TECH FOR HUMANS

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SOFTWARE & APPS > WINDOWS 1,171

The Complete List of

Command Prompt (CMD)
Commands
Your go-to list of CMD commands for all versions of
Windows
By Tim Fisher Updated on May 13, 2024

In This Article

CMD Commands vs DOS Commands

Command Prompt Commands List

Specific Commands for Your OS

The Command Prompt in Windows provides access to over

280 commands. These commands are used to do certain operating
system tasks from a command-line interpreter instead of the graphical
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Windows interface we use most of the time.

For example, Command Prompt commands let you copy data to a
different folder, format an entire disk, back up your files, send
SKIP TO CONTENT
 messages to other computers, restart your computer, and much
more. There are also several Command Prompt tricks and hacks that
TECH FOR HUMANS
utilize some of these commands.
In This Article

CMD Commands vs DOS Commands

It's important to know that the commands in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7,
Vista, and XP are called CMD commands or Command Prompt
commands, and the commands in Windows 98/95 and MS-DOS are
called DOS commands. We've included all of them in this list to help
show changes in commands from operating system to operating
system.

Command Prompt Commands List

Below is a complete list of Command Prompt commands, often called

CMD commands (and sometimes incorrectly as Command Prompt
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codes), available from the Command Prompt in Windows

11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.
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 Related: How to Open Command Prompt (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, etc.)

TECH FOR HUMANS

Tip: Press Ctrl + F while using a desktop browser for a quick
In This Article
way to find more information about a specific command or to
look for a particular keyword in this table.

Full List of Command Prompt Commands

Command Description

Append The append command can be used by

programs to open files in 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.

Arp The arp command is used to display or change

entries in the ARP cache. The arp command is
available in all versions of Windows.

Assoc The assoc command is used to display or

change the file type associated with a particular
file extension. The assoc command is available
in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

At The at command is used to schedule commands

and other programs to run at a specific date
and time. The at command is available in
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Beginning in Windows 8, command line task

scheduling should instead be completed with
the schtasks command.
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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Atmadm The atmadm command is used to display
information
In Thisrelated
Article to asynchronous transfer
mode (ATM) connections on the system. The
atmadm command is available in Windows XP.
Support for ATM was removed beginning in
Windows Vista, making the atmadm command
unnecessary.

Attrib The attrib command is used to change the

attributes of a single file or a directory. The
attrib command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Auditpol The auditpol command is used to display or

change audit policies. The auditpol command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

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 11, Windows 10,
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 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista. The bcdedit command replaced
the bootcfg command beginning in Windows
Vista.
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Bdehdcfg The bdehdcfg command is used to prepare a

hard drive for BitLocker Drive Encryption. The

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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECHcommand
bdehdcfg FOR HUMANS
is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
In This Article
Bitsadmin The bitsadmin command is used to create,
manage, and monitor download and upload
jobs. The bitsadmin command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista. While the
bitsadmin command is available in those
versions of Windows, it is being phased out—
the BITS PowerShell cmdlets should be used
instead.

Bootcfg The bootcfg command is used to build, modify,

or view the contents of the boot.ini file, a
hidden file that is used to identify in what
folder, on which partition, and on which hard
drive Windows is located. The bootcfg
command is available in Windows 10, Windows
8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP. The bootcfg command was replaced by the
bcdedit command beginning in Windows Vista.
Bootcfg is still available in Windows 10, 8, 7,
and Vista, but it serves no real value since
boot.ini is not used in these operating systems.

Bootsect The bootsect command is used to configure the

master boot code to one compatible with
BOOTMGR (Vista and later) or NTLDR (XP and
earlier). The bootsect command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8. The
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bootsect command is also available in Windows

7 and Windows Vista but only from the
Command Prompt available in System Recovery
SKIP TO CONTENT Options.
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Break The break command sets or clears extended
CTRL+C checking
In This Articleon 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.

Cacls The cacls command is used to display or

change access control lists of files. The cacls
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP. The cacls command is being
phased out in favor of the icacls command,
which should be used instead in all versions of
Windows after Windows XP.

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.
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Certreq The certreq command is used to perform

various certification authority (CA) certificate
SKIP TO CONTENT functions. The certreq command is available in
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH11,FORWindows
Windows HUMANS 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
In This Article
Certutil The certutil command is used to dump and
display certification authority (CA) configuration
information in addition to other CA functions.
The certutil command is available in Windows
11, Windows 10, 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 11, Windows 10,
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.

Checknetisolation The checknetisolation command is used to test

apps that require network capabilities. The
checknetisolation command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8.
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Chglogon The chglogon command enables, disables, or

drains terminal server session logins. The
SKIP TO CONTENT chglogon command is available in Windows 11,
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
WindowsTECH10,FORWindows
HUMANS 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista. Executing the chglogon
In This Article
command is the same as executing change
logon.

Chgport The chgport command can be used to display

or change COM port mappings for DOS
compatibility. The chgport command is available
in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Executing the
chgport command is the same as executing
change port.

Chgusr The chgusr command is used to change the

install mode for the terminal server. The chgusr
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista. Executing the chgusr command is the
same as executing change user.

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.

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 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
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Windows XP.

Choice The choice command is used within a script or

batch program to provide a list of choices and
SKIP TO CONTENT return the value of that choice to the program.
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH command
The choice FOR HUMANSis available in MS-DOS
and all versions of Windows except Windows
In This Article
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 11, Windows 10, 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 11, Windows 10, 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 11, Windows
10, 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
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11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and

Windows Vista.

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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Cmstp The cmstp command installs or uninstalls a
Connection
In This Manager
Article service profile. The cmstp
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, 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 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.

Command The command command starts a new instance

of the command.com command interpreter. The
command command is available in MS-DOS as
well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The
command command is not available in 64-bit
versions of Windows.

Comp The comp command is used to compare the

contents of two files or sets of files. The comp
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, 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 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
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and Windows XP.

