Start MATLAB on Windows Platforms

Choose one of these ways to start MATLAB^®.

When you start MATLAB, it automatically adds the userpath folder to the search path. MATLAB also reopens any desktop components that were open when you last shut down.

To customize startup, see Specify Startup Options.

The MATLAB startup folder is the folder you are in when you get the MATLAB prompt. To change the default startup folder, see MATLAB Startup Folder.

If you have trouble starting MATLAB, then see Installation and Licensing.

Select MATLAB Icon

On Microsoft^® Windows^® platforms, double-click the MATLAB icon. With this option, the startup folder is the last working folder from the previous MATLAB session or the custom path specified in the Initial working folder preference. The Initial working folder preference is located in the General Preferences page of the Preferences window.

You also can specify a custom startup folder in the MATLAB shortcut icon using the Start in field. However, this technique is the same as setting a custom path in the Initial working folder preference. If you enter an invalid path in the Start in field, then the startup folder is unpredictable. To set a custom path in the Start in field:

Right-click the shortcut icon for MATLAB and select Properties from the context menu. The Properties dialog box for MATLAB opens to the Shortcut pane.
In the Start in field, type the full path to a folder on your system, and then click OK.

Call `matlab` from Windows System Command Line

From the Windows system prompt, type matlab.

The startup folder is the folder in which you run the matlab command. To use the folder specified by the Initial working folder preference, type:

matlab -useStartupFolderPref

Call `matlab` from MATLAB Command Prompt

If you start another MATLAB session from within MATLAB, then the startup folder is folder where you call the command:

!matlab

To display the startup folder, type pwd before calling matlab.

Open File Associated with MATLAB

The MATLAB installer sets up associations between certain file types and MathWorks^® products. MATLAB starts when you open one of those files. The startup folder is the folder containing the file.

For example, using the Windows Explorer tool, double-click a file with a .m extension. MATLAB starts and opens the file in the MATLAB Editor.

Select MATLAB Executable from Windows Explorer Tool

When you double-click the matlab.exe file from the Windows Explorer, the startup folder is one of the following:

The last working folder from the previous MATLAB session.
The custom path specified in the Initial working folder preference.