The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Windows Command Line

You might be wondering, "Why should I even bother with the Command Line?" Well, good question! The Command Line is a powerful tool that lets you control your computer with just a few keystrokes. It's convenient for tasks like managing files, troubleshooting issues, and even automating repetitive tasks.

This guide will walk you through the essential commands, from the basics of navigating your system to more advanced techniques.

What is the command line

The command line is a view of the operating system (OS) in text format. It is also called the console or terminal. It looks like a black window with white text. Using such a program you can control your computer, programs, or external devices. This can be useful if you want to do something that GUIs don't allow you to do. To do this, the user must enter text commands.

How to Open Command Prompt in Windows as Administrator

The command line, when opened without special settings, works in normal user mode. This means that she does not have special rights that allow her to make changes to the system. There are many ways to open the command line using keys or, for example, through search.

1. Via “Start”

Start is the main menu in Windows. It allows you to access various programs, documents, and system settings. “Start” is located in the lower-left corner of the screen and resembles a rectangle divided into four parts - this is the operating system logo. The corresponding icon can also be seen on the keyboard.

How to open the command line in Windows via Start? First, click on the OS logo icon on the taskbar or keyboard. In Windows 8 and 10, in the list of programs, select “Windows Tools”, and in Windows 11 – “All applications” → “Windows Tools”. Then find "Command Prompt" and right-click. In "Advanced" use "Run as administrator". Then the “Do you want to allow this app to make changes on your device?” window will appear. Click Yes.

2. "Search"

Open Start, click the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar or use the search box. Type "Command Prompt" on your keyboard. Then there are two options. Either use “Run as administrator” in the list that appears on the right, or right-click on the application icon under “Best Match” on the left.

3. "Task Manager"

Right-click on the taskbar and select "Task Manager". Or use the key combination Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Click File → Run New Task. The command line is a program, and in Windows operating systems it is called cmd. Therefore, like any other file, it can be opened through the “Task Manager”. In the new window, type cmd and leave a checkmark next to “Create a task with administrator rights.” Click OK.

A faster option: select "File", hold down the Ctrl key and click "Run new task".

4. System32 folder

The command line can be used through the folder where the program is stored. Open Explorer → My Computer → Local Disk (C:) → Windows → System32. Find the cmd.exe application in the folder. Right-click on it → “Run as administrator.” Another way is to select the cmd.exe application and click on “Application Tools” at the top of the Explorer window. Then select "Run as administrator".

5. Create a Shortcut

You can also create a shortcut for cmd.exe with admin rights. Right-click on the application, select "Send to" → "Desktop (create shortcut)". On your desktop, right-click the cmd.exe shortcut again. Select Properties → Shortcut → Advanced. Check the box next to “Run as administrator”. Confirm and launch the application.

Desktop shortcuts are created for quick access to files, folders, programs and other objects. They allow you to save time on finding and launching the necessary objects, and also simplify the organization of your workspace on the screen. With the cmd shortcut on your desktop, you can easily access the command line.

6. "Explorer"

Explorer is a file manager that allows you to manage content on your computer. With it, you can create new folders, delete old ones, copy and move files between them. Explorer also allows you to view the properties of elements, change their characteristics and perform other operations.

Open File Explorer → My Computer. Type cmd.exe in the search. When your computer finds the file, right-click on it and select “Run as administrator.”

7. "Run"

Run is an application that allows you to quickly open a program, document, or website. To open a window with a command, simultaneously press the Windows key and the R button. Type cmd in the line, and then hold down the combination Ctrl+Shift+Enter. The command line will work with admin rights.

8. PowerShell

Modern versions of Windows use a command-line-like, pumped-up PowerShell program. It has a blue background and works on a different principle. At the same time, with its help, you can both open the cmd command line and perform other tasks. Press Win+X and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin).” Or use Win+R, type powershell and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Then type cmd and click Enter.

What is the command line for?

The command line can be compared to hotkeys. Only they are used not for one program, but for the entire operating system. This allows you to change hundreds of computer settings using the command line. And also take advantage of useful programs without leaving one window. Here are some of the most popular tasks.

1. Computer diagnostics

The command line allows you to fix errors in Windows. A special scan helps restore damaged or deleted system files. To run diagnostics, enter sfc /scannow at the command prompt. The window cannot be closed until the operation is completed.

2. System Restore

You can check your computer's hard drive for errors. To do this, use the chkdsk C command. Instead of C, you can specify the letter of another drive. For additional actions, you need to specify parameters. For example, the command chkdsk C: /F /R means that the computer will check drive C. The letter F means that errors will be automatically corrected, and R means that the computer will check for bad sectors and try to recover information (R).

3. Working with disks

You can also manage your computer's disks. To do this, use the diskpart command. With its help, you can change partitions, size, names, format drives, and carry out other operations. The full list of functions can be viewed using the diskpart help command.