Convert The convert command is used to convert FAT or

FAT32 formatted volumes to the NTFS format.
SKIP TO CONTENT The convert command is available in Windows
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR10,HUMANS
11, Windows Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
In This Article
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 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.
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Dblspace The dblspace command is used to create or

configure DoubleSpace compressed drives. The
dblspace command is available in Windows 98
SKIP TO CONTENT and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. DriveSpace,
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH
executed FOR HUMANS
using the drvspace command, is an
updated version of DoubleSpace. Windows
In This Article
began handling compression beginning in
Windows XP.

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.

Defrag The defrag command is used to defragment a

drive you specify. The defrag command is the
command line version of Microsoft's Disk
Defragmenter. The defrag command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-
DOS.

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
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function of the rmdir command. Deltree was no

longer needed with this new rmdir ability so the
command was removed.

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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Diantz The diantz command is used to losslessly
compress one
In This or more files. The diantz
Article
command is sometimes called Cabinet Maker.
The diantz command is available in Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The diantz
command is the same as the makecab
command.

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, with the
exclusion of Windows 11 and Windows 10.

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,
with the exclusion of Windows 11 and Windows
10.
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Diskpart The diskpart command is used to create,

manage, and delete hard drive partitions. The
diskpart command is available in Windows 11,
SKIP TO CONTENT Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
WindowsTECHVista,
FOR HUMANS
and Windows XP. The diskpart
command replaced the fdisk command
In This Article
beginning in Windows XP.

Diskperf The diskperf command is used to manage disk

performance counters remotely. The diskperf
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, 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 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Dism The dism command starts the Deployment

Image Servicing and Management tool (DISM).
The DISM tool is used to manage features in
Windows images. The dism command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Dispdiag The dispdiag command is used to output a log

of information about the display system. The
dispdiag command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.

Djoin The djoin command is used to create a new

computer account in a domain. The djoin
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
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10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows

Vista.

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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Doskey The doskey command is used to edit command
lines, In
create macros, and recall previously
This Article
entered commands. The doskey command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Dosshell The dosshell command starts DOS Shell, a

graphical file management tool for MS-DOS.
The dosshell command is available in Windows
95 (in MS-DOS mode) and also in MS-DOS
version 6.0 and later MS-DOS versions that
were upgraded from previous versions that
contained the dosshell command. A graphical
file manager, Windows Explorer, became an
integrated part of the operating system
beginning in Windows 95.

Dosx The dosx command is used to start DOS

Protected Mode Interface (DPMI), a special
mode designed to give MS-DOS applications
access to more than the normally allowed 640
KB. The dosx command is available in Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP. The dosx command is not
available in 64-bit versions of Windows. The
dosx command and DPMI is only available in
Windows to support older MS-DOS programs.

Driverquery The driverquery command is used to show a list

of all installed drivers. The driverquery
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
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10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,

and Windows XP.

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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Drvspace The drvspace command is used to create or
configure DriveSpace
In This Article compressed drives. The
drvspace command is available in Windows 98
and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. DriveSpace is an
updated version of DoubleSpace, executed
using the dblspace command. Windows began
handling compression beginning in Windows
XP.

Echo The echo command is used to show messages,

most commonly from within script or 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.

Edlin The edlin command starts the Edlin tool which is

used to create and modify text files from the
command line. The edlin command is available
in all 32-bit versions of Windows but is not
available in 64-bit versions of Windows. In MS-
DOS, the edlin command is only available up to
MS-DOS 5.0, so unless your later version of MS-
DOS was upgraded from 5.0 or prior, you won't
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see the edlin command.

Emm386 The emm386 command is used to give MS-DOS

SKIP TO CONTENT access to more than 640 KB of memory (RAM).
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FORcommand
The emm386 HUMANS is available in Windows
98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Windows
In This Article
itself has access to extended and expanded
memory beginning in Windows 95.

Endlocal The endlocal command is used to end the

localization of environment changes inside a
batch or script file. The endlocal command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.

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.

Esentutl The esentutl command is used to manage

Extensible Storage Engine databases. The
esentutl command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Eventcreate The eventcreate command is used to create a

custom event in an event log. The eventcreate
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Eventtriggers The eventtriggers command is used to configure

and display event triggers. The eventtriggers
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command is available in Windows XP.

Beginning in Windows Vista, event triggers are
created using the Attach Task To This Event
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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
feature TECH FOR HUMANS
in Event Viewer, making the
eventtriggers command unnecessary.
In This Article
Exe2bin The exe2bin command is used to convert a file
of the EXE file type (executable file) to a binary
file. The exe2bin command is available in 32-bit
versions of Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows
7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The
exe2bin command is not available in any 64-bit
version of Windows.

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.

Expand The expand command is used to extract the files

and folders contained in Microsoft Cabinet
(CAB) files. The expand command is available
in MS-DOS as well as in all versions of
Windows. The expand command is not available
in the 64-bit version of Windows XP.

Extrac32 The extrac32 command is used to extract the

files and folders contained in Microsoft Cabinet
(CAB) files. The extrac32 command is available
in all versions of Windows. The extrac32
command is actually a CAB extraction program
that can extract any Microsoft Cabinet file. Use
the expand command instead of the extrac32
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command if possible.

Extract The extract command is used to extract the files

and folders contained in Microsoft Cabinet
SKIP TO CONTENT (CAB) files. The extract command is available in
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
WindowsTECH98FOR HUMANS
and 95. The extract command was
replaced by the expand command beginning in
In This Article
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 10, 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
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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
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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH
available FORDisk
from HUMANS
Management in Windows
11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
In This Article
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 11, Windows
10, 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 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Fltmc The fltmc command is used to load, unload, list,

and otherwise manage Filter drivers. The fltmc
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Fondue The fondue command, short for Features on

Demand User Experience Tool, is used to install
any of the several optional Windows features
from the command line. The fondue command
is available in Windows 11, Windows 10, and
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Windows 8. Optional Windows features can

also be installed from the Programs and
Features applet in Control Panel.
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 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
For The for command is used to run a specified
command
In ThisforArticle
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.

