Microsoft DOS and Windows command line

Updated: 11/12/2023 by Computer Hope

Short for Microsoft Disk Operating System, MS-DOS is a non-graphical command line operating system created for IBM compatible computers.

MS-DOS was introduced by Microsoft in August 1981 and 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 >>

Tip

If you're new to MS-DOS or the Windows command line, see: How to use the Windows command line (DOS).

MS-DOS and Windows command list

Tip

See the complete overview for a brief description on each of the following commands.

Tip

Browse: internal commands, external commands, Recovery Console commands, and Windows Recovery Environment commands.

A	ansi.sys \| append \| arp \| assign \| assoc \| at \| atmadm \| attrib
B	backup \| batch \| bcdedit \| bootcfg \| bootrec \| bootsect \| break
C	cacls \| call \| cd \| chcp \| chdir \| chkdsk \| chkntfs \| choice \| cipher \| clip \| cls \| cmd \| color \| command \| comp \| compact \| control \| convert \| copy \| ctty
D	date \| debug \| defrag \| del \| delete \| deltree \| dir \| disable \| dism \| diskcomp \| diskcopy \| diskpart \| dism \| doskey \| dosshell \| driverquery \| drivparm \| dumpchk
E	echo \| edit \| edlin \| emm386 \| enable \| endlocal \| erase \| exit \| expand \| extract
F	fasthelp \| fc \| fciv \| fdisk \| find \| findstr \| fixboot \| fixmbr \| for \| forfiles \| format \| ftp \| fType
G	goto \| gpupdate \| graftabl
H	help \| himem.sys \| hostname
I	icacls \| if \| ifshlp.sys \| ipconfig
J	None
K	keyb
L	label \| lh \| listsvc \| loadfix \| loadhigh \| lock \| logoff \| logon
M	map \| md \| mem \| mkdir \| mklink \| mode \| more \| move \| msav \| msbackup \| mscdex \| msd \| msg \| mwbackup
N	nbtstat \| net \| netsh \| netstat \| nlsfunc \| nslookup
O	None
P	path \| pathping \| pause \| ping \| popd \| power \| powercfg \| print \| prompt \| pushd
Q	qbasic
R	rd \| reg \| ren \| rename \| rmdir \| robocopy \| route \| runas
S	sc \| ScanDisk \| scanreg \| schtasks \| set \| setlocal \| setver \| sfc \| share \| shift \| shutdown \| smartdrv \| sort \| start \| subst \| switches \| sys \| systeminfo \| systemroot
T	taskkill \| tasklist \| telnet \| time \| title \| tracert \| tree \| tskill \| type
U	undelete \| unformat \| unlock
V	ver \| verify \| vol
W	wmic
X	xcopy
Y	None
Z	None

A	ansi.sys \| append \| arp \| assign \| assoc \| at \| atmadm \| attrib
B	backup \| batch \| bcdedit \| bootcfg \| bootrec \| bootsect \| break
C	cacls \| call \| cd \| chcp \| chdir \| chkdsk \| chkntfs \| choice \| cipher \| clip \| cls \| cmd \| color \| command \| comp \| compact \| control \| convert \| copy \| ctty
D	date \| debug \| defrag \| del \| delete \| deltree \| dir \| disable \| dism \| diskcomp \| diskcopy \| diskpart \| dism \| doskey \| dosshell \| driverquery \| drivparm \| dumpchk
E	echo \| edit \| edlin \| emm386 \| enable \| endlocal \| erase \| exit \| expand \| extract
F	fasthelp \| fc \| fciv \| fdisk \| find \| findstr \| fixboot \| fixmbr \| for \| forfiles \| format \| ftp \| fType
G	goto \| gpupdate \| graftabl
H	help \| himem.sys \| hostname
I	icacls \| if \| ifshlp.sys \| ipconfig
J	None
K	keyb
L	label \| lh \| listsvc \| loadfix \| loadhigh \| lock \| logoff \| logon
M	map \| md \| mem \| mkdir \| mklink \| mode \| more \| move \| msav \| msbackup \| mscdex \| msd \| msg \| mwbackup
N	nbtstat \| net \| netsh \| netstat \| nlsfunc \| nslookup
O	None
P	path \| pathping \| pause \| ping \| popd \| power \| powercfg \| print \| prompt \| pushd
Q	qbasic
R	rd \| reg \| ren \| rename \| rmdir \| robocopy \| route \| runas
S	sc \| ScanDisk \| scanreg \| schtasks \| set \| setlocal \| setver \| sfc \| share \| shift \| shutdown \| smartdrv \| sort \| start \| subst \| switches \| sys \| systeminfo \| systemroot
T	taskkill \| tasklist \| telnet \| time \| title \| tracert \| tree \| tskill \| type
U	undelete \| unformat \| unlock
V	ver \| verify \| vol
W	wmic
X	xcopy
Y	None
Z	None