Add to PATH
In order to access certain console applications from any directory, you'll need to add it to your PATH.
When an application is added to your path, that application doesn't need to be in the folder you are currently in for you to invoke it.
As an example, we'll use FFMPEG which is the most widely used application that works with this example.
Not Found Error
We can see that we cannot invoke FFMPEG from within the Desktop path.
We need to be directly in the FFMPEG directory in order to use it as we can see below.
Because we're in the actual FFMPEG bin directory, where FFMPEG.exe is located, we can actually use FFMPEG.
Note how the directory we invoked FFMPEG is C:\ffmpeg\bin which is where FFMPEG.exe is located.
This isn't useful for us because we need to invoke FFMPEG anywhere on the system, not just in this specific folder.
File Location
After downloading the FFMPEG folder, we place it somewhere we will not delete it. I place these programs in the C Drive as shown above.
It doesn't matter where you put it but it's best to put it in a place where you know you won't delete it.
Setting Up Environmental Variables
To access Environmental Variables do one of the following:
1. Search for Environmental Variables in Windows Search
2. Open a Run Box and type: sysdm.cpl then go to the Advanced Tab
Doesn't matter how you access it as long as we get the System Properties window.
From here you can click on that Environmental Variables button to actually get into EV.
We want to add it to the PATH but there are two options. Which one do we pick?
If we want EVERY user on the system to have access to FFMPEG from anywhere on the system, we'd use the bottom Path.
If we only want our user specifically to have access to FFMPEG from anywhere on the system, we'd use the top Path.
If you're the only person using your computer, it doesn't really matter which one you choose but it's common practice to use the User Variable Path at the top.
Double-click on the path you want to edit, in my case I'll be doing the top user Path.
From here, you want to add the path to the FFMPEG file which is located in the BIN folder in FFMPEG.
My FFMPEG file is located in C:\ffmpeg\bin so that's what I put into that new window after hitting New.
Hit Ok on all the windows that were previously opened and close and re-open your command prompt if you haven't done so already.
Testing PATH
Notice that when you try that same FFMPEG command outside of that folder, it works.
Here, we're doing it from C:\Users\Anonymous\Desktop and yet invoking FFMPEG still works.
You no longer need to be inside of C:\ffmpeg\bin in order to use FFMPEG, now you can use it anywhere!
Programs similar to FFMPEG, such as YT-DLP, can be added to your PATH the exact same way.