Windows CMD Command Cheat Sheet

The Windows Command Prompt (CMD) is the command-line interpreter for Windows operating systems. It allows users to execute programs, manage files, and configure system settings by typing text commands.

File and Directory Operations

Command	Description	Example
cd	Change current directory	cd C:\Users
dir	List files and folders in current directory	dir /p
copy	Copy files	copy file.txt D:\backup
move	Move or rename files/directories	move old.txt new.txt
del	Delete one or more files	del test.txt
mkdir	Create a new directory	mkdir NewFolder
rmdir	Delete a directory	rmdir /s OldFolder
ren	Rename a file or directory	ren file.txt newfile.txt
type	Display contents of a text file	type readme.txt
find	Search for a string in files	find "error" log.txt

Network Diagnostics

Command	Description	Example
ping	Test network connection	ping google.com
ipconfig	Display network adapter configuration	ipconfig /all
tracert	Route trace, determines packet path	tracert example.com
netstat	Display active network connections and port status	netstat -an
nslookup	Query DNS information	nslookup google.com
getmac	Get the MAC address of network cards	getmac

System Management

Command	Description	Example
systeminfo	Display detailed system information	systeminfo
tasklist	List all currently running processes	tasklist
taskkill	End one or more processes	taskkill /IM notepad.exe /F
chkdsk	Check disk for errors	chkdsk C: /f
gpupdate	Refresh Group Policy settings	gpupdate /force
sfc /scannow	Scan and repair system files	sfc /scannow
shutdown	Shut down or restart the computer	shutdown /r /t 0 (Immediate restart)

Other Useful Commands

Command	Description	Example
cls	Clear the screen	cls
echo	Display messages or toggle echo	echo Hello World
help	Get help information for a command	help dir
attrib	Display or change file attributes	attrib +h file.txt (Hide file)
path	Display or set search path	path
exit	Exit the Command Prompt window	exit

Tips and Shortcuts

• Auto-completion: Type the first few letters of a command or filename and press Tab to auto-complete.
• View History: Press F7 to bring up a list of command history, or use up and down arrow keys.
• Aborting Commands: Use Ctrl + C to force stop a running command.
• Redirection Output:
  • >: Save output to a new file (overwrite).
  • >>: Append output to an existing file.
  • Example: dir > filelist.txt