Complete list of Command Prompt commands

Type help in Command Prompt to print the built-in list of commands, and open Microsoft's A-Z Windows Commands reference for every command with its full syntax.

The tables below group the commands you will actually use on Windows 11 and Windows 10 by job, with the switches that matter, plus Wi-Fi, update-package and power commands.

Complete list of Command Prompt commands

Windows ships its own command list inside Command Prompt. Used without parameters, help lists and briefly describes every system command.

1. Select Start, type cmd, and select Command Prompt.
2. Type help and press Enter to print the list of built-in commands with a one-line description of each.
3. Type help followed by a command name, for example help robocopy, to read the detailed help for that one command.
4. Add /? to any command, for example cls /? or ipconfig /?, to display its syntax and switches at the prompt.
5. Open the Windows Commands A-Z reference on Microsoft Learn for every command, including subcommands such as netsh wlan and bitsadmin.

The Microsoft reference applies to Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 through 2025. Some entries, such as dcpromo or dnscmd, only exist on Windows Server.

Where to find the right command list for your task

Your situation	Use this	Why
You want a quick overview at the prompt	help	Lists and briefly describes the system commands without leaving Command Prompt
You know the command but not its switches	<command> /?	Nearly every Windows command documents /? as "Displays help at the command prompt"
You need every command, including server tools	Microsoft Learn A-Z reference	Covers all Win32 console commands, with syntax, parameters and examples
You are inside DiskPart	help at the DISKPART> prompt	Inside DiskPart, help lists only DiskPart commands, and help create partition primary explains one of them
You want PowerShell cmdlets	PowerShell, not Command Prompt	Command Prompt runs Windows Commands only; PowerShell runs both Windows Commands and cmdlets

Which commands need an administrator Command Prompt

Many commands read information as a standard user but need elevation to change anything. Open an elevated window first when a command reports that access is denied.

Command	Admin rights needed?	What Microsoft states
chkdsk	Yes	Membership in the local Administrators group is the minimum required
sfc	Yes	You must be logged on as a member of the Administrators group
format	Yes, for hard drives	You must be a member of the Administrators group to format a hard drive
defrag	Yes	Membership in the local Administrators group is the minimum required
driverquery	Yes	Enables an administrator to display installed device drivers
shutdown /e or /d annotations	Yes, to annotate an unexpected shutdown	Users must also hold the Shut down the system user right to shut down a computer
ipconfig, ping, dir, help	No	Read-only commands that run in a normal window

To open an elevated window, right-click Command Prompt in the Start menu and select Run as administrator.

Basic Navigation Commands

These commands move you around folders and drives. Press Tab to auto-complete file and folder names as you type a path.

Command	What it does	Example
cd (same as chdir)	Shows the current folder or changes to another one; cd .. goes up one level	cd C:\Users
cd /d	Changes the drive as well as the folder in one step	cd /d D:\Projects
dir	Lists the files and subfolders in a folder, with sizes, dates and free disk space	dir /s /b *.log
tree	Draws the folder structure of a path; /f adds the file names	tree C:\Tools /f
pushd	Saves the current folder on a stack, then changes to a new one	pushd C:\Temp
popd	Returns to the folder most recently saved by pushd	popd
cls	Clears the Command Prompt window	cls
help	Lists commands or shows detailed help for one	help dir

File Management Commands

Deleting with del or rd skips the Recycle Bin, so check the path before you press Enter.

Command	What it does	Useful switches
copy	Copies one or more files to another location	/y overwrites without asking, /v verifies the copy
xcopy	Copies files and folders, including subfolders	/s copies subfolders, /e includes empty ones
robocopy	Copies file data between locations, built for large or interrupted jobs	/e copies subfolders, /mir mirrors a tree, /z restartable mode, /mt multi-threaded
move	Moves one or more files from one folder to another	/y suppresses the overwrite prompt
ren (same as rename)	Renames files or folders	ren report.txt report-old.txt
del (same as erase)	Deletes one or more files	/p asks first, /f removes read-only files, /s includes subfolders, /q quiet mode
md (same as mkdir)	Creates a folder, including any missing parent folders	md C:\Work\2026\Reports
rd (same as rmdir)	Deletes a folder	/s removes the whole tree, /q skips the confirmation
type	Displays the contents of a text file without changing it	type notes.txt
attrib	Shows, sets or removes file attributes such as read-only and hidden	attrib +r file.txt

System Information Commands

Run these to identify the machine, the signed-in account and what is running. For a list of Windows services, see Get a list of Services Running on your computer.

