Top 50 Windows Command Prompt Commands List

The command prompt, in essence, is a text-based interface between a person and a computer.

Thanks to which the computer is given instructions by entering text commands.

The command prompt interface is opposed to menu-based program management systems, as well as various GUI implementations.

Using the command prompt is very simple: press the key combination WIN + R, after which a small Run window will appear. Type cmd in it and click OK.

Also, the command prompt can be opened via the Start menu. It is enough to press the “Start” button once and follow the path “All programs” – “Standard” – “Command prompt.” That is nothing complicated.

But sometimes you want to open a command prompt as an administrator. To do this, you can use another way.

Click the “Start” button, write cmd in the “Search programs and files” line and see the command prompt icon. Place the mouse cursor on it, then click on the right button and select “Run as administrator” in the menu.

Well, now turn to the most interesting.

Basic command prompt commands

APPEND – allows the program to open data files in the specified folders as if they are in the current folder.

ARP – view and modify the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) tables.

ASSOC – Displays or changes the connection between file name extensions and file types.

AT – launch programs and commands at a specified time.

ATTRIB – view and modify file properties.

BCDBOOT is a tool that is used to create a system partition or restore a boot environment located in a system partition.

BREAK – blocks or unlocks advanced CTRL + C processing in DOS.

BCDEDIT is a tool for managing boot configuration data.

BOOTCFG – setting or changing the parameters of the Boot.ini file.

BOOTSECT – edit boot sectors to ensure the download NTLDR or BOOTMGR.

CACLS – view or modify the Access Control List (ACL) files.

CALL – calling one batch file from another without completing the first file.

CD – Change Directory, that is, a directory change.

CHANGE – change terminal server settings.

CHGLOGON – used to view or change some parameters of the Terminal Services Windows Terminal Server.

CHKDSK – disk check with the subsequent report output.

CHCP – output or encoding task.

CHKNTFS – shows or changes the diagnostics of the drive at boot time.

CHDIR – display the name or change the current directory.

CHOICE – the organization of the dialogue with the user when executing the batch file.

CIPHER – change or display the encryption of folders or files in NTFS partitions.

CLS – clears the command window.

CMD – launch command prompt. You can run any number of copies, and they will work independently of each other.

COLOR – change and set the text color and background of the command prompt window.

COMP – command shows and compares the contents of two files.

CONVERT – file system conversion from FAT to NTFS.

COMPACT – change and display information about file compression in NTFS.

COPY – the command allows you to copy files and directories to another location.

COUNTRY – this command allows MS-DOS to use formats used in various countries to display time, date, and currency.

DATE – displays the current date and time in various formats and allows you to set the system time.

DEBUG – starts Windows debugger.

DEFRAG – run the disk defragmentation program.

DEL and ERASE – allow you to delete one or more files in the specified path.

DevCon – analog device manager.

DIANTZ – create archives .cab.

DIR – displays a list of files and subdirectories in the specified directory.

DISKPART – the tool allows you to manage objects (disks, partitions or volumes) using scripts or commands entered from the command prompt.

DOSKey – editing and recalling Windows commands, as well as creating DOSKey macros.

DRIVERQUERY – display information about installed drivers.

ECHO – The ECHO command displays the text of the console screen.

EDIT – Launch MS-DOS Editor.

ENDLOCAL – the end of the use of the local environment in the batch program.

EVENTCREATE is a command that allows an administrator to create a record of a special event in the specified event log.

EXIT – command prompt shutdown.

EXPAND – unpacking compressed files.

FC — compare file contents (compare multiple files and their contents).

FIND – search for a text string of characters in a file or several files.

FINDSTR – search strings in files using regular expressions of the specified system.

FINGER – display information about users of the specified system.

FOR – run a command for each file in the specified set.

FORMAT – formatting the disk.

FSUTIL – file system management.

FTP is a file transfer program (FTP client).

FTYPE – view and change file extensions, as well as the applications associated with them.

GETMAC – display the MAC address of the network adapter of the computer.

GOTO – in the batch program transfers control of Windows XP to the string defined by the label.

GPRESULT — The GPRESULT command displays the resulting policy (Resultant Set of Policy, RSOP) for a user or computer.

GPUPDATE — Updates both local Group Policy settings and Active Directory-based settings, including security settings on the computer where the command is executed.

HELP – call command prompt help.

HOSTNAME – display the computer name.

