Batch files are files processed in batches, allowing Windows users to automate system and program processes. To this end, these files receive commands, also called batch commands, which are run through the command line or by prompt. There are hundreds of batch commands, which can automate everything from printer queues to complex tasks.
Hundreds of batch file commands exist, however not all of them work on every operating system. Some batch commands are outdated or only work on operating systems that are hardly used or not used at all nowadays. The following list of batch commands introduces the most important commands that work on the most modern computers and systems, and also provides an insight into the world of possibilities with batch file commands.
You can find detailed information about how to create and execute your own batch files in our separate article on this topic.
Batch command | Result | Versions of Windows | ||
assoc | Shows or changes the file extension (e.g. .txt or .jpg) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
at | Starts a command or program at a specific time; then entered into “Planned tasks” | XP | Vista | 7 |
attrib | Displays or changes file attributes (e.g. file size, modification date, storage location) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
cacls | Displays or changes ACLs (access permissions) for files | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
call | Retrieves a batch file inside another | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
cd | Switches to another directory or another folder | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
chcp | Displays or changes the current code page, character table or character map | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
chdir | Changes the directory or the display of its name | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
chkdsk | Checks the data carrier for errors | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
chkntfs | Displays or changes the data carrier check at system start-up | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
choice | Makes yes/no queries or A/B/C/D selection dialogs possible, including return value |
|
| 7, 8, 10 |
cipher | Makes it possible to encode directories (in NTFS-type partitions) or to display the underlying encoding | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
cls | Deletes all screen content | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
cmd | Starts the prompt | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
cmstp | Makes it possible to install profiles in the connection manager | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
color | Changes the background color of the current panel | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
comp | Compares the contents of two or more files | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
compact | Displays or changes the compression of files in NTFS-type partitions | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
convert | Converts FAT drives to NTFS | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
copy | Makes it possible to copy files | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
cscript | Starts the interpreter for VBScript/JScript | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
date | Displays and adapts the system date/time | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
defrag | Makes it possible to defragment drives | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
del | Deletes individual files | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
dir | Displays all content of the directory | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
diskcomp | Compares the content of two different disks | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
diskpart | Makes it possible to administer data carriers directly within the panel | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
dism | With DISM, features and packages of Windows images can be listed, installed, uninstalled, configured or updated. |
|
| 7, 8, 10 |
doskey | Creates macros, recalls commands entered previously, and edits the command input | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
driverquery | Displays the driver for devices installed on the computer | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
echo | Displays notifications inside the panel, as well as turning the command display on and off | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
endlocal | Ends a session that was started with setlocal | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
erase | Deletes one or more files | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
errorlevel | Displays whether a command was successful or not (0 means yes, 1 means no) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
eventcreate | Enters into the event log | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
eventquery | Lists events or their properties. This is run with the help of cscript | XP |
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eventtriggers | Displays or configures event triggers in the event log | XP |
|
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exist | Checks whether a file exists | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
exit | Closes a batch file or the prompt | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
expand | Unpacks compressed files or folders | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
fc | Compares different data and displays the differences | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
find | Searches for one or several files by entering characters | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
findstr | Searches for strings within a file, e.g. in the file name or a text | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
for | Creates a for() loop that retrieves commands as often as specified inside the brackets | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
format | Makes it possible to format a data carrier | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
fsutil | Displays and configures the properties of a file system | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
ftp | Makes it possible to upload and download files via FTP (File Transfer Protocol), e.g. onto a server | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
ftype | Displays file types and what their assignment is | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
getmac | Displays the MAC addresses (identifier of a device) for network adapters (local or remote) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
goto | Makes it possible to jump to a specific point within a batch file | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
gpresult | Displays group guidelines that are used on the computer or for a specific user | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
gpupdate | Makes it possible to update group guidelines | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
graftabl | Displays special characters in the graphics mode | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
help | Displays all cmd commands inside the panel | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
hostname | Displays the computer name | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
icacls | Makes it possible to display, change, secure or retrieve ACLs and the access control for files and directories |
|
| 7, 8, 10 |
if | Makes it possible to integrate conditions inside batch files, similarly to with JavaScript, for example | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