4. Internet check

Command Prompt allows you to see your computer's IP address. To do this, write ipconfig. If you need to determine the MAC address, enter getmac /v. You can also check the stability of the connection. For example, write the command ping hi-tech.mail.ru. The computer will send the data to our website and determine how quickly it will be returned. This way you will know if your Internet is working. The response time will indicate the quality of the connection. A good indicator is up to 40 ms.

5. Working with folders

You can replace Command Prompt with Explorer. With its help, you can access folders. The main command is called cd. It means changing the directory. For example, to open drive C, enter cd c:\. To access the folder inside, enter cd "folder name". If there are spaces in the path name, add quotes.

6. Working with files

You can also open files or programs. To launch applications, you need to use the same cd command as with folders. However, please include the full file name and extension at the end of the address.

7. Checking active processes

You don't need to use Task Manager to find out what programs are open on your computer. Type tasklist in the command line and you will see a similar list. The list will display all running processes and the memory they are consuming.

Basic Command Line Operations

Let's start with some basic command line operations. Here's a handy table that breaks down the essential commands, how to use them, and some examples to get you going.

Command	Usage	Example
cd	Change directory	cd C:\Users\YourName\Documents
dir	List files and directories	dir
tree	Display directory tree structure	tree C:\Users\YourName
copy	Copy files from one location to another	copy file.txt D:\Backup\file.txt
move	Move files from one location to another	move file.txt D:\Backup\file.txt
del	Delete files	del file.txt
mkdir	Create a new directory	mkdir NewFolder
rmdir	Remove a directory	rmdir /S /Q OldFolder
type	Display contents of a text file	type file.txt
rename	Rename a file or directory	rename oldname.txt newname.txt
cls	Clear the screen	cls
exit	Close the Command Prompt window	exit

These commands are your bread and butter for navigating and managing files and directories on your computer. Give them a try and see how they can make your tasks easier and faster!

Files and Folders Management

File and Folder management is also one of the most basic tasks that you perform on a computer. Whether you are organizing your files, backing up important data, or getting rid of files you no longer need knowing how to properly manage them can help save time and space. The Windows Command Line gives you a robust and capable set of tools to carry out many of the same jobs you can do in the GUI and some you can frequently with a finer level of control and precision, too.

At its most fundamental level, the operation of file and folder management is the basic manipulation of files and directories/files in a file system. But it doesn't stop there. As you navigate through the file system you can also modify file attributes, set permissions, search for files, and even automate repetitive tasks with scripts. The command line lets you do this not only on your own machine but on machines connected to your network, which is a critical tool for everyday users as well as IT pros.

Automation is one of the biggest benefits of using the command line for file management. You can set things up like have a script to back up documents with the plan being executed nightly, or a batch file that can clean out temporary files for different directories in just a command.

Command	Usage	Example
cd	Change the current directory	cd C:\Users\YourName\Documents
dir	List files and directories in the current directory	dir
tree	Display directory tree structure	tree C:\Users\YourName
copy	Copy one or more files to another location	copy file.txt D:\Backup\file.txt
xcopy	Copy files and directories, including subdirectories	xcopy C:\Folder D:\Backup\Folder /E
robocopy	Robust file copy for mirroring directories	robocopy C:\Folder D:\Backup\Folder /MIR
move	Move files from one location to another	move file.txt D:\Backup\file.txt
del	Delete one or more files	del file.txt
erase	Another command to delete files	erase file.txt
mkdir	Create a new directory	mkdir NewFolder
md	Alias for mkdir	md NewFolder
rmdir	Remove a directory	rmdir /S /Q OldFolder
rd	Alias for rmdir	rd /S /Q OldFolder
type	Display contents of a text file	type file.txt
more	View file content one screen at a time	more file.txt
rename	Rename a file or directory	rename oldname.txt newname.txt
ren	Alias for rename	ren oldname.txt newname.txt
attrib	Display or change file attributes	attrib +r file.txt
cacls	Display or modify access control lists (ACLs)	cacls file.txt /G YourName:F
icacls	Display, modify, backup, or restore ACLs for files	icacls file.txt /grant YourName:F
compact	Display or alter the compression of files	compact /c file.txt
diskpart	Manage disks, partitions, or volumes	diskpart (and then use DISKPART commands)
takeown	Take ownership of a file or directory	takeown /F file.txt
icacls	Change ownership of a file or directory	icacls file.txt /setowner YourName
find	Search for a text string in a file or files	find "search text" file.txt
findstr	Search for strings in files	findstr "search text" *.txt
fc	Compare two files and display differences	fc file1.txt file2.txt
mklink	Create symbolic links and hard links	mklink link.txt target.txt
fsutil	File system utility to manage volumes	fsutil file createnew file.txt 1024
pushd	Save the current directory and change to a new one	pushd D:\Backup
popd	Restore the previous directory saved by pushd	popd
subst	Associate a path with a drive letter	subst X: C:\Path\To\Folder
chkdsk	Check a disk and display a status report	chkdsk C: /F
cipher	Encrypt or decrypt files and directories	cipher /E /S:C:\Users\YourName\Documents
recover	Recover readable information from a bad or defective disk	recover C:\Folder\file.txt
fsutil	Perform tasks related to file systems or disks	fsutil fsinfo drives
attrib	Change file attributes	attrib +r -s -h file.txt
vol	Display the disk volume label and serial number	vol C:
label	Create, change, or delete the volume label	label C: MyDrive

These commands should give you a solid foundation for managing files and folders on your Windows system.