Forcedos The forcedos command is used to start the

specified program in the MS-DOS subsystem.
The forcedos command is only available in 32-
bit versions of Windows XP. The forcedos
command is only used for MS-DOS programs
that are not recognized as such by Windows XP.

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 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Format The format command is used to format a drive

in the file system that you specify. The format
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. Drive
formatting is also available from Disk
Management in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista,
and XP.

Fsutil The fsutil command is used to perform various

FAT and NTFS file system tasks like managing
reparse points and sparse files, dismounting a
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volume, and extending a volume. The fsutil

command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
SKIP TO CONTENT and Windows XP.
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Ftp The ftp command can be used to transfer files to
and from another
In This computer. The remote
Article
computer must be operating as an FTP server.
The ftp command is available in all versions of
Windows.

Ftype The ftype command is used to define a default

program to open a specified file type. The ftype
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Getmac The getmac command is used to display the

media access control (MAC) address of all the
network controllers on a system. The getmac
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Goto The goto command is used in a batch or script

file to direct the command process to a labeled
line in the script. The goto command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Gpresult The gpresult command is used to display Group

Policy settings. The gpresult command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.

Gpupdate The gpupdate command is used to update

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Group Policy settings. The gpupdate command

is available in Windows 11, Windows 10,

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH8,FOR
Windows HUMANS 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows
Windows XP.
In This Article
Graftabl The graftabl command is used to enable the
ability of Windows to display an extended
character set in graphics mode. The graftabl
command is available in all versions of
Windows and in MS-DOS up to version 5.0. The
graftabl command is not available in 64-bit
versions of Windows.

Graphics The graphics command is used to load a

program that can print graphics. The graphics
command is available in MS-DOS as well as in
all 32-bit versions of Windows. The graphics
command is not available in 64-bit versions of
Windows.

Help The help command provides more detailed

information on any of the other Command
Prompt or MS-DOS commands. The help
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Hostname The hostname command displays the name of

the current host. The hostname command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.

Hwrcomp The hwrcomp command is used to compile

custom dictionaries for handwriting recognition.
tnemesitrevdA

The hwrcomp command is available in Windows

8 and Windows 7.

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Hwrreg The hwrreg command is used to install a
previously compiled
In This Article custom dictionary for
handwriting recognition. The hwrreg command
is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.

Icacls The icacls command is used to display or

change access control lists of files. The icacls
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista. The icacls command is an updated
version of the cacls command.

If The if command is used to perform conditional

functions in a batch file. The if command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Interlnk The interlnk command is used to connect two

computers via a serial or parallel connection to
share files and printers. The interlnk command
is only available in MS-DOS. The ability to
directly connect two computers is handled by
the networking functions in all versions of
Windows.

Intersvr The intersvr command is used to start the

Interlnk server and to copy Interlnk files from
one computer to another. The intersvr command
is only available in MS-DOS. The ability to
directly connect two computers is handled by
the networking functions in all versions of
tnemesitrevdA

Windows.

Ipconfig The ipconfig command is used to display

detailed IP information for each network adapter
SKIP TO CONTENT utilizing TCP/IP. The ipconfig command can
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
also beTECH
usedFOR
to HUMANS
release and renew IP addresses
on systems configured to receive them via a
In This Article
DHCP server. The ipconfig command is
available in all versions of Windows.

Ipxroute The ipxroute command is used to display and

change information about IPX routing tables.
The ipxroute command is available in Windows
XP. Microsoft removed their built-in NetWare
client beginning in Windows Vista, removing
the associated ipxroute command as well.

Irftp The irftp command is used to transmit files over

an infrared link. The irftp command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Iscsicli The iscsicli command starts the Microsoft iSCSI

Initiator, used to manage iSCSI. The iscsicli
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Kb16 The kb16 command is used to support MS-DOS

files that need to configure a keyboard for a
specific language. The kb16 command is
available in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows
7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The kb16
command is not available in 64-bit versions of
Windows. The kb16 command replaced the
keyb command beginning in Windows XP but
only exists to support older MS-DOS files.
tnemesitrevdA

Keyb The keyb command is used to configure a

keyboard for a specific language. The keyb
command is available in Windows 98 and 95,
SKIP TO CONTENT as well as in MS-DOS. See the kb16 command
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
for an equivalent command in later versions of
Windows. Keyboard language settings are
In This Article
handled by the Region and Language or
Regional and Language Options (depending on
the version of Windows) Control Panel applets
in Windows beginning in Windows XP.

Klist The klist command is used to list Kerberos

service tickets. The klist command can also be
used to purge Kerberos tickets. The klist
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8 and Windows 7.

Ksetup The ksetup command is used to configure

connections to a Kerberos server. The ksetup
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8 and Windows 7.

Ktmutil The ktmutil command starts the Kernel

Transaction Manager utility. The ktmutil
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Label The label command is used to manage the

volume label of a disk. The label command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Lh The lh command is the shorthand version of the

loadhigh command. The lh command is
available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in
tnemesitrevdA

MS-DOS.

Licensingdiag The licensingdiag command is a tool used to

SKIP TO CONTENT generate a text-based log and other data files
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR
that contain HUMANS
product activation and other
Windows licensing information. The
In This Article
licensingdiag command is available in Windows
11, Windows 10, and Windows 8.

Loadfix The loadfix command is used to load the

specified program in the first 64K of memory
and then runs the program. The loadfix
command is available in MS-DOS as well as in
all 32-bit versions of Windows. The loadfix
command is not available in 64-bit versions of
Windows.

Loadhigh The loadhigh command is used to load a

program into high memory and is usually used
from within the autoexec.bat file. The loadhigh
command is available in Windows 98 and 95,
as well as in MS-DOS. Memory usage is
handled automatically beginning in Windows
XP.

Lock The lock command is used to lock a drive,

enabling direct disk access for a program. The
lock command is only available in Windows 98
and 95. Drive locking is no longer available as
of Windows XP.

