminal is decoded into console input records and then re-encoded for applications that read VT, which is why the win32-input-mode protocol (CSI ? 9001 h) exists;
  • the console host and the terminal have separate version numbers, and both matter.

WSL, Cygwin, and MSYS2 programs run through the same path when launched from Windows Terminal. ConPTY passthrough mode (a later addition) reduces the rewriting for applications that opt in; check the build.

Documentation

Notable behavior

  • Supports truecolor, DECSCUSR, mouse modes including SGR, bracketed paste, alternate screen, OSC 8, OSC 52 writes, and OSC 9;4 progress (its own extension, adopted by ConEmu-style conventions).
  • Sixel graphics arrived in 1.22.
  • Originated win32-input-mode and OSC 9;9 (current working directory).
  • Does not implement the Kitty keyboard protocol or the Kitty graphics protocol.
  • The legacy console host without VT processing enabled still exists on older systems; ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING must be set by applications targeting it.

Version notes

1.xx numbering with Preview and Stable channels; the release notes list VT additions.

Probe

wt -v
tools/query '\033[c'

Feature support

Records are maintained independently in tdn/terminals/windows-terminal.yaml. Unlisted features are unknown. See the comparison for all features.

FeatureSupportAs ofNotes and evidence
BEL urgency/visual
c0-bel-attention		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

14/16 pixel sizes
csi-14-16-t-pixel-sizes		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

18 size in cells
csi-18-t-text-size		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

22/23 title stack
csi-22-23-t-title-stack		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

ED 3 (scrollback)
csi-3-j-erase-scrollback		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

DECRQM
csi-decrqm		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

DECSLRM / ?69
csi-decslrm		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

DECSTBM
csi-decstbm		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

DECSTR
csi-decstr		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

ED/EL/ECH/ICH/DCH/IL/DL
csi-editing-operations		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

REP
csi-rep		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

SU/SD
csi-su-sd-scroll		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Kitty keyboard protocol
csi-u-kitty-keyboard		UnknownImported · unverifiedUnversioned?; Open feature request ([microsoft/terminal issue on kitty keyboard protocol](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/issues/16155).)

import

DECRQSS
dcs-decrqss		PartialImported · unverifiedUnversionedPartial; [console VT sequences](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/console/console-virtual-terminal-sequences) list `m` and `r` `?`

import

Sixel
dcs-sixel		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes, 1.22 ([Windows Terminal 1.22 release notes](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases).) | Also recorded: Yes, 1.22 ([Windows Terminal releases](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases), 1.22.)

import import

XTGETTCAP
dcs-xtgettcap		UnknownImported · unverifiedUnversioned?; not in the console VT list

import

1000 mouse
dec-mode-1000-mouse		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

1002 button motion
dec-mode-1002-button-motion		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

1003 all motion
dec-mode-1003-all-motion		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

1004 focus
dec-mode-1004-focus		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes ([microsoft/terminal VT support](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/blob/main/doc/specs/%234999%20-%20Improved%20keyboard%20handling%20in%20Conpty.md) and [Windows Terminal 1.x release notes](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases).)

import

1006 sgr mouse
dec-mode-1006-sgr-mouse		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

1007 alternate scroll
dec-mode-1007-alternate-scroll		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

1015 urxvt mouse
dec-mode-1015-urxvt-mouse		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

1049 alternate screen
dec-mode-1049-alternate-screen		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

2004 bracketed paste
dec-mode-2004-bracketed-paste		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes | Also recorded: Yes; ([Windows Terminal 1.x release notes](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases).)

import import

2026 synchronized output
dec-mode-2026-synchronized-output		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Grapheme cluster mode (2027)
dec-mode-2027-grapheme-clusters		UnknownImported · unverifiedUnversioned?; Issue tracked upstream

import

win32-input-mode
dec-mode-9001-win32-input		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes; Origin; both as ConPTY host and consumer ([Improved keyboard handling in Conpty](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/blob/main/doc/specs/%234999%20-%20Improved%20keyboard%20handling%20in%20Conpty.md).)

import

DEC Special Graphics
esc-dec-special-graphics		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes ([Windows Terminal](https://github.com/microsoft/terminal), `adaptDispatch` charset support.)

import

OSC 0/2 set
osc-0-2-title		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

OSC 10/11 set
osc-10-11-default-colors-set		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

OSC 133 A–D
osc-133-prompt-marks		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes (1.18)

import

OSC 4 set
osc-4-palette-set		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

OSC 52 read
osc-52-read		UnknownImported · unverifiedUnversioned?; Writes allowed; reads unimplemented

import

OSC 52 write
osc-52-write		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes (1.16); Writes allowed; reads unimplemented

import

OSC 8 hyperlinks
osc-8-hyperlinks		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes (1.4)

import

OSC 9;4 progress
osc-9-4-progress		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes (1.6)

import

OSC 9;9
osc-9-9-working-directory		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

OSC 9 notify
osc-9-notification		UnsupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedNo (Windows Terminal interprets OSC 9 sub-commands in the ConEmu style.)

import

256 colors
sgr-256-colors		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Italic 3
sgr-3-italic		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Colon form 38:2
sgr-38-2-colon-form		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Truecolor 38;2
sgr-38-2-truecolor		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Underline styles 4:n
sgr-4-underline-styles		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Blink 5
sgr-5-blink		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Underline color 58
sgr-58-underline-color		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Strikethrough 9
sgr-9-strikethrough		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

bce
terminfo-bce		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Bold-is-bright option
text-bold-is-bright		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes ([Windows Terminal profile settings, `intenseTextStyle`](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/terminal/customize-settings/profile-appearance).)

import

Synthesized box drawing
text-box-drawing		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Color emoji rendering
text-color-emoji		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Italic face
text-italic-face		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import

Ligatures / shaping
text-shaping		SupportedImported · unverifiedUnversionedYes

import