There is no single universal list of every program that can be run from Command Prompt. Windows includes built-in cmd.exe commands, separate executable utilities, and commands belonging to their own interpreters. To see the system commands available to your shell, run help. This guide provides a practical catalog of commonly documented Windows commands, explains CMD syntax, and clarifies what “complete” means.
What counts as a CMD command?
cmd.exe is the Windows command processor. Some commands are built into it, while others are executable files located in Windows directories or elsewhere in PATH.
Use these commands to investigate what is available on a particular computer:
- help lists and briefly describes the system commands available to the command shell.
- where robocopy locates matching executable files in the current directory and directories in PATH.
- where /r C:\Windows *.exe recursively searches a directory tree for matching executable files.
help is not an inventory of every executable installed on the computer. Third-party tools and programs in PATH may be runnable even if they are not listed by help. Results vary by Windows edition, installed features, system architecture, and software added by administrators.
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Practical list of Windows CMD commands
Microsoft’s current command reference covers Windows 10, Windows 11, supported Windows Server releases, and Azure Local. The catalog below includes commonly used commands; some are CMD built-ins and others are standalone utilities. Availability can vary, so check the target computer before relying on an optional command.
Shell, batch-file, and environment commands
| Command | What it does | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| call | Calls another batch file or label and returns to the caller. | call backup.cmd |
| cmd | Starts a new command processor instance. | cmd /c dir |
| doskey | Defines macros and provides command-history features. | doskey /history |
| echo | Displays text or turns command echoing on or off. | echo %PATH% |
| endlocal | Ends a localized environment-variable section. | endlocal |
| exit | Closes the shell or exits a batch file. | exit /b 1 |
| for | Repeats a command for files, directories, text, command output, or numbers. | for %f in (*.log) do echo %f |
| goto | Jumps to a label in a batch file. | goto :error |
| if | Runs commands conditionally. | if exist report.txt echo Found |
| path | Displays or sets the executable search path. | path C:\Tools;%PATH% |
| pause | Suspends a batch file until a key is pressed. | pause |
| prompt | Changes the command prompt. | prompt $P$G |
| rem | Adds a comment to a batch file. | rem Cleanup starts here |
| set | Displays, creates, changes, or deletes environment variables. | set BUILD=release |
| setlocal | Localizes environment-variable changes in a batch file. | setlocal enabledelayedexpansion |
| shift | Shifts batch-file parameters. | shift /1 |
| start | Starts a program, document, or separate command window. | start “” notepad.exe |
| timeout | Waits for a specified number of seconds. | timeout /t 10 |
| title | Sets the Command Prompt window title. | title Backup job |
Files, folders, and text
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| attrib | Displays or changes file attributes such as read-only, hidden, and system. |
| cd / chdir | Changes or displays the current directory. |
| cls | Clears the Command Prompt window. |
| comp | Compares the contents of two files. |
| compact | Displays or changes NTFS compression for files and directories. |
| copy | Copies one or more files. |
| del / erase | Deletes files. |
| dir | Lists files and directories. |
| fc | Compares files and shows their differences. |
| find | Searches for a text string in files or piped input. |
| findstr | Searches files using strings and regular-expression-style patterns. |
| ftype | Displays or changes commands associated with file extensions. |
| makecab | Creates Cabinet files when the utility is installed and available. |
| md / mkdir | Creates a directory. |
| mklink | Creates symbolic links, hard links, and directory junctions. |
| more | Displays output one screen at a time. |
| move | Moves files or directories. |
| Sends a text file to a printer. | |
| rd / rmdir | Removes directories. |
| ren / rename | Changes file or directory names. |
| replace | Replaces files in a destination directory. |
| robocopy | Copies files and directory trees with restart, mirroring, logging, and filtering options. |
| sort | Sorts text input. |
| tree | Displays a graphical directory structure. |
| type | Displays the contents of a text file. |
| xcopy | Copies files and directory trees with more options than basic copy. |
To inspect a long text file, use type C:\Logs\backup.log | more. Do not use type to inspect an executable or other binary file; the output may contain control characters or escape sequences. In PowerShell, type is an alias for Get-Content, which differs from the CMD built-in.
Disks, volumes, and storage
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| chkdsk | Checks a volume’s file system and, with the appropriate options, repairs errors. |
| cipher | Manages NTFS encryption and can securely overwrite deleted data. |
| convert | Converts a FAT volume to NTFS. |
| defrag | Analyzes and optimizes volumes. |
| diskcomp | Compares the contents of two floppy disks; a legacy utility. |
| diskcopy | Copies the contents of one floppy disk to another; a legacy utility. |
| diskpart | Starts the DiskPart disk-management interpreter. |
| format | Formats a disk for a specified file system. |
| fsutil | Performs advanced file-system and volume tasks. |
| label | Creates, changes, or deletes a volume label. |
| mountvol | Creates, removes, or lists volume mount points. |
| recover | Attempts to recover readable information from a damaged disk. |
| subst | Associates a drive letter with a directory. |
| vol | Displays a disk’s volume label and serial number. |
Important: DiskPart has its own command interpreter. Start diskpart, then type help at the DISKPART> prompt to see commands such as list disk, select disk, list volume, and clean. DiskPart can destroy partitions and data, so verify the selected disk before using destructive commands.