Lodctr The lodctr command is used to update registry

values related to performance counters. The
lodctr command is available in all versions of
Windows.
tnemesitrevdA

Logman The logman command is used to create and

manage Event Trace Session and Performance
logs. The logman command also supports many
SKIP TO CONTENT functions of Performance Monitor. The logman
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
commandTECHisFOR HUMANSin Windows 11, Windows
available
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
In This Article
and Windows XP.

Logoff The logoff command is used to terminate a

session. The logoff command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Lpq The lpq command displays the status of a print

queue on a computer running Line Printer
Daemon (LPD). The lpq command is available in
all versions of Windows. The lpq command is
not available by default in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7,
or Vista, but can be enabled by turning on the
LPD Print Service and LPR Port Monitor features
from Programs and Features in Control Panel.

Lpr The lpr command is used to send a file to a

computer running Line Printer Daemon (LPD).
The lpr command is available in all versions of
Windows. The lpr command is not available by
default in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, or Vista, but
can be enabled by turning on the LPD Print
Service and LPR Port Monitor features from
Programs and Features in Control Panel.

Makecab The makecab command is used to losslessly

compress one or more files. The makecab
command is sometimes called Cabinet Maker.
The makecab command is available in Windows
tnemesitrevdA

11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,

Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The makecab
command is the same as the diantz command, a
command that was removed after Windows 7.
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Manage-bde The manage-bde command is used to configure
BitLocker Drive
In This Encryption from the command
Article
line. The manage-bde command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and
Windows 7. A script by the name of manage-
bde.wsf exists in Windows Vista and can be
used with the cscript command to perform
BitLocker tasks from the command line in that
operating system.

Md The md command is the shorthand version of

the mkdir command. The md command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Mem The mem command shows information about

used and free memory areas and programs that
are currently loaded into memory in the MS-
DOS subsystem. The mem command is available
in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of
Windows. The mem command is not available
in 64-bit versions of Windows.

Memmaker The memmaker command is used to start

MemMaker, a memory optimization tool. The
memaker command is available in Windows 98
and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Memory usage is
automatically optimized beginning in Windows
XP.

Mkdir The mkdir command is used to create a new

tnemesitrevdA

folder. The mkdir command is available in all

versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Mklink The mklink command is used to create a

SKIP TO CONTENT symbolic link. The mklink command is available
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR
in Windows 11,HUMANS
Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
In This Article
Mode The mode command is used to configure system
devices, most often COM and LPT ports. The
mode command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Mofcomp The mofcomp command properly displays the

data within a Managed Object Format (MOF)
file. The mofcomp command is available in all
versions of Windows.

More The more command is used to display the

information contained in a text file. The more
command can also be used to paginate the
results of any other Command Prompt or MS-
DOS command. The more command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-
DOS.

Mount The mount command is used to mount Network

File System (NFS) network shares. The mount
command is available in Windows 7 and
Windows Vista. The mount command is not
available by default in Windows Vista or
Windows 7 but can be enabled by turning on
the Services for NFS Windows feature from
Programs and Features in Control Panel. The
mount command is not available in Windows
11, 10, or 8 because Service for UNIX (SFU)
tnemesitrevdA

was discontinued.

Mountvol The mountvol command is used to display,

create, or remove volume mount points. The
SKIP TO CONTENT mountvol command is available in Windows 11,
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH10,FORWindows
Windows HUMANS 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
In This Article
Move The move command is used to move one or
files from one folder to another. The move
command is also used to rename directories.
The move command is available in all versions
of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Mrinfo The mrinfo command is used to provide

information about a router's interfaces and
neighbors. The mrinfo command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Msav The msav command starts Microsoft Antivirus.

The msav command is only available in MS-
DOS. Microsoft Antivirus was designed for MS-
DOS and Windows 3.x only. Microsoft provides
an optional virus protection suite called
Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows XP
and later operating systems, and third party
antivirus tools are available for all versions of
Windows.

Msbackup The msbackup command starts Microsoft

Backup, a tool used to back up and restore one
or more files. The msbackup command is only
available in MS-DOS. The msbackup command
was replaced with Microsoft Backup beginning
in Windows 95 and then Backup and Restore in
tnemesitrevdA

later versions of Windows.

Mscdex The mscdex command is used to provide CD-

ROM access to MS-DOS. The mscdex command
SKIP TO CONTENT is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
MS-DOS. TECH FOR HUMANS
Windows provides access to CD-ROM
drives for the MS-DOS subsystem beginning in
In This Article
Windows XP, so the mscdex command is
unnecessary in this and later operating systems.

Msd The msd command starts Microsoft Diagnostics,

a system information tool. The msd command is
only available in MS-DOS. The msd command
was replaced with System Information
beginning in Windows 95.

Msg The msg command is used to send a message

to a user. The msg command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Msiexec The msiexec command is used to start Windows

Installer, a tool used to install and configure
software. The msiexec command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Muiunattend The muiunattend command starts the

Multilanguage User Interface unattended setup
process. The muiunattend command is available
in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Nbtstat The nbtstat command is used to show TCP/IP

information and other statistical information
about a remote computer. The nbtstat command
is available in all versions of Windows.
tnemesitrevdA

Net The net command is used to display, configure,

and correct a wide variety of network settings.

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
The netTECH FOR HUMANS
command is available in all versions of
Windows.
In This Article
Net1 The net1 command is used to display, configure,
and correct a wide variety of network settings.
The net1 command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The net
command should be used instead of the net1
command. The net1 command was made
available in Windows NT and Windows 2000
as a temporary fix for a Y2K issue that the net
command had, which was corrected before the
release of Windows XP. The net1 command
remains in later versions of Windows only for
compatibility with older programs and scripts
that utilized the command.

Netcfg The netcfg command is used to install the

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE), a
lightweight version of Windows used to deploy
workstations. The netcfg command is available
in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Netsh The netsh command is used to start Network

Shell, a command-line utility used to manage
the network configuration of the local, or a
remote, computer. The netsh command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
tnemesitrevdA

Windows XP.

