cmd Commands: 100+ Best Best Command Prompt Commands List You Should Try

Here is the list of 100+ cmd commands.

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Command Prompt is also popularly known as cmd.exe or cmd. It is the default command line interface, also known as CLI, found in Windows operating systems. cmd is the terminal window based on the MS-DOS operating system from the Microsoft stable of the 80s.

Command Prompt (referred to as Prompt) allows users to execute various commands in a non-GUI (Graphical User Interface) way, to interact with the system. From setting up automated tasks using batch files to using and manipulating the file system, a prompt is a very efficient tool to ease the tech-savvy user’s interactions with a Windows system. In this guide, we will take a look at some of the best and most popular cmd commands that anybody can use and get a how-to-use command prompt in Windows OS.

Also Read: Shortcut Key of a New Folder: What are the Shortcut Keys to Create a New Folder on Windows and Mac

How to Open Command Prompt in a Particular File or Directory

  1. Go to Particular File or Directory on your Windows computer
  2. Right-click on screen
  3. Select “Show more options”
  4. Click “Open in Terminal”

  5. Cmd will open in a new window

Note: On Windows 11, cmd is known as Terminal, which is an app released in 2019 by Microsoft. Windows Terminal merges the Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Azure Cloud Shell into a single app.

If you just want to open the command prompt from your home screen, you can just click on the start button and type “cmd” you will get an option to open the command prompt.

Also Read: Refresh Shortcut Key: What are the Shortcut Keys to Refresh Windows and Mac Desktop/ Laptop and Internet Browsers?

Command Prompt Commands List

Command Description
addusers
Add or list users to/from a CSV file
append
Allows programs to open data files in specified directories as if they were in the current directory. You can also use it without parameters, to display the appended directory list.
assoc
Displays or modifies file name extension associations. If used without parameters, assoc displays a list of all the current file name extension associations.
attrib
Displays sets or removes attributes assigned to files or directories. If used without parameters, attrib displays attributes of all files in the current directory.
attrib
Display file attributes
attributes
Displays, sets, or clears the attributes of a disk or volume.
break
Do nothing, successfully
cacls
Change file permissions
call
Calls a batch file from another one
call
Call one batch program from another
cd
Change directory
change
Change Terminal Server Session properties
chkdsk Check volumes
chkntfs
Display/change volume check at startup
cls Clear screen
cmd
Start command prompt
cmdkey
Manage stored usernames/passwords
color
Change console colour
comp
Compare file contents
compact
Display/change file compression
con Console input
convert
Convert a FAT drive to NTFS
copy / xcopy Copy files
curl
Transfer data from or to a server
date Show/set date
defrag
Defragment media
dir
List directory content
diskcomp
Compare the content of two floppy disks
diskcopy
Copy floppy disc to another one
diskpart
Volume management
driverquery
Display installed devices and their properties
echo Text output
echo
Display message on the screen
erase / del
Delete one or more files
exit
Exits the command prompt or a batch file
exit
Quit the current script/routine and set an errorlevel
expand Extract files
fc
Compare files and display the differences
fc
Compare two files
find Find files
find
Search for a text string in a file
findstr
Search for strings in files
for For loop
format Format volumes
format Format a disk
freedisk
Check free disk space
ftp
Transfer files to an FTP server
ftype
Display file type and mapping
getmac
Display MAC address
goto
Direct a batch program to jump to a labelled line
gpresult
Display group policies
gpupdate
Update group policies
hostname
Display host name
ipconfig
Display IP network settings
ipconfig Configure IP
label
Change volume name
md
Create a new Directory
mkdir
Create a new directory
mode
Configure interfaces/devices
more
Display output, one screen at a time
mountvol
Assign/delete drive mount points
move
Move/rename files
move
Move files from one folder to another
net
Manage network resources
netsh
Configure/control/display network components
netstat
Display TCP/IP connections and status
nslookup Query the DNS
openfiles
Query or display open files
path
Display or set a search path for executable files
pathping
Test the connection to a specific IP address
pause
Pauses the execution of a batch file and shows a message
pause
Suspend processing of a batch file
perfmon
Start performance monitor
ping
Pings the network
ping
Test a network connection
print Print a text file
prompt
Change command prompt
psfile
Show files opened remotely
pskill
Kill processes by name or process ID
pslist
List detailed information about processes
psloggedon
Who’s logged on (locally or via resource sharing)
psloglist
Event log records
pspasswd
Change account password
psping
Measure network performance
psservice
View and control services
psshutdown
Shutdown or reboot a computer
pssuspend
Suspend processes
rd
Delete a Directory
reg
Add/read/import/export registry entries
rem
Record comments (remarks) in a batch file
ren
Rename a file or files
rename Rename files
replace Replace files
replace
Replace or update one file with another
rmdir / rd Delete directory
route
Display network routing table, add static routes
runas
Start a program as another user
set
Display, set, or remove session environment variables
setlocal
Control the visibility of environment variables
sfc
System File Checker
shutdown
Shutdown the computer
sleep
Wait for x seconds
sort
Sort the screen output
sort Sort input
start
Start your own window to execute a program or command
systeminfo
Displays computer-specific properties and configurations
systeminfo
List system configuration
takeown
Take ownership of a file
tar
Store, list or extract files in an archive
taskkill
Terminate a process or an application
taskkill
End a running process
tasklist
Display applications and related tasks
tasklist
List running applications and services
telnet
Establish Telnet connection
tftp
Transfer files to a TFTP server
time
Display/edit the system time
timeout Wait any time
title
Set title for prompt
tlist
Task list with full path
touch
Change file timestamps
tracert
Trace routes similar to patchping
tracert
Trace route to a remote host
tree
Display folder structure graphically
type
Display content of text files
type
Display the contents of a text file
vbc
Visual Basic compiler
ver
Display operating system version
ver
Display version information
verify
Monitoring whether volumes are written correctly
verify
Verify that files have been saved
vmconnect
Connect to a Hyper-V Virtual Machine
vol
Show volume description and serial numbers of the HDDs
w32tm
Setting time synchronisation/time server/time zone
waitfor
Wait for or send a signal
wbadmin
Windows Backup Admin
wt
Windows Terminal
wuauclt
Windows Update
wusa
Windows Update Standalone Installer
xcacls
Change file and folder permissions
xcopy
Copy files and folders

These were some of the best and top useful cmd commands that you can try on your Windows machine.

Also Read: Shortcut For Task Manager: How to Open Task Manager Using Shortcut Keys on Windows PC