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Complete List of CMD Commands in Windows 11/10

Geeksdigit Team

August 8, 2026

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Command Prompt, commonly called CMD, is one of the most useful built-in tools in Windows 11 and Windows 10. It allows you to perform many tasks by typing commands instead of navigating through graphical settings. You can use CMD to manage files and folders, check network connections, troubleshoot Windows, view system information, manage disks, configure users, and perform many other administrative tasks.

This guide provides a practical complete list of commonly useful CMD commands, organized by purpose. It includes basic commands, file and folder commands, networking commands, system repair commands, disk commands, user-management commands, shutdown commands, and other useful commands.

Before running commands that modify Windows, it is recommended to create a backup of important files and, when appropriate, create a system restore point.

How to Open Command Prompt

Before using any CMD command, you need to open Command Prompt.

Press Windows + S, type Command Prompt, and select it from the search results.

For commands that require administrator permissions, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

You can also press Windows + R, type:

cmd

and press Enter.

To open an elevated Command Prompt from the Run dialog, you can type:

cmd

and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.

Some commands work normally without administrator privileges, while others require an elevated Command Prompt.

1. Basic CMD Commands

These are some of the most fundamental Command Prompt commands. They are useful for navigating the command-line environment and getting basic information.

help

Displays information about available commands.

help

To get help for a specific command:

help ipconfig

You can also use:

ipconfig /?

The / ? option is available with many Windows commands and displays their available parameters.

cls

Clears everything currently displayed in the Command Prompt window.

cls

This does not delete files or change system settings. It simply clears the visible CMD screen.

exit

Closes Command Prompt.

exit

echo

Displays text or controls command echoing.

echo Hello World

You can also turn command echoing off:

echo off

ver

Displays the Windows version.

ver

hostname

Displays the computer’s hostname.

hostname

This can be useful when identifying a computer on a network.

whoami

Displays the currently logged-in user.

whoami

date

Displays or allows you to change the system date.

date

Changing system settings may require administrator privileges.

time

Displays or allows you to change the system time.

time

title

Changes the title of the Command Prompt window.

title My Command Prompt

color

Changes the CMD window’s text and background colors.

color 0A

prompt

Changes the appearance of the command prompt.

prompt $P$G

The default prompt generally displays the current drive and folder followed by >.

2. File and Folder CMD Commands

Command Prompt is extremely useful for managing files and folders. These commands allow you to create, delete, copy, move, rename, and inspect files.

dir

Displays files and folders in the current directory.

dir

To show hidden files:

dir /a

To display files recursively:

dir /s

You can combine options:

dir /a /s

cd

Changes the current directory.

cd Documents

To move up one folder:

cd ..

To go to the root of the current drive:

cd \

To change to a specific location:

cd C:\Users\YourName\Documents

md

Creates a new directory.

md MyFolder

The same operation can also be performed with:

mkdir MyFolder

rd

Removes a directory.

rd MyFolder

To remove a directory and its contents:

rd /s MyFolder

Windows will normally ask for confirmation when /s is used.

copy

Copies files from one location to another.

copy file.txt D:\Backup\

You can also copy multiple files using wildcards:

copy *.txt D:\Backup\

xcopy

Provides more advanced file and folder copying capabilities.

xcopy C:\Data D:\Backup /E

The /E option copies subdirectories, including empty directories.

robocopy

Robocopy is a powerful Windows file-copying utility designed for copying large numbers of files and folders.

robocopy C:\Data D:\Backup

For copying an entire directory structure:

robocopy C:\Data D:\Backup /E

Robocopy is particularly useful for backups, migrations, and large file operations.

move

Moves files or folders.

move file.txt D:\Documents\

ren

Renames a file or folder.

ren oldname.txt newname.txt

del

Deletes files.

del file.txt

To delete all .tmp files:

del *.tmp

Be careful when using del because deleted files may not be moved to the Recycle Bin.

type

Displays the contents of a text file.

type notes.txt

This is useful for quickly reading small text files directly from CMD.

more

Displays long text one screen at a time.

type largefile.txt | more

tree

Displays a folder structure in tree form.

tree

To include files:

tree /f

attrib

Displays or changes file attributes.

attrib

To remove the hidden attribute:

attrib -h file.txt

To remove read-only:

attrib -r file.txt

To apply hidden and system attributes:

attrib +h +s file.txt

Use attribute commands carefully when working with system files.

3. Networking CMD Commands

CMD includes many commands for diagnosing and configuring network connections.

ipconfig

Displays IP configuration information.

ipconfig

For detailed information:

ipconfig /all

To release the current DHCP address:

ipconfig /release

To request a new DHCP address:

ipconfig /renew

To clear the DNS resolver cache:

ipconfig /flushdns

ping

Tests whether another device or server can be reached over the network.

ping google.com

You can also test an IP address:

ping 192.168.1.1

tracert

Shows the route packets take to a destination.

tracert google.com

This can help identify where network connectivity problems occur.

pathping

Combines aspects of ping and tracert to analyze network paths.

pathping google.com

nslookup

Queries DNS information.

nslookup google.com

You can also specify a DNS server:

nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8

netstat

Displays active network connections and listening ports.

netstat

To display listening ports and associated processes:

netstat -ano

arp

Displays or modifies the ARP cache.

arp -a

route

Displays or modifies the IP routing table.

route print

getmac

Displays the MAC addresses associated with network adapters.

getmac

For additional details:

getmac /v

hostname

Displays the computer’s network hostname.

hostname

netsh

Provides commands for configuring and troubleshooting many Windows networking components.