Netstat The netstat command is most commonly used to

display all open network connections and
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
listeningTECH FOR The
ports. HUMANS
netstat command is available
in all versions of Windows.
In This Article
Nfsadmin The nfsadmin command is used to manage
Server for NFS or Client for NFS from the
command line. The nfsadmin command is
available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The
nfsadmin command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Services for NFS
Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The nfsadmin command is not
available in Windows 11, 10, or 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.

Nlsfunc The nlsfunc command is used to load

information specific to a particular country or
region. The nlsfunc command is available in
MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of
Windows. The nlsfunc command is not available
in 64-bit versions of Windows. Nlsfunc is only
available in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP to
support older MS-DOS files.

Nltest The nltest command is used to test secure

channels between Windows computers in a
domain and between domain controllers that are
trusting other domains. The nltest command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, and Windows 7.
tnemesitrevdA

Nslookup The nslookup is most commonly used to display

the hostname of an entered IP address. The
nslookup command queries your configured
DNS server to discover the IP address. The
SKIP TO CONTENT nslookup command is available in Windows 11,
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH10,FORWindows
Windows HUMANS 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
In This Article
Ntbackup The ntbackup command is used to perform
various backup functions from the Command
Prompt or from within a batch or script file. The
ntbackup command is available in Windows XP.
The ntbackup command was replaced with the
wbadmin beginning in Windows Vista.

Ntsd The ntsd command is used to perform certain

command line debugging tasks. The ntsd
command is available in Windows XP. The ntsd
command was removed beginning in Windows
Vista due to the addition of dump file support in
Task Manager.

Ocsetup The ocsetup command starts the Windows

Optional Component Setup tool, used to install
additional Windows features. The ocsetup
command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, and Windows Vista. Beginning in Windows
8, Microsoft is depreciating the ocsetup
command in favor of the dism command.

Openfiles The openfiles command is used to display and

disconnect open files and folders on a system.
The openfiles command is available in Windows
11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Path The path command is used to display or set a

tnemesitrevdA

specific path available to executable files. The

path command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Pathping The pathping command functions much like the
tracertIncommand but will also report information
This Article
about network latency and loss at each hop. The
pathping command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Pause The pause command is used within a batch or

script file to pause the processing of the file.
When the pause command is used, a "Press any
key to continue…" message displays in the
command window. The pause command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Pentnt The pentnt command is used to detect floating

point division errors in the Intel Pentium chip.
The pentnt command is also used to enable
floating point emulation and disable floating
point hardware. The pentnt command is
available in Windows XP. The pentnt command
was removed beginning in Windows Vista due
to the lack of Intel Pentium CPU use at the time
of this operating system release.

Ping The ping command sends an Internet Control

Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request
message to a specified remote computer to
verify IP-level connectivity. The ping command is
available in all versions of Windows.
tnemesitrevdA

Pkgmgr The pkgmgr command is used to start the

Windows Package Manager from the Command
Prompt. Package Manager installs, uninstalls,
SKIP TO CONTENT configures, and updates features and packages
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FORThe
for Windows. HUMANS
pkgmgr command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
In This Article
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Pnpunattend The pnpunattend command is used to automate

the installation of hardware device drivers. The
pnpunattend command is available in Windows
11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.

Pnputil The pnputil command is used to start the

Microsoft PnP Utility, a tool used to install a Plug
and Play device from the command line. The
pnputil command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.

Popd The popd command is used to change the

current directory to the one most recently stored
by the pushd command. The popd command is
most often utilized from within a batch or script
file. The popd command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Power The power command is used to reduce the

power consumed by a computer by monitoring
software and hardware devices. The power
command is available in Windows 98 and 95,
as well as in MS-DOS. The power command was
replaced by operating system integrated power
tnemesitrevdA

management functions beginning in Windows

XP.

Powercfg The powercfg command is used to manage the

SKIP TO CONTENT Windows power management settings from the
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
command TECHline.
FOR The
HUMANS
powercfg command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
In This Article
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.

Print The print command is used to print a specified

text file to a specified printing device. The print
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Prompt The prompt command is used to customize the

appearance of the prompt text in Command
Prompt or MS-DOS. The prompt command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Pushd The pushd command is used to store a directory

for use, most commonly from within a batch or
script program. The pushd command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.

Pwlauncher The pwlauncher command is used to enable,

disable, or show the status of your Windows To
Go startup options. The pwlauncher command
is available in Windows 11, 10, and 8.

Qappsrv The qappsrv command is used to display all

Remote Desktop Session Host servers available
on the network. The qappsrv command is
available in Windows 11, Windows 10,
tnemesitrevdA

Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and

Windows XP.

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Qbasic The qbasic command starts QBasic, the MS-
DOS based
In This programming
Article environment for the
BASIC programming language. The qbasic
command is available in Windows 98 and 95,
as well as in MS-DOS. The qbasic command is
not installed by default with Windows 98 or 95
but is available from the installation disc or
disks.

Qprocess The qprocess command is used to display

information about running processes. The
qprocess command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Query The query command is used to display the

status of a specified service. The query
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Quser The quser command is used to display

information about users currently logged on to
the system. The quser command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Qwinsta The qwinsta command is used to display

information about open Remote Desktop
Sessions. The qwinsta command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
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Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Rasautou The rasautou command is used to manage

Remote Access Dialer AutoDial addresses. The
SKIP TO CONTENT rasautou command is available in Windows 11,
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH10,FORWindows
Windows HUMANS 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
In This Article
Rasdial The rasdial command is used to start or end a
network connection for a Microsoft client. The
rasdial command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Rcp The rcp command is used to copy files between

a Windows computer and a system running the
rshd daemon. The rcp command is available in
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
The rcp command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Subsystem for UNIX-
based Applications Windows feature from
Programs and Features in Control Panel and
then installing the Utilities and SDK for UNIX-
based Applications available here for Windows
Vista and here for Windows 7. The rcp
command is not available in Windows 11, 10, or
8 because Service for UNIX (SFU) was
discontinued.

