.MSC files, also known as Microsoft Saved Console files, are snap-in control files that open in the Microsoft Management Console with a Graphical User Interface (GUI). These can be used to control and monitor different elements of the operating system, such as disk management, Windows services, etc. Although users can open various Management Consoles in Windows (22 to be exact), they can also create their own version of Management Consoles that holds one or more .MSC files, which can then be shared with other people. The Microsoft Management Console has been around since Windows 98 but has since been carried forward into all Windows and Server releases. In this article, we are going to be discussing all Microsoft Management Consoles in Windows and Server so it is easier for you to understand how to access them, and what each of them is used for.
How to List All MSC Files in Windows
.MSC files can be opened by entering the file’s name with the extension into Run (Windows Key + R Shortcut keys). In Windows, you can obtain the complete list of the available .MSC files by running the following command in Windows PowerShell:
How to List All MSC Files in Windows List of All MSC Files in Windows (Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7) List of All MSC Files in Servers (Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016) How to Open MSC File Open .msc file using Run dialog Open .msc file from File Explorer Open .msc files using MMC Console Final Thoughts
You can run each of the .msc files in Run to bring up the respective snap-ins in Microsoft Management Console.
List of All MSC Files in Windows (Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7)
Below is a list of all the .MSC files that you may find in Windows along with a brief description of what they are used for: Learn about the top 10 Management Console snap-ins for Windows 11.
List of All MSC Files in Servers (Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016)
Below is a list of all the .MSC files that you may find on Microsoft Server:
How to Open MSC File
Open .msc file using Run dialog
The most common method to open a .MSC file is by putting in its name in Run. Look for the snap-in MSC file from the list given above which you wish to open, and paste it in Run (Windows Key + R shortcut keys). Entering the services.msc command above will open the Services Manager.
Open .msc file from File Explorer
You can also open the .MSC files directly from the File Explorer. Navigate to the following location: Here, scroll down and you will find the .MSC files with their Type defined as “Microsoft Common Console Document.”
Open .msc files using MMC Console
You can also add an MSC snap-in to MMC directly. Follow the steps below to learn how:
Final Thoughts
Despite the fact that snap-in .MSC files can be extremely useful, especially to system and network administrators, they can also be a complete disaster if you do not understand what you are doing. We recommend that you only access them if you need to troubleshoot your operating system and make any necessary changes so that you know how they work or monitor your resources.
