How to Install and Use Oh My Posh: Modernize Your Terminal Prompt

If you're tired of the plain, uninspired look of your command line or PowerShell prompt, Oh My Posh is the game-changer you need. It's a powerful and flexible prompt theme engine that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, giving your shell a stylish, informative, and highly customizable look. Here’s how a PC enthusiast can install and set it up, with tips for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What Is Oh My Posh?

Oh My Posh is a cross-platform prompt engine that allows you to beautify your shell by providing themed prompts with useful contextual information—like your current directory, Git branch, runtime details, and much more. It supports rich colors, icons (with Nerd Fonts), and is compatible with multiple shells including PowerShell, bash, zsh, and fish.

Step 1: Install Oh My Posh

For Windows Users

The recommended method is via Windows Package Manager (winget):

winget install JanDeDobbeleer.OhMyPosh --source winget --scope user --force

Alternatively, you can use PowerShell Gallery:

Install-Module oh-my-posh -Scope CurrentUser

Or Chocolatey:

choco install oh-my-posh

After installing, restart your terminal. If the oh-my-posh command isn't recognized, you can add it to your PATH manually. For example:

$env:Path += ";C:\Users<your_user>\AppData\Local\Programs\oh-my-posh\bin"

For macOS Users

Installation can be done easily with Homebrew:

brew install jandedobbeleer/oh-my-posh/oh-my-posh

Or with MacPorts:

sudo port install oh-my-posh

After installation, make sure your terminal supports ANSI colors (iTerm2 is recommended for full compatibility).

For Linux Users

You can install Oh My Posh manually using curl:

curl -s https://ohmyposh.dev/install.sh | bash -s

Or with Homebrew on Linux:

brew install jandedobbeleer/oh-my-posh/oh-my-posh

Step 2: Install a Nerd Font

For the best experience, especially with icons in the prompt themes, install a Nerd Font.

Download from Nerd Fonts website.
Double-click and install the font.
Set your terminal or console app to use this font.

Step 3: Configure Your Shell to Use Oh My Posh

PowerShell Example

Edit your PowerShell Profile script (Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1). You can find its location by running:

echo $PROFILE

Add the following line to add Oh My Posh with your selected theme:

oh-my-posh init pwsh --config "$env:POSH_THEMES_PATH\paradox.omp.json" | Invoke-Expression

Replace paradox.omp.json with your preferred theme file. Themes can be found in the POSH_THEMES_PATH, typically installed with Oh My Posh.

Bash Example (Linux/macOS)

Add this line to your .bashrc or .profile:

eval "$(oh-my-posh init bash --config ~/your-theme.omp.json)"

Again, replace your-theme.omp.json with your chosen theme file.

Reload your shell (or restart the terminal) to see the change.

Step 4 (Optional): Install Terminal-Icons for PowerShell

For even more flair, Windows users can install the Terminal-Icons module to add file and folder icons:

Install-Module -Name Terminal-Icons -Repository PSGallery

Add this to your PowerShell profile:

Import-Module -Name Terminal-Icons

Step 5: Explore and Customize Themes

A wide variety of beautiful, built-in themes come with Oh My Posh. You can browse them and apply by updating your profile config line to point to the new theme—just swap out the JSON filename. Enthusiasts can even create their own custom theme configuration files for ultimate personalization.

Quick Troubleshooting

If the prompt doesn't look right, double-check that you are using a Nerd Font and that your shell supports color and icons.
After changing configurations, always restart the terminal for changes to take effect.

Conclusion

With Oh My Posh, your terminal isn't just functional—it's beautiful, modern, and uniquely yours. Installation takes just a few command lines, but the visual upgrade and productivity boost can be huge for developers, sysadmins, or anyone who lives in the shell. Experiment with themes, customize your prompt, and transform your daily workflow!

Happy customizing!