Rd The rd command is the shorthand version of the

rmdir command. The rd command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-
DOS.

Rdpsign The rdpsign command is used to sign a Remote

tnemesitrevdA

Desktop Protocol (RDP) file. The rdpsign

command is available in Windows 7.

Reagentc The reagentc command is used to configure the

SKIP TO CONTENT Windows Recovery Environment (RE). The
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH
reagentc FOR HUMANS
command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
In This Article
Recimg The recimg command is used to create a custom
refresh image. The recimg command is
available in Windows 8.

Recover The recover command is used to recover

readable data from a bad or defective disk. The
recover command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Reg The reg command is used to manage the

Windows Registry from the command line. The
reg command can perform common registry
functions like adding registry keys, exporting
the registry, etc. The reg command is available
in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Regini The regini command is used to set or change

registry permissions and registry values from
the command line. The regini command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Register- The register-cimprovider command is used to

cimprovider register a Common Information Model (CIM)
Provider in Windows. The register-cimprovider
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
tnemesitrevdA

10, and Windows 8.

Regsvr32 The regsvr32 command is used to register a

SKIP TO CONTENT DLL file as a command component in the
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
Windows TECHRegistry.
FOR HUMANS
The regsvr32 command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
In This Article
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Relog The relog command is used to create new

performance logs from data in existing
performance logs. The relog command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Rem The rem command is used to record comments

or remarks in a batch or script file. The rem
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Ren The ren command is the shorthand version of

the rename command. The ren command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Rename The rename command is used to change the

name of the individual file that you specify. The
rename command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Repair-bde The repair-bde command is used to repair or

decrypt a damaged drive that's been encrypted
using BitLocker. The repair-bde command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
tnemesitrevdA

Replace The replace command is used to replace one or

more files with one or more other files. The
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
replaceTECH FOR HUMANS
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
In This Article
Reset The reset command, executed as reset session,
is used to reset the session subsystem software
and hardware to known initial values. The reset
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Restore The restore command is used to restore files

that were backed up using the backup
command. The restore command is only
available in MS-DOS. The backup command was
only available up to MS-DOS 5.00 but the
restore command was included by default with
later versions of MS-DOS to provide a way to
restore files that were backed up in previous
versions of MS-DOS.

Rexec The rexec command is used to run commands

on remote computers running the rexec
daemon. The rexec command is available in
Windows Vista and Windows XP. The rsh
command is not available by default in
Windows Vista but can be enabled by turning
on the Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications
Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel and then installing the Utilities
and SDK for UNIX-based Applications available
here. The rexec command is not available in
tnemesitrevdA

Windows 7 but can be executed in Windows XP

via Windows XP Mode if need be.

Rmdir The rmdir command is used to delete an

SKIP TO CONTENT existing or completely empty folder. The rmdir
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECHisFOR
command HUMANSin all versions of
available
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
In This Article
Robocopy The robocopy command is used to copy files
and directories from one location to another.
This command is also called Robust File Copy.
The robocopy command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The robocopy
command is superior to both the copy
command and the xcopy command because
robocopy supports many more options.

Route The route command is used to manipulate

network routing tables. The route command is
available in all versions of Windows.

Rpcinfo The rpcinfo command makes a remote

procedure call (RPC) to an RPC server and
reports what it finds. The rpcinfo command is
available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The
rpcinfo command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Services for NFS
Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The rpcinfo command is not
available in Windows 11, 10, or 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.

Rpcping The rpcping command is used to ping a server

using RPC. The rpcping command is available
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in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,

Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Rsh The rsh command is used to run commands on

SKIP TO CONTENT remote computers running the rsh daemon. The
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FORisHUMANS
rsh command available in Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The rsh
In This Article
command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Subsystem for UNIX-
based Applications Windows feature from
Programs and Features in Control Panel and
then installing the Utilities and SDK for UNIX-
based Applications available here for Windows
Vista and here for Windows 7. The rsh
command is not available in Windows 11, 10, or
8 because Service for UNIX (SFU) was
discontinued.

Rsm The rsm command is used to manage media

resources using Removable Storage. The rsm
command is available in Windows Vista and
Windows XP. The rsm command was optional in
Windows Vista and then removed in Windows 7
due to Removable Storage Manager being
removed from the operating system. Search for
the rsm command in the C:\Windows\winsxs
folder in Windows Vista if you're having trouble
executing the command.

Runas The runas command is used to execute a

program using another user's credentials. The
runas command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Rwinsta The rwinsta command is the shorthand version

of the reset session command. The rwinsta
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR8,HUMANS
10, Windows Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.
In This Article
Sc The sc command is used to configure
information about services. The sc command
communicates with the Service Control
Manager. The sc command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Scandisk The scandisk command is used to start Microsoft

ScanDisk, a disk repair program. The scandisk
command is available in Windows 98 and 95,
as well as in MS-DOS. The scandisk command
was replaced by the chkdsk command
beginning in Windows XP.

Scanreg The scanreg command starts Windows Registry

Checker, a basic registry repair program and
backup utility. The scanreg command is
available in Windows 98 and Windows 95. The
functions provided by the scanreg command
were no longer necessary beginning in
Windows XP due to changes in how the
Windows Registry functions.

Schtasks The schtasks command is used to schedule

specified programs or commands to run at
certain times. The schtasks command can be
used to create, delete, query, change, run, and
end scheduled tasks. The schtasks command is
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available in Windows 11, Windows

10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.​

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Sdbinst The sdbinst command is used to deploy
customized
In ThisSDB database files. The sdbinst
Article
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Secedit The secedit command is used to configure and

analyze system security by comparing the
current security configuration to a template. The
secedit command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Set The set command is used to display, enable, or

disable environment variables in MS-DOS or
from the Command Prompt. The set command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.