Command	What it shows or does	Example
systeminfo	Operating system configuration, product ID and hardware such as RAM and network cards	systeminfo
ver	The operating system version number; works in Command Prompt, not PowerShell	ver
hostname	The host name portion of the computer name	hostname
whoami	The current domain and user name; /groups and /priv add groups and privileges	whoami /groups
tasklist	Running processes with their process IDs (PIDs)	tasklist /fo csv
taskkill	Ends a process by PID or image name; /f forces it, /t includes child processes	taskkill /im notepad.exe /f
driverquery	Installed device drivers and their properties	driverquery /v
set	Displays, sets or removes environment variables	set path

Network Commands

Start with ipconfig and ping for most connection problems. A full walkthrough of the DNS cache reset is in How to Use ipconfig flushdns at the Command Prompt.

Command	What it does	Example
ipconfig	Shows IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, subnet mask and default gateway for every adapter	ipconfig /all
ipconfig /release and /renew	Drops the DHCP address, then requests a new one	ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns	Clears the DNS client resolver cache	ipconfig /displaydns shows the cache first
ping	Tests connectivity with ICMP echo requests; sends 4 by default	ping -n 10 8.8.8.8, or -t to run until Ctrl+C
tracert	Lists each router hop to a destination, up to 30 hops by default	tracert learn.microsoft.com
pathping	Measures latency and packet loss at every hop	pathping learn.microsoft.com
netstat	Active TCP connections and listening ports; -o adds the PID, -r shows the routing table	netstat -ano
nslookup	Queries DNS to diagnose name resolution	nslookup microsoft.com
getmac	MAC address of each network card	getmac /v

CMD commands to manage Wireless Networks in Windows 11

All Wi-Fi management in Command Prompt runs through netsh wlan. The same commands work on Windows 10.

Task	Command
List Wi-Fi networks in range	netsh wlan show networks
List saved Wi-Fi profiles	netsh wlan show profiles
Show adapter status, signal and connected network	netsh wlan show interfaces
Connect to a saved network	netsh wlan connect name=CorpWiFi interface="Wi-Fi"
Disconnect from Wi-Fi	netsh wlan disconnect interface="Wi-Fi"
Forget (delete) a saved network	netsh wlan delete profile name="CorpWiFi"
Back up a profile with its key in plain text	netsh wlan export profile name="CorpWiFi" folder="C:\WiFiProfiles" key=clear
Import a profile from an XML file	netsh wlan add profile filename="C:\WiFiProfiles\Wi-Fi-CorpWiFi.xml"
Stop Windows from auto-connecting on an adapter	netsh wlan set autoconfig enabled=no interface="Wi-Fi"
Block a network from the list	netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid="Name" networktype=infrastructure
Generate a wireless session report	netsh wlan show wlanreport

Export with key=clear writes the password in plain text only when you run it as a local administrator. Otherwise the key stays encrypted in the XML file.

Disk Management Commands

Run these from an administrator Command Prompt. For every chkdsk switch with examples, see List of All Chkdsk Commands and How to Use Them.

Command	What it does	Example
chkdsk	Checks a volume for file system errors; without switches it only reports	chkdsk C: /f fixes errors, /r also finds bad sectors
sfc	Scans protected system files and replaces incorrect versions	sfc /scannow, or sfc /verifyonly to scan without repairing
diskpart	Opens the DiskPart interpreter to manage disks, partitions and volumes	diskpart, then list disk and select disk 1
format	Formats a drive to accept Windows files, erasing its contents	format E: /fs:ntfs
defrag	Locates and consolidates fragmented files on local volumes	defrag C: /a analyzes only
vol	Shows the volume label and serial number	vol C:
label	Creates, changes or deletes a volume label	label E: Backup

chkdsk /f and /r need to lock the drive. On the system drive, chkdsk asks to run at the next restart instead.

Batch File Commands

A batch file is a plain text file saved with a .bat extension that runs these commands in order. Inside a batch file, for variables use two percent signs, such as %%f.

Command	What it does	Example
echo	Displays a message, or turns command echoing on or off	@echo off on line 1 hides every command
rem	Records a comment that is not run	rem Back up the Reports folder
pause	Stops and shows Press any key to continue . . .	pause
set	Creates or changes a variable for the session	set target=D:\Backup
if	Runs a command only when a condition is true	if exist %target% echo Found
for	Runs a command for each file in a set	for %%f in (*.txt) do type %%f
goto	Jumps to a labeled line	goto end … :end
call	Runs another batch file without stopping the current one	call cleanup.bat
setlocal / endlocal	Keeps variable changes local to the batch file	setlocal at the top
exit	Quits the batch file or Command Prompt	exit /b 0

Power Commands

shutdown handles sign-out, restart and power-off, and powercfg handles power plans, sleep and battery reports.

