Full List of Command Prompt Commands

Command Description
Append The append command can be used by programs to open filesin another directory as if
they were located in the current directory. The append command is available in MS-
DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The append command is not available
in 64-bit versions of Windows.
Bcdboot The bcdboot command is used to copy boot files to the system partition and to create
a new system BCD store. The bcdboot command is available in Windows 8 and
Windows 7.
Bcdedit The bcdedit command is used to view or make changes to Boot Configuration Data.
The bcdedit command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The
bcdedit command replaced the bootcfg command beginning in Windows Vista.
Bdehdcfg The bdehdcfg command is used to prepare a hard drive for BitLocker Drive Encryption.
The bdehdcfg command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
Bitsadmin The bitsadmin command is used to create, manage, and monitor download and upload
jobs. The bitsadmin command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista. While the bitsadmin command is available in both Windows 8 and Windows 7, it
is being phased out. The BITS PowerShell cmdlets should be used instead.
Break The break command sets or clears extended CTRL + Cchecking on DOS systems. The
break command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The
break command is available in Windows XP and later versions of Windows to provide
compatibility with MS-DOS files but it has no effect in Windows itself.
Call The call command is used to run a script or batch program from within another script
or batch program. The call command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS. The call command has no effect outside of a script or batch file. In other
words, running the call command at the Command Prompt or MS-DOS prompt will do
nothing.
Cd The cd command is the shorthand version of the chdir command. The cd command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Certreq The certreq command is used to perform various certification authority (CA) certificate
functions. The certreq command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.
Change The change command changes various terminal server settings like install modes, COM
port mappings, and logons. The change command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, and Windows Vista.
Chcp The chcp command displays or configures the active code page number. The chcp
command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Chdir The chdir command is used to display the drive letter and folder that you are currently
in. Chdir can also be used to change the drive and/or directory that you want to work
in. The chdir command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Chkdsk The chkdsk command, often referred to as check disk, is used to identify and correct
certain hard drive errors. The chkdsk command is available in all versions of Windows,
as well as in MS-DOS.
Full List of Command Prompt Commands
Chkntfs The chkntfs command is used to configure or display the checking of the disk drive
during the Windows boot process. The chkntfs command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Choice The choice command is used within a script or batch program to provide a list of
choices and return the value of that choice to the program. The choice command is
available in MS-DOS and all versions of Windows except Windows XP. Use the set
command with the /p switch in place of the choice command in batch files and scripts
that you plan to use in Windows XP.
Cipher The cipher command shows or changes the encryption status of files and folders
on NTFS partitions. The cipher command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Clip The clip command is used to redirect the output from any command to the clipboard in
Windows. The clip command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.
Cls The cls command clears the screen of all previously entered commands and other text.
The cls command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Cmd The cmd command starts a new instance of the cmd.exe command interpreter. The
cmd command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP.
Cmdkey The cmdkey command is used to show, create, and remove stored user names and
passwords. The cmdkey command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.
Cmstp The cmstp command installs or uninstalls a Connection Manager service profile. The
cmstp command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP.
Color The color command is used to change the colors of the text and background within the
Command Prompt window. The color command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Comp The comp command is used to compare the contents of two files or sets of files. The
comp command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP.
Compact The compact command is used to show or change the compression state of files and
directories on NTFS partitions. The compact command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Convert The convert command is used to convert FAT or FAT32formatted volumes to the NTFS
format. The convert command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.
Copy The copy command does simply that — it copies one or more files from one location to
another. The copy command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-
DOS. The xcopy command is considered to be a more "powerful" version of the copy
command.
Cscript The cscript command is used to execute scripts via Microsoft Script Host. The cscript
Full List of Command Prompt Commands
command is available in all versions of Windows. The cscript command is most
popularly used to manage printers from the command line using scripts like
prncnfg.vbs, prndrvr.vbs, prnmngr.vbs, and others.