Setlocal The setlocal command is used to start the

localization of environment changes inside a
batch or script file. The setlocal command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Setspn The setspn command is used to manage the

Service Principal Names (SPN) for an Active
Directory (AD) service account. The setspn
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
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Setver The setver command is used to set the MS-DOS

version number that MS-DOS reports to a
program. The setver command is available in
SKIP TO CONTENT MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECHThe
Windows. FORsetver
HUMANScommand is not available
in 64-bit versions of Windows.
In This Article
Setx The setx command is used to create or change
environment variables in the user environment
or the system environment. The setx command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Sfc The sfc command is used to verify and replace

important Windows system files. The sfc
command is also referred to as System File
Checker or Windows Resource Checker,
depending on the operating system. The sfc
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Shadow The shadow command is used to monitor

another Remote Desktop Services session. The
shadow command is available in Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Share The share command is used to install file

locking and file sharing functions in MS-DOS.
The share command is available in MS-DOS as
well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The
share command is not available in 64-bit
versions of Windows. Share is only available in
Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP to support
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older MS-DOS files.

Shift The shift command is used to change the

position of replaceable parameters in a batch or
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECHThe
script file. FORshift
HUMANS
command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
In This Article
Showmount The showmount command is used to display
information about NFS mounted file systems.
The showmount command is available in
Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The showmount
command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Services for NFS
Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The showmount command is not
available in Windows 11, 10, or 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.

Shutdown The shutdown command can be used to shut

down, restart, or log off the current system or a
remote computer. The shutdown command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Smartdrv The smartdrv command installs and configures

SMARTDrive, a disk caching utility for MS-DOS.
The smartdrv command is available in Windows
98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Caching is
automatic beginning in Windows XP, making
the smartdrv command unnecessary.

Sort The sort command is used to read data from a

specified input, sort that data, and return the
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results of that sort to the Command Prompt

screen, a file, or another output device. The sort
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Start The start command is used to open a new
command line
In This window to run a specified
Article
program or command. The start command can
also be used to start an application without
creating a new window. The start command is
available in all versions of Windows.

Subst The subst command is used to associate a local

path with a drive letter. The subst command is a
lot like the net use command except a local path
is used instead of a shared network path. The
subst command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The subst
command replaced the assign command
beginning with MS-DOS 6.0.

Sxstrace The sxstrace command is used to start the

WinSxs Tracing Utility, a programming
diagnostic tool. The sxstrace command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Sys The sys command is used to copy the MS-DOS

system files and command interpreter to a disk.
The sys command is available in Windows 98
and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. The sys
command is used most often to create a simple
bootable disk or hard drive. The necessary
system files for Windows are too large to fit on
a disk, so the sys command was removed
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beginning in Windows XP.

Systeminfo The systeminfo command is used to display

SKIP TO CONTENT basic Windows configuration information for
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
the localTECH
or FOR HUMANScomputer. The systeminfo
a remote
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
In This Article
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Takeown The takedown command is used to regain

access to a file that that an administrator was
denied access to when reassigning ownership
of the file. The takeown command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Taskkill The taskkill command is used to terminate a

running task. The taskkill command is the
command line equivalent of ending a process in
Task Manager in Windows. The taskkill
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Tasklist Displays a list of applications, services, and the

Process ID (PID) currently running on either a
local or a remote computer. The tasklist
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Tcmsetup The tcmsetup command is used to set up or

disable the Telephony Application Programming
Interface (TAPI) client. The tcmsetup command
is available in Windows 11, Windows
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10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,

and Windows XP.

Telnet The telnet command is used to communicate

SKIP TO CONTENT with remote computers that use the Telnet
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH
protocol. TheFORtelnet
HUMANS
command is available in all
versions of Windows. The telnet command is
In This Article
not available by default in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7,
or Vista, but can be enabled by turning on the
Telnet Client Windows feature from Programs
and Features in Control Panel.

Tftp The tftp command is used to transfer files to and

from a remote computer that's running the
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service or
daemon. The tftp command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
The tftp command is not available by default in
some versions of Windows, but can be enabled
by turning on the TFTP Client Windows feature
from Programs and Features in Control Panel.

Time The time command is used to show or change

the current time. The time command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-
DOS.

Timeout The timeout command is typically used in a

batch or script file to provide a specified
timeout value during a procedure. The timeout
command can also be used to ignore
keypresses. The timeout command is available
in Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Title The title command is used to set the Command

Prompt window title. The title command is
available in Windows 11, Windows

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR8,HUMANS
10, Windows Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.
In This Article
Tlntadmn The tlntadmn command is used to administer a
local or remote computer running Telnet Server.
The tlntadmn command is available in Windows
11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The tlntadmn
command is not available by default in some
versions of Windows, but can be enabled by
turning on the Telnet Server Windows feature
from Programs and Features in Control Panel.

Tpmvscmgr The tpmvscmgr command is used to create and

destroy TPM virtual smart cards. The tpmvscmgr
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, and Windows 8.

Tracerpt The tracerpt command is used to process event

trace logs or real-time data from instrumented
event trace providers. The tracerpt command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Tracert The tracert command sends Internet Control

Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request
messages to a specified remote computer with
increasing Time to Live (TTL) field values and
displays the IP address and hostname, if
available, of the router interfaces between the
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source and destination. The tracert command is

available in all versions of Windows.

Tree The tree command is used to graphically display

SKIP TO CONTENT the folder structure of a specified drive or path.
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
The treeTECH FOR HUMANS
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
In This Article
Tscon The tscon command is used to attach a user
session to a Remote Desktop session. The tscon
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Tsdiscon The tsdiscon command is used to disconnect a

Remote Desktop session. The tsdiscon
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Tskill The tskill command is used to end the specified

process. The tskill command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Tsshutdn The tsshutdn command is used to remotely shut

down or restart a terminal server. The tsshutdn
command is available in Windows XP. The
ability to shut down a computer remotely is also
available in the more powerful shutdown
command, so tsshutdn was removed beginning
in Windows Vista.

