List of the most used commands at the Windows command prompt

Below is a list of the most used Windows 10 command line commands, if you have something to add, use the comment form below. Each command has a brief description that gives you an idea of what happens when you use it.

• append – allows programs to open files in the specified directories as if they were in the current directory;
• arp – displays and modifies the IP to physical address conversion tables used by the address resolution protocol;
• at – startup of programs at specified times;
• atmsdm – control connections and addresses registered by ATM call manager in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks;
• attrib – changes file and folder attributes;
• auditusr – sets the user audit policy;
• assoc – outputs or changes mappings by filename extensions;
• break – enables CTRL+C key handling;
• blastcln – worm cleanup utility;
• bootcfg – can be used to customize, extract, modify or delete the command line parameters in the Boot.ini file;
• call – calls one batch file from another;
• cacls – view modification of the ACL file access control tables;
• cd – outputs the name, or changes the current folder;
• chcp – output or change the active code page;
• chdir – output or change the current folder;
• copy – copy one or more files;
• cls – clears the screen;
• chkdsk – check the disk and print out a report;
• chkntfs – outputs or changes parameters of disk check at boot time;
• ciddaemon – file indexing service;
• cipher – file encryption program;
• comp – compares the contents of two files or sets of files;
• compact – view and change file compression settings on NTFS partitions;
• convert – converts the file system of a FAT volume to NTFS;
• date – display or set the current date;
• del – deletes one or more files;
• dir – outputs a list of files and subfolders in a specified folder;
• diskcopy – copies the contents of one floppy disk to another;
• diskcomp – compares the contents of two floppy disks;
• debug – debugging and program editing tool;
• defrag – defragmenter;
• devcon is a command-line program used as an alternative to the Device Manager. It can be used to turn on, turn off, restart, update, remove and query individual devices or groups of devices. DevCon also provides the information needed by the driver developer which is not available in the Device Manager;
• diantz – a link to the makecab.exe program;
• diskpart – use of the diskpart script;
• diskperf – performance counter;
• doskey – edit and re-call windows xp commands , create macros driverquery – view a list of installed device drivers and their properties;
• edlin – launches the line-by-line text editor;
• echo – displaying messages and switching the mode of displaying commands on the screen;
• endlocal – end of local environment changes for a batch file;
• erase – deletes one or more files;
• eventcreate – allows you to create a record of the main event in the event log;
• eventtriggers – allows to configure event triggers in local or remote system;
• exe2bin – converts exe to binary format;
• expand – unpack compressed files;
• fc – compare files and show differences between them;
• for – runs the specified command for each file in the set;
• format – format the disk;
• ftype – outputs or changes file types;
• find – search for a text string in one or more files;
• findstr – search for strings in files;
• finger – outputs information about the users of the specified system, on which the service is running;
• fltmc – work with filter drivers;
• fontview – font viewer;
• forcedos – runs the specified program in the MS-DOS subsystem. This command is needed for those MS-DOS programs that are not recognized by Microsoft Windows XP;
• fsutil is a command line utility that is used to perform related FAT and NTFS file system tasks, such as managing recycle points, sparse file management, volume disconnection or volume expansion;
• ftp – file transfer program;
• goto – transfer control to a specified line in a batch file;
• graftabl – allows windows to display an extended character set in graphical mode;
• getmac – displays the MAC address of one or more network adapters;
• gpresult – displays the resulting RSoP policy for the specified computer;
• gpupdate – updates group policies;
• if – conditional command execution statement in a batch file;
• ipconfig – information about the IP address;
• ipxroute – nwlink ipx routing management program;
• label – creating, changing and deleting volume labels for the disk;
• lodctr – update counter names and explanatory text for the extended counter;
• logman – manage the “hangs and performance logs” service;
• logoff – session termination;
• lpq – displays the status of the remote lpq print queue;
• lpr – sends the print job to a network printer;
• md – creates a folder;
• mkdir – to create a folder;
• mode – configures system devices;
• more – sequential output of data in parts of one screen size;
• move – moves one or more files from one folder to another;
• makecab – archives files into cab archives;
