DOS and Windows command line commands
Updated: 06/01/2025 by Computer Hope
Short for Microsoft Disk Operating System, MS-DOS is a non-graphical command line operating system created for IBM-compatible computers.
Microsoft introduced MS-DOS in August 1981, and it was last updated in 1994 with MS-DOS 6.22. Although the MS-DOS operating system is rarely used today, the command shell, commonly known as the Windows command line, is still widely used. Continue reading definition >>
Tip
If you're new to MS-DOS or the Windows command line, see: How to use the Windows command line (DOS).
DOS and Windows command line commands
The following table lists each of the MS-DOS and Windows command line commands with a brief description and its type. Selecting a command gives additional details about the command, its syntax, and examples.
| Command | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| ansi.sys | Defines functions that change display graphics, control cursor movement, and reassign keys. | File |
| append | Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing a file or running a command. | External |
| arp | Displays, adds, and removes ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) information from network devices. | External |
| assign | Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter. | External |
| assoc | View the file associations. | Internal |
| at | Schedule a time to execute commands or programs. | External |
| atmadm | Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) call manager. | Internal |
| attrib | Display and change file attributes. | External |
| backup | Utility to back up data. | External |
| batch | Recovery console command that executes several commands in a file. | Recovery |
| bcdedit | Modify the boot configuration data store. | External |
| bootcfg | Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini file. | Recovery |
| bootrec | Repair critical disk structures. | Recovery |
| bootsect | Update the master boot code for hard disk partitions. | External |
| break | Enable and disable Ctrl+C. | Internal |
| cacls | View and modify file ACLs. | External |
| call | Calls a batch file from another batch file. | Internal |
| cd | Changes directories. | Internal |
| chcp | Supplement the international keyboard and character set information. | External |
| chdir | Changes directories. | Internal |
| chkdsk | Check the hard drive running FAT (File Allocation Table) for errors. | External |
| chkntfs | Check the hard drive running NTFS (NTFS File System) for errors. | External |
| choice | Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file. | External |
| cipher | Display or alter the encryption of NTFS directories. | External |
| clip | Redirect command line output to the Windows clipboard. | External |
| cls | Clears the screen. | Internal |
| cmd | Opens the command-line interpreter called command.com. | Internal |
| color | Change the foreground and background color of the MS-DOS window. | Internal |
| command | Opens the command interpreter. | Internal |
| comp | Compares files. | External |
| compact | Compresses and uncompress files. | External |
| control | Open Control Panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt. | External |
| convert | Convert FAT to NTFS. | External |
| copy | Copy one or more files to an alternate location. | Internal |
| ctty | Change the computer's input/output devices. | Internal |
| date | View or change the system's date. | Internal |
| debug | Debug utility to create assembly language programs to modify hardware settings. | External |
| defrag | Re-arrange the hard drive to improve performance. | External |
| del | Deletes one or more files. | Internal |
| delete | Deletes file. | Internal |
| deltree | Deletes one or more files or directories. | External |
| dir | List the contents of one or more directories. | Internal |
| disable | Disables Windows system services or drivers. | Recovery |
| dism | List, install, uninstall, and configure Windows binary images. | External |
| diskcomp | Compare a disk with another disk. | External |
| diskcopy | Copy the contents of one disk and place them on another disk. | External |
| diskpart | Command-line disk-partitioning utility. | Recovery |
| dism | Enumerating, installs, uninstalls, configures, and updates features and packages in Windows images. | External |
| doskey | View and execute commands that were run in the past. | External |
| dosshell | A GUI (Graphical User Interface) to help with early MS-DOS users. | External |
| driverquery | Display a list of installed device drivers. | External |
| drivparm | Enables overwrite of original device drivers. | Internal |
| dumpchk | View the Windows minidump files. | External |
| echo | Displays messages and enables and disables echo. | Internal |
| edit | View and edit files. | External |
| edlin | View and edit files. | External |
| emm386 | Load extended memory manager. | External |
| enable | Enable a disabled service or driver. | Recovery |
| endlocal | Stops the localization of the environment changes enabled by the setlocal command. | Internal |
| erase | Erase files from the computer. | Internal |
| exit | Exit from the command interpreter. | Internal |
| expand | Expand a Microsoft Windows file back to its original format. | External |
| extract | Extract files from the Microsoft Windows cabinets. | External |
| fasthelp | Displays a listing of MS-DOS commands and information about them. | External |
| fc | Compare files. | External |
| fciv | Check the MD5 or SHA-1 file checksum. | External |
| fdisk | Setup drive by creating and managing partitions on the hard drive. | External |
| find | Search for text within a file. | External |
| findstr | Searches for a string of text within a file. | External |
| fixboot | Writes a new boot sector. | Recovery |
| fixmbr | Writes a new boot record to a disk drive. | Recovery |
| for | Boolean used in batch files. | Internal |
| forfiles | Select one or more files and executes another command on them. | External |
| format | Erase and prepare a disk drive. | External |
| ftp | Connect and operate on an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server. | External |
| ftype | Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations. | Recovery |
| goto | Moves a batch file to a specific label or location. | Internal |
