microsoft/Terminal

initialRows/initialCols should respect the first launched profile in a window, rather than the default

Open

#19265 opened on Aug 22, 2025

View on GitHub
 (3 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)C++ (35,764 stars) (3,212 forks)batch import
Area-UserInterfaceHelp WantedImpact-VisualIssue-BugPriority-3Product-Terminal

Description

Current behavior

Currently, the --size command uses the font of the default profile to calculate window size, which results in a different size when opening another profile with a different font setting.

Proposed change

Add a new Default launch size field to profile settings. If only one profile is requested at launch, use the size from the new field (--size overrides it) with the font settings of the specified profile. If multiple profiles is requested, use the current behavior.

Why do I need this feature

This is important for my workflow as I need to open an instance with many small cells instead of a few big cells. Changing from the settings page is slow and ruins the default settings.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
desktop
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
3-5 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
C++Windows Terminal profile settingsXAML UI
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
45
Research direction
Investigate the current implementation of the size flag and how it uses the default profile's font to calculate window size. Identify where the initial rows and columns are set, likely in TerminalSettingsModel or TerminalApp. Propose adding a new 'Default launch size' field to profile settings, allowing per profile override. When a single profile is launched, use its font and the new field (overridden by size). For multiple profiles, keep current behavior. Look at existing code for profile settings UI and window size logic.