Telnet is a networking protocol that has been around for decades and allows users to log in remotely to a server or other device via the command line. Although SSH is more recommended in modern networking, Telnet still has its uses in some specific scenarios. Here are the detailed steps to enable or install Telnet on Windows 10 or 11.
Open the Control panel. Press the Windows + R key to open the Run dialog box, type control, and press Enter. In the Control Panel, select Programs, and then click Programs and Features. In the left menu, click Enable or Disable Windows features. In the window that pops up, scroll down, find the Telnet client option, check it, and click "OK".
The system automatically downloads and installs the Telnet client. After the installation is complete, you can use the telnet command through the command line.
Run PowerShell as an administrator. Type PowerShell in the search box on the taskbar, right-click on "Windows PowerShell", and select "Run as administrator".
In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press enter:
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:TelnetClient
This command enables the Telnet client of Windows.
Open the command prompt, press the Windows + R key, type cmd, and press Enter. Enter the command to enable Telnet In the command prompt window, enter the following command:
pkgmgr /iu:"TelnetClient"
Then press Enter. The system automatically installs the Telnet client.
Verify that Telnet is successfully installed. Start by opening the command prompt
Press the Windows + R key, type cmd, and press Enter.
Testing Telnet. Enter the following command and press Enter:
telnet
If you see the Telnet prompt, Telnet has been successfully installed.
Precautions for installing telnet
Restart the computer: After the installation is complete, restart the computer to ensure that the Telnet client is fully enabled.
Administrator permission: Administrator permission is required to enable Telnet.
Security Tip: Telnet is not a secure protocol because it transmits data in plain text. It is recommended to use Telnet only in a secure environment, or consider using the more secure SSH.