For example:

netsh wlan show profiles

This displays saved Wi-Fi profile names.

To display information about a particular wireless profile:

netsh wlan show profile name="WiFi-Name"

netsh contains many subcommands, so use:

netsh /?

to view its available options.

4. Windows System Information and Management Commands

These commands help you inspect your Windows installation, hardware, users, processes, and system configuration.

systeminfo

Displays detailed information about the computer.

systeminfo

It can show information such as:

• Windows version
• Installation date
• System manufacturer
• System model
• Processor
• Installed memory
• Windows updates
• Boot information
• Network configuration

wmic

WMIC was historically used for querying Windows Management Instrumentation information. On modern Windows versions, WMIC is deprecated and may not be available in future releases.

For newer Windows systems, PowerShell and Windows Management Instrumentation alternatives are preferred.

tasklist

Displays currently running processes.

tasklist

You can search for a particular process:

tasklist | findstr chrome

taskkill

Terminates a running process.

taskkill /IM notepad.exe

You can force termination:

taskkill /F /IM notepad.exe

You can also terminate a process using its PID:

taskkill /PID 1234 /F

Use /F carefully because it immediately terminates the selected process.

driverquery

Displays installed device drivers.

driverquery

To display additional information:

driverquery /v

set

Displays environment variables.

set

You can also display a specific variable:

set PATH

path

Displays or modifies the command search path.

path

where

Finds the location of an executable.

where notepad

For example, this can help determine which executable Windows is launching when multiple versions exist.

hostname

Shows the current computer name.

hostname

gpupdate

Updates Group Policy settings.

gpupdate

To force an update:

gpupdate /force

This command is particularly useful on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and managed systems.

gpresult

Displays Group Policy information.

gpresult /r

It can help determine which policies are being applied to the computer or user.

5. Windows Repair and Troubleshooting Commands

Some of the most important CMD commands are designed to diagnose and repair Windows system problems.

These commands should generally be run from an Administrator Command Prompt.

sfc

System File Checker scans protected Windows system files for corruption.

sfc /scannow

Windows checks the system files and attempts to repair corrupted files automatically.

This command can be useful when Windows components are behaving unexpectedly, applications fail to start, or system files may have become corrupted.

DISM

Deployment Image Servicing and Management is used to service and repair the Windows image.

A common command is:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

DISM can repair the Windows component store, which can then allow SFC to repair system files more effectively.

A common troubleshooting sequence is:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

followed by:

sfc /scannow

chkdsk

Checks a disk for file-system errors.

chkdsk C:

To scan and repair file-system errors:

chkdsk C: /f

To perform a deeper scan that checks for bad sectors:

chkdsk C: /f /r

The /r option can take considerably longer, especially on large drives.

Do not interrupt a disk check while it is running unless you understand the consequences.

sfc /verifyonly

Checks system files without attempting repairs.

sfc /verifyonly

dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Checks the Windows component store for corruption.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth

Performs a quicker check for whether Windows has previously detected component-store corruption.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

bootrec

Provides several boot-repair options from Windows Recovery Environment.

Examples include:

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /scanos

bootrec /rebuildbcd

These commands should not be used randomly on a normally functioning Windows installation. Boot configuration commands are primarily intended for specific startup and boot-repair situations.

6. Disk and Storage CMD Commands

Windows provides several powerful command-line tools for managing storage devices.

diskpart

DiskPart is Microsoft’s command-line disk management utility.

Start it with:

diskpart

Then type:

list disk

to display connected disks.

You can also use:

list volume

to display volumes.

To see available commands inside DiskPart:

help

DiskPart is extremely powerful. Commands that select, clean, format, or modify partitions can cause permanent data loss if used incorrectly.

For example, the following command:

clean

inside DiskPart removes partition information from the selected disk.

Therefore, never use destructive DiskPart commands unless you have confirmed the correct disk.

format

Formats a drive.

format D:

Formatting deletes existing data from the selected file system, so make sure you have selected the correct drive.

vol

Displays the volume label and serial number.

vol C:

label

Displays or changes a drive label.

label D: Backup

fsutil

Provides advanced file-system management commands.

fsutil

It has many subcommands and is mainly intended for advanced users and administrators.

mountvol

Displays, creates, or removes volume mount points.

mountvol

This is mainly useful for advanced disk and storage management.

7. User and Account Management Commands

Command Prompt also includes commands for managing local Windows accounts.

net user

Displays local user accounts.

net user

To display information about a specific account:

net user username

net user username *

Allows an administrator to change a local user’s password interactively.

net user username *

Windows prompts for the new password without displaying the characters on screen.

net localgroup

Displays local groups.

net localgroup

To display members of the Administrators group:

net localgroup Administrators

net accounts

Displays or modifies account and password policies.

net accounts

whoami

Displays the currently signed-in account.

whoami

For additional information:

whoami /all

runas

Runs a program using another user’s credentials.

runas /user:Administrator cmd

Windows will request the appropriate password.