Ctty The ctty command is used to change the default input and output devices for the
system. The ctty command is available in Windows 98 and 95 as well as in MS-DOS. The
functions provided by the ctty command were no longer necessary beginning in
Windows XP because the command.com interpreter (MS-DOS) is no longer the default
command line interpreter.
Date The date command is used to show or change the current date. The date command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Debug The debug command starts Debug, a command line application used to test and edit
programs. The debug command is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions
of Windows. The debug command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
Del The del command is used to delete one or more files. The del command is available in
all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The del command is the same as the
erase command.
Deltree The deltree command is used to delete a directory and all the files and subdirectories
within it. The deltree command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-
DOS. Beginning in Windows XP, a folder and its files and subfolders can be removed
using the /s function of the rmdir command. Deltree was no longer needed with this
new rmdir ability so the command was removed.
Dir The dir command is used to display a list of files and folders contained inside the folder
that you are currently working in. The dir command also displays other important
information like the hard drive's serial number, the total number of files listed, their
combined size, the total amount of free space left on the drive, and more. The dir
command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Diskcomp The diskcomp command is used to compare the contents of two floppy disks. The
diskcomp command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Diskcopy The diskcopy command is used to copy the entire contents of one floppy disk to
another. The diskcopy command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in
MS-DOS.
Diskpart The diskpart command is used to create, manage, and delete hard drive partitions. The
diskpart command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP. The diskpart command replaced the fdisk command beginning in
Windows XP.
Diskperf The diskperf command is used to manage disk performance counters remotely. The
diskperf command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
Diskraid The diskraid command starts the DiskRAID tool which is used to manage and configure
RAID arrays. The diskraid command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.
Echo The echo command is used to show messages, most commonly from within script or
Full List of Command Prompt Commands
batch files. The echo command can also be used to turn the echoing feature on or off.
The echo command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Edit The edit command starts the MS-DOS Editor tool which is used to create and
modify text files. The edit command is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit
versions of Windows. The edit command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
Erase The erase command is used to delete one or more files. The erase command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The erase command is the
same as the del command.
EventcreateThe eventcreate command is used to create a custom event in an event log. The
eventcreate command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
Exit The exit command is used to end the cmd.exe (Windows) or command.com (MS-DOS)
session that you're currently working in. The exit command is available in all versions
of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Extract The extract command is used to extract the files and folders contained in Microsoft
Cabinet (CAB) files. The extract command is available in Windows 98 and 95. The
extract command was replaced by the expand command beginning in Windows XP.
Fasthelp The fasthelp command provides more detailed information on any of the other MS-
DOS commands. The fasthelp command is only available in MS-DOS. The help
command replaced the fasthelp command beginning in Windows 95.
Fastopen The fastopen command is used to add a program's hard drive location to a special list
stored in memory, potentially improving the program's launch time by removing the
need for MS-DOS to locate the application on the drive. The fastopen command is
available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The fastopen
command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows. Fastopen is only available in
Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP to support older MS-DOS files.
Fc The fc command is used to compare two individual or sets of files and then show the
differences between them. The fc command is available in all versions of Windows, as
well as in MS-DOS.
Fdisk The fdisk command is used to create, manage, and delete hard drive partitions. The
fdisk command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. The fdisk
command was replaced by the diskpart command beginning in Windows XP. Partition
management is also available from Disk Management in Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
Find The find command is used to search for a specified text string in one or more files. The
find command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Findstr The findstr command is used to find text string patterns in one or more files. The
findstr command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP.
Finger The finger command is used to return information about one or more users on a
remote computer that's running the Finger service. The finger command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Fltmc The fltmc command is used to load, unload, list, and otherwise manage Filter drivers.
Full List of Command Prompt Commands
The fltmc command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
For The for command is used to run a specified command for each file in a set of files. The
for command is most often used within a batch or script file. The for command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Forfiles The forfiles command selects one or more files to execute a specified command on.
The forfiles command is most often used within a batch or script file. The forfiles
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.