Task	Command
Shut down now	shutdown /s /t 0
Restart now	shutdown /r /t 0
Restart into the Advanced boot options menu	shutdown /r /o
Restart into UEFI firmware settings	shutdown /r /fw /t 0
Sign out	shutdown /l
Hibernate	shutdown /h
Cancel a pending shutdown	shutdown /a
Shut down in 10 minutes	shutdown /s /t 600
List power plans	powercfg /list
Turn hibernation on or off	powercfg /hibernate on or powercfg /hibernate off
Create a battery report (HTML)	powercfg /batteryreport
Find what woke the PC	powercfg /lastwake
Analyze energy-efficiency problems	powercfg /energy

Any /t value above 0 implies /f, which closes running apps without warning. Save your work before you set a timer.

Command-line switches to deploy Microsoft software Update packages

Windows updates arrive as .msu files installed with wusa.exe or DISM, and many Microsoft installers are .msi files run by msiexec. These switches install them silently from Command Prompt.

Package	Command	What the switches do
.msu Windows update	wusa.exe C:\Updates\update.msu /quiet /norestart	/quiet runs without user interaction, /norestart stops the automatic restart
.msu or .cab with DISM	dism /online /add-package /packagepath:C:\Updates\update.msu	Adds .msu packages to a running Windows 11, version 21H2 or later
List installed packages	dism /online /get-packages	Shows package names for removal
Remove an update	dism /online /remove-package /packagename:<name> /quiet /norestart	Removes a .cab-based package by name; .msu files can't be removed this way
.msi installer	msiexec /i package.msi /quiet /norestart	/i installs, /quiet needs no interaction, /norestart blocks the reboot
.msi progress bar only	msiexec /i package.msi /passive	Unattended mode that shows only a progress bar
.msi uninstall	msiexec /x package.msi /quiet	/x uninstalls the package
.msi with a log	msiexec /i package.msi /l* C:\Logs\install.log	/l* logs everything except verbose and debug output
.msi restart control	/promptrestart or /forcerestart	Asks the user when a reboot is needed, or restarts after install

Read the update's own KB article before you install an .msu with DISM, because some packages carry extra installation instructions.

How to clear CMD screen in Windows 11

1. Click inside the Command Prompt window.
2. Type cls and press Enter.
3. Confirm the window is blank with only the prompt, such as C:\Users\Name>, on the first line.

cls clears the display only. Your current folder, variables and command history stay as they were, and the command works the same on Windows 10.

How to check a command worked

When a program stops, it returns an exit code that Command Prompt stores in %errorlevel%.

1. Run the command you want to check, for example robocopy C:\Work D:\Backup /e.
2. Type echo %errorlevel% and press Enter straight after it.
3. Read 0 as success for most Windows commands; Microsoft's system error code 0 means the operation completed successfully.
4. Look up any other number in Microsoft's System Error Codes list, for example 5 means access denied, so reopen Command Prompt as administrator.
5. Check the tool's own exit-code table where it has one: robocopy returns 1 when all files copied and 8 when several files didn't copy, while format returns 0 on success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some Command Prompt commands?

Common Command Prompt commands include cd, dir, copy, del, ipconfig, ping, systeminfo, tasklist, chkdsk, sfc /scannow, shutdown and cls. Each handles one job, such as moving between folders, testing a network or repairing system files.

How do I get a list of commands in Command Prompt?

Type help and press Enter. Command Prompt lists and briefly describes its system commands. Type help plus a command name, or add /? after any command, to see its full syntax and switches.

How many Command Prompt commands are there?

There is no fixed number. Microsoft's Windows Commands reference documents hundreds of commands and subcommands, but some only exist on Windows Server. The help command shows the core set built into Command Prompt on your PC.

What is Command Prompt used for?

Command Prompt runs Windows commands to automate routine tasks, such as copying files, checking disks, managing networks and running batch (.bat) scripts. Scripts accept every command available at the command line, so repeated work runs faster than through the user interface.

What are the most important commands in Command Prompt?

The most useful day-to-day commands are cd and dir for navigation, copy and robocopy for files, ipconfig and ping for networking, sfc /scannow and chkdsk for repairs, and tasklist with taskkill for stuck programs.

Where is the official list of Command Prompt commands with examples?

Microsoft publishes it as the Windows Commands A-Z reference on Microsoft Learn. Each command page lists its syntax, every parameter and worked examples, and applies to Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server.

Can Command Prompt run PowerShell commands?

No. Command Prompt runs Windows Commands only, while PowerShell runs both Windows Commands and PowerShell cmdlets. Microsoft recommends PowerShell for new automation work.

What is the difference between cmd /c and cmd /k?

cmd /c runs the command you give it and then closes the command processor. cmd /k runs the command and keeps the Command Prompt window open, which is useful for checking the output.

How do I see a command's switches without leaving Command Prompt?

Type the command followed by /?, for example robocopy /?, and press Enter. Windows prints the syntax and every parameter. For shortcuts you type in the Run box instead, see the Complete List of Windows 11 Run Commands.