IF – the purpose, parameters, and examples of using the conditional statement to execute IF commands in Windows command files.

IPCONFIG – output subnet mask, standard gateway, and IP information.

LABEL – editing, including creating and deleting disk volume labels.

LOGMAN – control system performance monitor.

LOGOFF – end of the system session.

LPR – the direction of printing to the printer.

MAKECAB – archives CAB files.

MEM – Display memory usage information.

MD – create a new folder.

MKLINK – creates symbolic and hard links.

MODE – configure system devices.

MORE – paginated output in the console.

MOUNTVOL – view, create, and delete volume mount points.

MOVE – move and rename files and directories.

MOVEFILE – allows you to move or delete an occupied file during the next system boot.

MSG – sending messages to the user.

NBTSTAT – displaying NETBIOS over TCP / IP (NetBT) statistics

NET – a package of applications needed to work with the network.

NETCFG – management of network adapters, protocols, services and clients.

NETSH – local display and change network settings.

NETSTAT – displays statistics of protocols and TCP / IP network connections.

NSLOOKUP – display DNS information on the command prompt.

OPENFILES – output and manage a list of open folders and files in the system.

PATH – display information about hidden networks and data loss.

PATHPING – route tracing with the ability to assess the quality of sections of the route.

PAUSE – pause script when executing the batch file.

PING – check the availability of the site.

POPD – changes the current directory to the directory saved by the PUSHD command.

POWERCFG – changes the power settings and configures the computer to use the default standby or sleep mode.

PRINT – print text file.

PROMPT – change command prompt prompt.

PUSHD – saves the current directory path for use by the POPD command.

QPROCESS – output information about the state of processes.

QUERY – the command displays all user processes running on the terminal server. The name of the user who started the process is also displayed.

QUSER – a command to view information about active sessions on the server.

RASDIAL – command prompt communication interface for a remote access service client.

RASPHONE – manage remote access sessions.

RD – delete a directory or folder.

REAGENTC — Used to configure a Windows recovery environment boot image and a one-click recovery image for recovery, as well as to administer recovery settings and settings.

RECOVER – reading sector files and restoring information that can still be read.

REG – display, add and change information in registry keys.

REGSVR32 – register or unregister DLL files.

REM – add a comment to batch files or configuration files.

RENAME or REN – allows you to change the names of files or folders.

REPLACE – changes or adds files.

RESET is a terminal service reset utility.

RMDIR – delete directory (folder).

ROUTE – processing network route tables.

RUNAS – launching an application on behalf of another user.

RUNDLL32 – allows you to run some command functions embedded in DLL files.

SC – Manage Windows services and communicate with NT Service Controller.

SCHTASKS – control task scheduler.

SET – sets, deletes and scans the environment variables.

SETLOCAL – makes localization of changes in the environment in the batch file.

SETX – create and delete environment variable.

SFC is a Windows system file checker.

SHADOW – allows you to monitor another terminal services session.

SHIFT – changes the position of batch parameters in batch files.

SHUTDOWN – end of the session, shutdown or restart the computer.

SORT – sorting lines in a text file.

START – launch an application or batch file.

SUBST – assignment of the drive to the specified path.

SYSTEMINFO – displays information about the system.

TASKKILL – completion of one or several processes at once.

TASKLIST – display a list of running applications and system services.

TIME – display, as well as setting the system time.

TELNET is a telnet client of the system (a program for exchanging textual information between computers on the Internet).

TIMEOUT – allows you to set a specific waiting period in the transfer of batch files.

TITLE – allows you to change the title of the command prompt window.

TRACERT is a service computer program designed to determine the route of data in TCP / IP networks.

TREE – display drive directory in a convenient visual form.

TYPE – displays the contents of text files on the monitor screen.

VER – shows the version of the operating system.

VERIFY – checks the correctness of writing files to disk and displays the status of the check.

VOL – shows the label and volume serial number for the disk.

W32TM – time service diagnostics.

WHERE – determines the location of files.

WHOAMI – information about the user.

WINRM – Windows remote control using an interpreter.

WINSAT is a system performance test.

WMIC – displays WMI on the command prompt.

XCOPY – copy files and folders in the system.

Conclusions

The command line in the Windows operating system allows the user to control the computer without using a graphical interface.

To perform certain actions on a PC, you need to enter special commands into the command line interpreter.

This article published a table with a list of the most popular commands for the Windows command line.