• mem – displays information about the used and free memory;
• mofcomp – a 32-bit compiler;
• mountvol – creates, browses and deletes connection points;
• mqbkup – a utility for archiving and restoring the message queue;
• mqsvc – provides an infrastructure for running distributed applications based on asynchronous messages. MSMQ;
• mrinfo – work with multicast messages;
• msg – sending messages;
• nbtstat – displaying protocol statistics and current tcp/ip connections with nbt;
• netstat – display protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections;
• nlsfunc – load national standards information;
• odbcconf – ODBC driver configuration;
• openfiles – outputs the list of opened files and folders, which were opened in the system;
• path – outputs or sets the search path for the executable files;
• popd – restore the previous value of the current folder;
• prompt – change the prompt on the command line;
• pushd – saving the values of the current active folder and pass to the next one;
• pathping – pinging and path finding program;
• pentnt – detects floating-point division errors on Pentium processor, disables hardware floating-point processing and enables floating-point emulation;
• ping – sends packets to the specified address;
• ping6 – communication test command;
• powercfg – system power management;
• print – print text file;
• proxycfg – proxy configuration tool;
• qappsrv – displays available terminal servers on the network;
• qprocess – displays information about processes;
• qwinsta – displays information about terminal sessions;
• rd – deleting a folder;
• rem – puts a remark in a batch file;
• ren – to rename files and folders;
• renname – to rename a file or folder;
• rmdir – delete a folder;
• rasdial – command line communication interface for remote access service client;
• rcp – file exchange with the computer where the rcp service is running;
• recover – recovery of data on a damaged disk;
• reg – used to work with the registry;
• regsvr32 – registry server;
• replace – file replacement;
• reset – terminal services reset utility;
• rexec – execution of commands on the remote nodes on which the rexec service is running;
• route – processing network route tables;
• rsh – executing commands on the remote nodes where the rsh service is running;
• runas – using applications on behalf of another user;
• rwinsta – resetting the values of hardware subsystems and session programs to the initial state;
• sc – it is possible to find out where the profile for working in the domain is located;
• set – display, set and delete Windows environment variables;
• setlocal – start local changes of the environment for the batch file;
• shift – change the contents of the inserted parameters for the batch file;
• start – start program or command in a separate window;
• sdbinst – compatibility database installer;
• setver – sets version number that MS-DOS tells the program;
• sfc – checks all running system files and replace wrong versions;
• shadow – monitor another terminal services session;
• shutdown – restarting, shutting down the computer, etc;
• smbinst – process belonging to System Management BIOS Driver Installer;
• sort – a sorting program;
• subst – mapping the disk name to the specified path;
• systeminfo – allows you to get information about the system configuration;
• taskkill – forced process termination;
• tasklist – shows the processes currently running;
• time – allows you to view and change the current time;
• title – assigns a title to the current interpreter window;
• tree – shows graphically the structure of the given disk or folder;
• type – display contents of text files;
• tcmsetup – installation of the telephony client;
• tftp – file exchange with remote computer;
• tlntadmn – no idea, haven’t figured it out;
• tracerpt – processes binary event tracking log files or real-time data streams from event tracking providers and creates a report in a text file, with a description of the events that happened;
• tracert – traces the route to the specified node;
• tracert6 – tracert version for IPv6;
• tscon – joins user session to terminal session;
• tsdiscon – disconnects terminal session;
• tskill – terminates the process;
• tsshutdn – terminates server’s work in set order;
• typeperf – displays performance information on the screen or in the log;
• ver – displays information about windows version;
• verify – sets the mode of checking if the files are written to disk correctly;
• vol – displays the label and volume serial number for the disk;
• unlodctr – removes counter names and explanatory text for the extended counter;
• userinit – is part of Windows operating systems, responsible for the system boot process;
• vssadmin – command line tool for volume shadowing;
• w32tm – time service diagnostic;
• wbemtest – windows toolkit test;
• winver – windows version information;
• wmic – session start setup (for advanced users, not recommended to use without proper experience);
• xcopy – copying files and the folder tree.