| gpupdate | Refresh a computer's local Group Policy. | External |
| graftabl | Show extended characters in graphics mode. | External |
| help | Display a listing of commands and a brief explanation. | External |
| himem.sys | Driver file for managing extended memory. | File |
| hostname | Display the hostname of the machine. | External |
| icacls | View and modify an ACL (Access Control List). | External |
| if | Allows for batch files to perform conditional processing. | Internal |
| ifshlp.sys | 32-bit file manager. | File |
| ipconfig | View network adapter settings and assigned values. | External |
| keyb | Change the layout of the keyboard. | External |
| label | Change the label of a disk drive. | External |
| lh | Load a device driver into high memory. | Internal |
| listsvc | Display the services and drivers. | Recovery |
| loadfix | Load a program above the first 64 k. | External |
| loadhigh | Load a device driver into high memory. | Internal |
| lock | Lock the hard drive. | Internal |
| logoff | Log off the current profile using the computer. | External |
| logon | List installations and enable administrator login. | Recovery |
| map | Displays the device name of a drive. | Recovery |
| md | Create a new directory. | Internal |
| mem | Display memory on the system. | External |
| mkdir | Create a new directory. | Internal |
| mklink | Creates a symbolic link. | Internal |
| mode | Modify the port or display settings. | External |
| more | Display one page at a time. | External |
| move | Move one or more files from one directory to another directory. | Internal |
| msav | Early Microsoft virus scanner. | External |
| msbackup | Back up data on the computer. | External |
| mscdex | Load and access the CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory). | External |
| msd | Computer diagnostics utility. | External |
| msdos.sys | MS-DOS configuration and boot file. | File |
| msg | Send messages to other network users. | External |
| mwbackup | Back up data on the computer. | External |
| nbtstat | Displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP). | External |
| net | Update, fix, or view the network or network settings. | External |
| netsh | Configure dynamic and static network information from MS-DOS. | External |
| netstat | Display the TCP/IP network protocol statistics and information. | External |
| nlsfunc | Load country-specific information. | External |
| nslookup | Look up an IP address of a domain or host on a network. | External |
| path | View and modify the computer's path location. | Internal |
| pathping | View and locate locations of network latency. | External |
| pause | Command used in batch files to stop the processing of a command. | Internal |
| ping | Test and send information to another network computer or network device. | External |
| popd | Changes to the directory or network path stored by the pushd command. | Internal |
| power | Conserve power with computer portables. | External |
| Prints data to a printer port. | External | |
| prompt | View and change the MS-DOS prompt. | Internal |
| pushd | Store a directory or network path in memory so it can be returned later. | Internal |
| qbasic | Open the QBasic. | External |
| rd | Removes an empty directory. | Internal |
| reg | Query, modify, and manipulate the Windows registry. | External |
| ren | Renames a file or directory. | Internal |
| rename | Renames a file or directory. | Internal |
| replace | Replace a file with another. | External |
| rmdir | Removes an empty directory. | Internal |
| robocopy | A robust file copy command for the Windows command line. | External |
| route | View and configure Windows network route tables. | External |
| runas | Enables users to run a program as a different user. | External |
| sc | Communicate with the Service Control Manager and services. | External |
| scandisk | Run the ScanDisk utility. | External |
| scanreg | Scan registry and recover registry from errors. | External |
| schtasks | Create, delete, query, change, run, and end scheduled tasks. | External |
| set | Change one variable or string to another. | Internal |
| setlocal | Enables local environments to be changed without affecting anything else. | Internal |
| setver | Change the MS-DOS version to trick older MS-DOS programs. | External |
| sfc | System file checker. | External |
| share | Installs support for file sharing and locking capabilities. | External |
| shift | Changes the position of replaceable parameters in a batch program. | Internal |
| shutdown | Shutdown the computer from the MS-DOS prompt. | External |
| smartdrv | Create a disk cache in conventional memory or extended memory. | External |
| sort | Sorts the input and displays the output to the screen. | External |
| start | Start a separate window in Windows from the MS-DOS prompt. | Internal |
| subst | Substitute a directory on your computer for another drive letter. | External |
| switches | Remove add functions from MS-DOS. | Internal |
| sys | Transfer system files to disk drive. | External |
| systeminfo | Display system information. | External |
| systemroot | Set the current directory as the root directory. | Recovery |
| taskkill | Kill a Windows task. | External |
| tasklist | Display a list of the running processes. | External |
| telnet | Telnet to another computer or device from the prompt. | External |
| time | View or modify the system time. | Internal |
| title | Change the title of their MS-DOS window. | Internal |
| tracert | Visually view a network packet route across a network. | External |
| tree | View a visual tree of the hard drive. | External |
| tskill | Kill a Windows task. | External |
| type | Display the contents of a file. | Internal |
| undelete | Undelete a file that was deleted. | External |
| unformat | Unformat a hard drive. | External |
| unlock | Unlock a disk drive. | Internal |
| ver | Display the version information. | Internal |
| verify | Enables or disables the feature to determine if files were written properly. | Internal |
| vol | Displays the volume information about the designated drive. | Internal |
| wmic | Query WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) entries. | External |
| xcopy | Copy multiple files, directories, or drives from one location to another. | External |