Type The type command is used to display the

information contained in a text file. The type
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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Typeperf The typerperf command displays performance

data in the Command Prompt window or writes
SKIP TO CONTENT the data to specified log file. The typeperf
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
commandTECHisFOR HUMANSin Windows 11, Windows
available
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
In This Article
and Windows XP.

Tzutil The tzutil command is used to display or

configure the current system's time zone. The
tzutil command can also be used to enable or
disable Daylight Saving Time adjustments. The
tzutil command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Umount The umount command is used to remove

Network File System (NFS) mounted network
shares. The umount command is available in
Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The umount
command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Services for NFS
Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The umount command is not
available in Windows 11, 10, or 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.

Undelete The undelete command is used to undo a

deletion performed with the MS-DOS delete
command. The undelete command is only
available in MS-DOS. The undelete command
was removed beginning in Windows 95 due to
the availability of the Recycle Bin in Windows.
Additionally, free file recovery programs are
available from third-party software makers.
tnemesitrevdA

Unformat The unformat command is used to undo the

formatting on a drive performed by the MS-DOS
format command. The unformat command is
SKIP TO CONTENT only available in MS-DOS. The unformat
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECHwas
command FORremoved
HUMANS beginning in Windows
95 due to file system changes.
In This Article
Unlock The unlock command is used to unlock a drive,
disabling direct disk access for a program. The
unlock command is only available in Windows
98 and 95. Drive locking is no longer available
as of Windows XP.

Unlodctr The unlodctr command removes Explain text and

Performance counter names for a service or
device driver from the Windows Registry. The
unlodctr command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Vaultcmd The vaultcmd command is used to create,

remove, and show stored credentials. The
vaultcmd command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Ver The ver command is used to display the current

Windows or MS-DOS version number. The ver
command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.

Verify The verify command is used to enable or

disable the ability of Command Prompt, or MS-
DOS, to verify that files are written correctly to a
disk. The verify command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
tnemesitrevdA

Vol The vol command shows the volume label and

serial number of a specified disk, assuming this
information exists. The vol command is available
SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FORofHUMANS
in all versions Windows, as well as in MS-
DOS.
In This Article
Vsafe The vsafe command is used to start VSafe, a
basic virus protection system for MS-DOS. The
vsafe command is only available in MS-DOS.
VSafe was designed for MS-DOS and Windows
3.x only. Microsoft provides an optional virus
protection suite called Microsoft Security
Essentials for Windows XP and later operating
systems, and third-party antivirus tools are
available for all versions of Windows.

Vssadmin The vssadmin command starts the Volume

Shadow Copy Service administrative command
line tool which displays current volume shadow
copy backups and all installed shadow copy
writers and providers. The vssadmin command
is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

W32tm The w32tm command is used to diagnose issues

with Windows Time. The w32tm command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP.

Waitfor The waitfor command is used to send or wait for

a signal on a system. The waitfor command is
available in Windows 11, Windows
tnemesitrevdA

10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows

Vista.

Wbadmin The wbadmin command is used to start and stop

SKIP TO CONTENT backup jobs, display details about a previous
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
backup,TECH
list FOR
the HUMANS
items within a backup, and
report on the status of a currently running
In This Article
backup. The wbadmin command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The wbadmin
command replaced the ntbackup command
beginning in Windows Vista.

Wecutil The wecutil command is used to manage

subscriptions to events that are forwarded from
WS-Management supported computers. The
wecutil command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.

Wevtutil The wevtutil command starts the Windows

Events Command Line Utility which is used to
manage event logs and publishers. The wevtutil
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Where The where command is used to search for files

that match a specified pattern. The where
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Whoami The whoami command is used to retrieve user

name and group information on a network. The
whoami command is available in Windows 11,
tnemesitrevdA

Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and

Windows Vista.

Winmgmt The winmgmt command starts the command line

SKIP TO CONTENT version of WMI, a scripting tool in Windows.
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FORcommand
The winmgmt HUMANS is available in all
versions of Windows.
In This Article
Winrm The winrm command is used to start the
command line version of Windows Remote
Management, used to manage secure
communications with local and remote
computers using web services. The winrm
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Winrs The winrs command is used to open a secure

command window with a remote host. The winrs
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Winsat The winsat command starts the Windows System

Assessment Tool, a program that assesses
various features, attributes, and capabilities of a
computer running Windows. The winsat
command is available in Windows 11, Windows
10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.

Wmic The wmic command starts the Windows

Management Instrumentation Command line
(WMIC), a scripting interface that simplifies the
use of Windows Management Instrumentation
(WMI) and systems managed via WMI. The
tnemesitrevdA

wmic command is available in Windows 11,

Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

SKIP TO CONTENT
 Full List of Command Prompt Commands
TECH FOR HUMANS
Wsmanhttpconfig The wsmanhttpconfig command is used to
manage aspects
In This of the Windows Remote
Article
Management (WinRM) service. The
wsmanhttpconfig command is available in
Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.

Xcopy The xcopy command can copy one or more files

or directory trees from one location to another.
The xcopy command is generally considered a
more "powerful" version of the copy command
through the robocopy command trumps even
xcopy. The xcopy command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. A
command by the name of xcopy32 existed in
Windows 95 and Windows 98. To avoid a long
and confusing explanation here, just know that
no matter if you executed the xcopy command
or the xcopy32 command, you were always
executing the most updated version of the
command.

Xwizard The xwizard command, short for Extensible

Wizard, is used to register data in Windows,
often from a preconfigured XML file. The
xwizard command is available in Windows 11,
Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Operating System Specific Commands

tnemesitrevdA

If you're only interested in the commands available in your version of

Windows or MS-DOS, we have accurate and detailed lists of

commands for Windows 8,

SKIP TO CONTENT
commands for Windows 7,
 commands for Windows XP, and
DOS Commands. TECH FOR HUMANS
Finally, we also have a comparison table of Windows commands,
In This Article
showing which appear in each version of Windows, which might be
helpful depending on what you're after.

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