I am working on a Flutter project on Windows 11.

My Flutter version is:

Flutter 3.41.6 • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
Framework • revision db50e20168 (3 weeks ago) • 2026-03-25 16:21:00 -0700
Engine • hash 5cdd32777948fa7a648fac915f8da7120ac7e97a (revision 425cfb54d0) (19 days ago) • 2026-03-25 20:14:42.000Z
Tools • Dart 3.11.4 • DevTools 2.54.2

I am using Windows 11.

The app runs correctly in Edge, but when I try to run it on Windows desktop or on the Android emulator, I get this error:

Launching lib\main.dart on Windows in debug mode...
Error: Building with plugins requires symlink support.

Please enable Developer Mode in your system settings. Run
  start ms-settings:developers
to open settings.

Additionally, I am running the command in PowerShell, and when I try to execute:

start ms-settings:developers

I get the following error:

start : The term 'start' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.

This issue only occurs when targeting Windows desktop or emulator, but not when running on web (Edge).

What I want to understand is:

1. Why does it work in Edge but fail on Windows desktop / Android emulator?

2. Does this error always mean that Developer Mode is disabled in Windows?

3. Why does the suggested command not work in PowerShell, and what is the correct way to open that settings page from there?

I have not changed any special Windows settings yet, and I want to understand the correct approach before modifying the system.