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To create a batch file in Windows, write Command Prompt commands in a plain-text editor, save the file with a .bat extension, then run it from Command Prompt. A batch file is a text-based script for the Windows Command shell; it is not a PowerShell script, and changing a filename extension does not convert arbitrary text into valid commands.
What a Windows batch file does
A batch file contains commands that the Windows Command shell processes to automate routine tasks. Microsoft describes the Command shell as Windows’ original built-in shell for this purpose, including work such as account management and nightly backups. The Windows Commands reference covers Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server versions: Microsoft Learn: Windows commands.
Command Prompt runs through cmd.exe. PowerShell is a separate Windows command-line shell with its own commands and syntax, so do not assume that a PowerShell cmdlet can be pasted into a .bat file. See Microsoft Learn: cmd.
Create a basic .bat file
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Open Notepad or another plain-text editor. Enter these two lines, one command per line:
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@echo off echo Hello, world! -
Choose the editor’s Save As command and save the file as
hello.bat. The.batextension identifies a PC batch file, but an extension is only part of a filename—it does not turn non-batch content into a working script. Microsoft explains extensions in Common file name extensions in Windows. -
Check that Windows has not saved the file as
hello.bat.txt. In File Explorer, select View > Show > File name extensions to display full extensions, then inspect the filename.
Run the batch file and check its output
The clearest way to run a new script is from its folder in Command Prompt: that makes the command and console output visible if you need to troubleshoot.
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Open the folder containing
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Open Command Prompt and change to that folder with
cd. For example, if the file is inC:Scripts, entercd /d C:Scripts. -
Enter
hello.batand press Enter. -
Confirm the console displays
Hello, world!.
You can also use the file’s normal open action in File Explorer, though how the window behaves depends on file associations and how Windows launches it. For explicit command execution, cmd.exe /c runs a command and exits; cmd.exe /k runs a command and keeps the interpreter open. Microsoft documents these switches in its cmd reference.
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Understand the starter commands
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@echo offstops batch commands from being echoed to the console, keeping output less cluttered. Microsoft’s echo reference explains the command and its use at the beginning of a batch file. -
echo Hello, world!displays the greeting. The same echo reference covers output and syntax.The Tool Desk
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Common first-file problems
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The file does not run as a batch script: show filename extensions in File Explorer and check that the actual name ends in
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The output is not what you expected: inspect each line for a valid Command Prompt command. A
.batextension does not make commands valid, and PowerShell-specific syntax is not automatically compatible. -
The window closes quickly: run the file from Command Prompt so you can see the execution and output in that console rather than relying on the file’s open behavior.
Only run batch files whose commands you understand, especially if they change or delete files or alter system settings.
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Build on the basics: variables and loops
Use a variable
The set command creates or changes an environment variable. In a batch file, references such as %NAME% substitute the variable’s value. See Microsoft Learn: set.
Use a for-loop variable
For a for loop, the variable syntax differs depending on where you type the command: an interactive Command Prompt example uses %f, while a batch file uses %%f. Using one percent sign in a batch file is a common copy-and-paste mistake. Microsoft documents the distinction in Microsoft Learn: for.
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