Networking and remote access
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| arp | Displays and modifies the IPv4 ARP cache. |
| curl | Makes HTTP and other supported network requests from the command line. |
| ftp | Transfers files using FTP. |
| getmac | Displays network adapter MAC addresses. |
| hostname | Displays the computer’s host name. |
| ipconfig | Displays or refreshes IP configuration, DNS, and DHCP information. |
| nbtstat | Displays NetBIOS over TCP/IP statistics and name tables. |
| net | Manages or queries network resources, accounts, shares, services, and sessions through subcommands. |
| netsh | Opens a network-shell utility for firewall, interface, WLAN, and other network configuration. |
| nslookup | Queries DNS servers. |
| pathping | Combines route tracing with packet-loss and latency statistics. |
| ping | Tests reachability and round-trip time using ICMP. |
| rasdial | Connects to or disconnects from a remote-access connection. |
| route | Displays or changes the local IP routing table. |
| tracert | Traces the path to a destination. |
| whois | Queries WHOIS information where the utility is installed or available. |
Processes, services, users, and Windows administration
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| driverquery | Lists installed device drivers. |
| gpresult | Reports the Resultant Set of Policy for a user or computer. |
| gpupdate | Refreshes Group Policy settings. |
| icacls | Displays or modifies NTFS permissions. |
| openfiles | Displays or disconnects open files, when local tracking is enabled. |
| runas | Runs a program under another user’s credentials. |
| sc | Queries or controls Windows services. |
| schtasks | Creates, deletes, queries, runs, and ends scheduled tasks. |
| shutdown | Shuts down, restarts, logs off, or hibernates a computer. |
| systeminfo | Displays detailed operating-system and hardware information. |
| takeown | Lets an administrator take ownership of files or directories. |
| taskkill | Ends processes by process ID or image name. |
| tasklist | Lists running processes and their IDs. |
| time | Displays or sets the system time. |
| ver | Displays the Windows version. |
| verify | Controls whether disk writes are verified. |
| whoami | Displays the current user, groups, and privileges. |
| wmic | Legacy Windows Management Instrumentation command-line interface; availability depends on Windows version and installation state. |
Other useful commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| assoc | Displays or changes file-extension associations. |
| break | Sets or clears extended Ctrl+C checking in supported command-shell behavior. |
| color | Changes the foreground and background colors of the console. |
| date | Displays or sets the system date. |
| fc | Compares files line by line or byte by byte. |
| graftabl | Enables Windows to display extended characters in graphics mode; a legacy command. |
| help | Displays command descriptions and syntax. |
| mode | Configures system devices and the console. |
| more | Controls paged display of output. |
| path | Sets the directories searched for executable commands. |
| reg | Queries and modifies the Windows Registry. |
| typeperf | Writes performance-counter data to the command window or a log. |
| verifier | Configures Driver Verifier. |
CMD syntax you need to know
Command-line notation
Microsoft’s syntax references use a consistent notation:
| Notation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| <text> | Required value that you supply. |
| [text] | Optional value. |
| {text} | Required choice or group. |
| | | Choose one alternative. |
| … | The preceding item may be repeated. |
Text shown without brackets is typed literally. For example, in cmd /c <command>, replace <command> with the command to run.
Operators and redirection
| Syntax | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|
| | | Pipes the first command’s output into the second. | tasklist | findstr chrome |
| > | Writes output to a file, replacing it. | dir > files.txt |
| >> | Appends output to a file. | echo Done >> log.txt |
| & | Runs commands sequentially regardless of the first command’s success. | cd C:\Work & dir |
| && | Runs the next command only if the previous command succeeds. | mkdir C:\Work\New && echo Created |
| || | Runs the next command only if the previous command fails. | ping server || echo Unreachable |
These operators test command completion status, not whether displayed text looks successful. A successful operation generally returns exit code 0; scripts should use exit codes rather than parse human-readable output.
Characters such as &, |, and parentheses have special meaning. Escape a literal special character with ^ or quote an argument where appropriate. Paths containing spaces must be quoted:
- dir “C:\Program Files\Common Files”
- echo A ^& B
Starting CMD with options
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| /c | Runs the supplied command and exits. |
| /k | Runs the supplied command and keeps the shell open. |
| /s | Applies special quote-stripping rules with /c or /k. |
| /q | Turns command echoing off. |
| /d | Disables registry-configured AutoRun commands. |
| /a / /u | Formats output as ANSI or Unicode. |
| /t:bf | Sets background and foreground console colors. |
| /e:on / /e:off | Enables or disables command extensions. |
| /f:on / /f:off | Enables or disables file and directory completion. |
| /v:on / /v:off | Enables or disables delayed environment-variable expansion. |
| /? | Displays CMD’s command-line help. |
The full syntax is cmd [/c|/k] [/s] [/q] [/d] [/a|/u] [/t:{<b><f> | <f>}] [/e:{on | off}] [/f:{on | off}] [/v:{on | off}] [<string>]. For example, this starts a one-off shell without registry AutoRun commands:
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cmd /d /c “set PATH”
Without /d, CMD checks these registry values before processing the command:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun
This means a new Command Prompt is not necessarily a clean shell. Also, quotes in cmd /c command strings are not always preserved; the result depends on the command string and the documented quoting conditions.