ipconfig | Configures IP network settings | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
irftp | Sends a file on an infrared interface | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
label | Changes the designation of a data carrier | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
logman | Administers the service “Performance logs and alerts” | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
lpr | Makes it possible to send a print job to a printer in the network | XP |
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|
mkdir | Creates a directory | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
mmc | Retrieves the management panel | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
mode | Configures system interfaces and devices | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
more | Displays data page-by-page on the screen | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
mountvol | Creates, deletes or lists a mount point for a data carrier | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
move | Renames or moves files or directories | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
openfiles | Makes it possible to display or separate files or directories that have been opened |
|
| 7, 8, 10 |
msiexec | Installs .msi packages (MSI files are also called Windows Installer package files) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
net | Administers and displays network services | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
netsh | Manage and configure components of the network using the prompt | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
netstat | Display TCP-IP connections and their status | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
nslookup | Queries the DNS server | XP |
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ntbackup | Starts NTBackup via CommandLine / starts Silent | XP |
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path | Displays or establishes the search path for the program selected | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
pathping | Tests the connection to a selected IP address | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
pause | The batch file currently being run is stopped and the panel provides the message “Press any key” | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
perfmon | Starts the performance monitor for Windows | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
ping | The connection to another device is tested with this | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
Prints out a text-based file | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 | |
prncnfg | After starting cscript, configuration information for a printer can be displayed or changed | XP |
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prndrvr | After starting cscript, printer drivers can be displayed, added or deleted | XP |
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prnjobs | After starting cscript, print jobs in the queue can be displayed, stopped or repeated | XP |
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prnmngr | After starting cscript, printers or printer connections can be added or a standard printer can be defined | XP |
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prnport | After starting cscript, printer ports can be created, deleted or listed. | XP |
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prompt | Changes the prompt (e.g. “Good morning!” instead of “Press any key”) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
rd | Deletes a directory |
|
| 8, 10 |
recover | Makes it possible to retrieve readable files from a damaged data carrier | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
reg | Entries in the registry can be added, read, imported or exported | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
regsvr32 | .dll and .ocx files and program libraries can be registered in the registry | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
rem | All commands after rem are treated as comments by the panel | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
rename | Files can be renamed with this command | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
replace | Files can be replaced or overwritten with this command | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
reset session | Sessions can be separated with the help of reset | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
rmdir | Deletes a directory | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
rd | Deletes a directory | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
rsm | Removable media (e.g. CD-ROMs) can be administered or managed | XP |
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schtasks | Planned tasks on the current or remote computer can be created, changed, run or closed | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
secedit | Authorizations can be compared by means of templates with this in order to check system security | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
set | Makes it possible to read and delete variables inside the prompt | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
shutdown | The computer can be logged out, restarted or turned off | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
sort | Sorts the current task of a read file or standard input | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
start | Some windows, certain programs or commands can be started | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
subst | With this command, a path can be directed to a drive label (e.g. “C:”) | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
systeminfo | Information about the system configuration of the computer can be queried | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
taskkill | Used to immediately close active processes | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
tasklist | Retrieves all active tasks and processes | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
tcmsetup | The telephone client can be established with this | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
telnet | Telnet connections can be established with this | XP |
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tftp | With TFTP, files on a TFTP server can be transferred | XP |
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time | Sets or displays the system time | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
timeout | A chosen period of time can be set in which nothing will happen |
| Vista | 7, 10 |
title | The title of the prompt window can be established with this | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
tree | Graphic display of the file structure | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
type | The contents of text files can be displayed with this | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
ver | The current version of the operating system can be displayed | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
verify | Verifies whether files have been written onto the data carrier correctly | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
vol | The label and serial number of a data carrier can be displayed with this | XP | Vista | 7, 8, 10 |
Windows operating systems can be controlled and configured in a wide variety of ways. To this day, experienced administrators use Command Prompt, the Windows command-line interpreter, for this purpose. If you want to have Windows automatically process a sequence of commands, you can create a batch file. This tutorial will show you how.
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