Use this command carefully, particularly on shared computers.

8. Process, Service, and Windows Management Commands

These commands can help advanced users inspect and manage Windows services and processes.

sc

The Service Control command can query and manage Windows services.

To see a service’s status:

sc query

To query a particular service:

sc query wuauserv

wuauserv is associated with Windows Update.

net start

Displays or starts Windows services.

net start

To start a particular service:

net start servicename

net stop

Stops a Windows service.

net stop servicename

Stopping important Windows services can affect system functionality, so only stop a service when you know why it needs to be stopped.

schtasks

Creates, deletes, queries, changes, and runs scheduled tasks.

To display scheduled tasks:

schtasks /query

tasklist

Shows running processes.

tasklist

taskkill

Terminates a running process.

taskkill /IM process.exe

start

Starts a program or opens a file using its associated application.

start notepad

You can also open a folder:

start C:\Users

9. Shutdown, Restart, and Power Commands

CMD can also control Windows shutdown and restart operations.

shutdown /s

Shuts down Windows.

shutdown /s

shutdown /r

Restarts Windows.

shutdown /r

shutdown /l

Signs out the current user.

shutdown /l

shutdown /h

Hibernates the computer.

shutdown /h

shutdown /a

Cancels a previously scheduled shutdown.

shutdown /a

Schedule a Shutdown

You can schedule a shutdown after a specified number of seconds.

For example:

shutdown /s /t 3600

This schedules a shutdown after 3,600 seconds, or one hour.

To cancel it:

shutdown /a

10. Useful Advanced CMD Commands

Several additional commands are worth knowing if you frequently use Command Prompt.

find

Searches for text within command output or files.

find "Windows" file.txt

findstr

Provides more advanced text searching.

tasklist | findstr chrome

fc

Compares two files.

fc file1.txt file2.txt

This can be useful when comparing text configuration files.

comp

Compares the contents of two files.

comp file1.txt file2.txt

clip

Copies command output to the Windows clipboard.

ipconfig | clip

You can then paste the output into Notepad, an email, or another application.

doskey

Creates command aliases and manages command history.

doskey

For example:

doskey ll=dir

Typing ll will then execute dir during that CMD session.

history

Command Prompt itself does not provide the same history command behavior as PowerShell, but you can press the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys to navigate through previously entered commands.

You can also use:

doskey /history

to display the command history for the current session.

call

Calls one batch script from another.

call script.bat

if

Performs conditional operations in batch files.

if exist file.txt echo File exists

for

Repeats commands for files, directories, or other sets of values.

for %f in (*.txt) do echo %f

In a batch file, the variable normally uses double percent signs:

for %%f in (*.txt) do echo %%f

set

Creates or displays environment variables.

set MYNAME=Windows

You can display the variable using:

echo %MYNAME%

timeout

Pauses execution for a specified number of seconds.

timeout /t 10

This is particularly useful in batch scripts.

pause

Pauses a batch file and waits for user input.

pause

start

Launches programs, folders, or URLs.

start https://www.microsoft.com

assoc

Displays or modifies file-extension associations.

assoc

To check the association for .txt files:

assoc .txt

ftype

Displays or modifies the command associated with a file type.

ftype

These commands are primarily useful for advanced Windows configuration.

Important CMD Commands at a Glance

If you do not want to memorize every command, the following are some of the most useful ones to remember:

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CMD commands are available in Windows?

Windows includes a large collection of Command Prompt commands, along with commands provided by other Windows utilities. The exact availability can vary between Windows versions, editions, installed components, and system configuration. Therefore, there is no single practical list containing every executable that can be launched from CMD.

You can use:

help

to see many of the commands directly supported by Command Prompt.

Which CMD commands are most useful for troubleshooting?

Some of the most useful troubleshooting commands include:

ipconfig

ping

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

chkdsk

tasklist

and:

systeminfo

The appropriate command depends on whether the problem involves Windows files, networking, storage, applications, or system configuration.

Can CMD commands damage Windows?

Yes. Some commands can delete files, format drives, modify partitions, change system configuration, or alter networking settings. Commands such as diskpart, format, del, and certain boot-management commands should be used carefully.

Do CMD commands work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Most traditional CMD commands work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. However, some utilities have been deprecated, changed, or may not be available in every Windows edition. For example, WMIC has been deprecated on modern Windows versions.

Conclusion

Command Prompt remains a powerful part of Windows 10 and Windows 11. While many everyday tasks can now be performed through graphical settings, CMD provides a fast way to manage files, troubleshoot network problems, inspect system information, repair Windows, manage disks, control services, and perform administrative tasks.

Most importantly, use administrative and destructive commands carefully. Commands that delete files, format drives, modify partitions, change boot configuration, or stop important services can cause serious problems when used incorrectly. With the right precautions, however, Command Prompt is one of the most useful troubleshooting and management tools available in Windows.