Environment variables and expansion
Use set to inspect or change the environment:
- set lists all variables.
- set USER lists variables whose names begin with USER.
- set NAME=Alex creates or changes NAME.
- set NAME= deletes NAME.
Variable names are case-insensitive, although CMD preserves the spelling used when displaying them. Standard expansion uses percent signs, such as echo %USERNAME% and echo %TEMP%. Delayed expansion uses exclamation marks and must be enabled, for example with cmd /v:on and echo !COUNT!.
Delayed expansion matters inside parenthesized batch blocks, where ordinary %VAR% expansion can occur before the block executes. Variable values are not recursively expanded indefinitely. An individual environment variable is limited to 8,192 bytes, and an environment block is limited to 65,536 characters. A child CMD process inherits its parent environment, but changes made in that child do not change the parent process.
FOR loop variants
for syntax differs between an interactive prompt and a batch file. At an interactive prompt use one percent sign; in a batch file use two:
- Interactive: for %f in (*.txt) do echo %f
- Batch file: for %%f in (*.txt) do echo %%f
| Variant | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| for /d | Processes matching directory names. | for /d %d in (*) do echo %d |
| for /r | Walks a directory tree recursively. | for /r C:\Logs %f in (*.log) do echo %f |
| for /l | Iterates over a numeric range. | for /l %n in (1,1,5) do @echo %n |
| for /f | Parses files, strings, or command output. | for /f “tokens=*” %l in (file.txt) do echo %l |
By default, for /f skips blank lines and takes the first whitespace-separated token from each line. Options such as delims=, tokens=, skip=, eol=, and usebackq change its parsing behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Using FORFILES for date-based cleanup
forfiles applies a command to files matching a mask. For example, this lists matching log files on or before the date calculated as 30 days before the current date:
forfiles /P C:\Logs /M *.log /S /D -30 /C “cmd /c echo @path”
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Common CMD mistakes
- Assuming help lists every runnable program. Use where to locate executables, and remember that third-party software may not appear in help.
- Using %%A at the interactive prompt. Use %A interactively and %%A in a batch file.
- Believing && always runs both commands. It runs the second command only after the first succeeds.
- Deleting the wrong path because of missing quotes. Quote paths such as “C:\Program Files\App”.
- Assuming CMD starts clean. Use cmd /d when registry AutoRun commands must not run.
- Expecting %VAR% to update inside a parenthesized block. Use delayed expansion with cmd /v:on and !VAR! when run-time expansion is required.
- Treating DiskPart commands as normal CMD commands. Start DiskPart, then use help inside its interpreter.
- Parsing printed success messages instead of exit codes. Use &&, ||, or inspect %ERRORLEVEL% in a script.
CMD or PowerShell?
CMD remains useful for short commands, legacy batch files, recovery environments, and compatibility with older Windows tools. Microsoft directs users who need more advanced scripting and automation toward PowerShell, which provides structured objects, richer error handling, modules, and more capable language features.
The shells do not always interpret the same command name the same way. CMD’s type displays text-file contents, while PowerShell’s type is an alias for Get-Content. Check which shell a script targets before copying commands between them.
FAQ
How do I display the complete CMD command list?
Open Command Prompt and run help. Run help command for details, such as help robocopy. This lists system commands available to that shell, not every executable installed on the computer.
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How do I find the executable used by a CMD command?
Run where command, for example where robocopy. By default, where searches the current directory and directories in PATH. Use where /r C:\Windows *.exe for a recursive search.
What is the difference between CMD and Command Prompt?
Command Prompt is the Windows application and user interface commonly used to launch cmd.exe. CMD or cmd.exe is the command processor that parses and runs commands and batch files.
Why does CMD show a different result from PowerShell?
They are different shells with different parsers, built-ins, aliases, quoting rules, and error behavior. For example, type is a CMD built-in but a PowerShell alias for Get-Content.
How do I get help for a command?
Use help command, such as help for or help set. Many standalone utilities also support /?, such as robocopy /?.
Are CMD commands case-sensitive?
Command names and environment-variable names are generally case-insensitive. FOR variable names are case-sensitive, and filenames or arguments can be affected by the behavior of the command receiving them.
The Bottom Line
For the command set available on a specific Windows installation, run help; for executable discovery, run where <pattern>. This catalog covers major Windows CMD commands, but DiskPart and similar tools have separate command languages, and installed software can add programs that are not part of CMD’s built-in help.
Quick Recap
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