Disks Management

Disk management is an important factor to keep your computer healthy and fast. Whether you are setting up a new system or upgrading storage or trying to fix a problem, a good understanding of disk management commands can be very beneficial. Windows Command Line has powerful set of tools that help in doing disk related things very quickly and almost 100% achieve the level of preciseness.

Disk management is a domain that includes specially partitioning, formatting, and checking your physical drive health. Command-line tools allow you to have more control and flexibility over these processes compared to using graphical interfaces only.

Partitioning is also one of the main functions in disk management. Partitions carve up the physical disk into distinct sections that can be managed individually. This enables you to better organize the data and can increase the system efficiency. You could also specify different partitions for the OS, Apps, and Home folders, for example The command line supplies commands to create, destroy, and manipulate these partitions with great accuracy.

Command	Usage	Example
diskpart	Enter DiskPart command interpreter for managing disks and partitions	diskpart
list disk	List all disks connected to the system (within DiskPart)	list disk (after starting DiskPart)
select disk	Select a specific disk to work with (within DiskPart)	select disk 0
list partition	List partitions on the selected disk (within DiskPart)	list partition
select partition	Select a specific partition to work with (within DiskPart)	select partition 1
create partition	Create a new partition (within DiskPart)	create partition primary size=10240
delete partition	Delete a selected partition (within DiskPart)	delete partition
extend	Extend the volume of the selected partition (within DiskPart)	extend size=2048
shrink	Shrink the volume of the selected partition (within DiskPart)	shrink desired=1024
assign	Assign a drive letter or mount point to the selected partition (within DiskPart)	assign letter=E
remove	Remove a drive letter or mount point (within DiskPart)	remove letter=E
format	Format a disk or partition	format E: /FS:NTFS /Q
chkdsk	Check a disk and display a status report	chkdsk C: /F
defrag	Defragment a disk	defrag C:
diskperf	Manage disk performance counters	diskperf -y
convert	Convert a volume from one file system to another	convert E: /FS:NTFS
fsutil	Perform tasks related to file systems or disks	fsutil fsinfo drives
mountvol	Create, delete, or list a volume mount point	mountvol E: /D
vssadmin	Manage Volume Shadow Copy Service	vssadmin list shadows
diskraid	GUI-based disk management tool	diskraid
wmic	Use Windows Management Instrumentation Command to manage disks	wmic diskdrive get status
sfc	System File Checker to scan and repair protected system files	sfc /scannow
dism	Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool to service Windows images	dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
bcdedit	Manage Boot Configuration Data	bcdedit /enum
diskshadow	Create and manage volume shadow copies	diskshadow
diskmgmt.msc	Open Disk Management console	diskmgmt.msc (Run command)
partassist	Partition Assistant command line utility	partassist /cmd=cre /pri /size=10240 /disk=1
get-disk	PowerShell command to get disk information	Get-Disk
new-partition	PowerShell command to create a new partition	New-Partition -DiskNumber 1 -Size 10GB -DriveLetter E
format-volume	PowerShell command to format a volume	Format-Volume -DriveLetter E -FileSystem NTFS -NewFileSystemLabel "Data"
resize-partition	PowerShell command to resize a partition	Resize-Partition -DriveLetter E -Size 20GB
repair-volume	PowerShell command to repair a volume	Repair-Volume -DriveLetter C -OfflineScanAndFix

System Information

Knowing how to find and control your computer system information is important for making your performance stay primo, fixing your problems, or making sure your system can run specific software and tasks. The Windows Command Line includes a suite of more than 280 individual commands that you can use to display detailed information about your system's hardware and software configuration.

System information includes such data points as the CPU, memory, storage, and network interfaces, and various aspects of the system like the operating system, which software is installed, and what processes are running. Easily accessible information that can be used to make informed decisions on upgrades, diagnose performance bottlenecks, and troubleshoot other issues with the system.

Command	Usage	Example
systeminfo	Display detailed system information	systeminfo
hostname	Show the computer’s hostname	hostname
ver	Display the Windows version	ver
wmic os get	Retrieve various OS information	wmic os get Caption, Version, BuildNumber
wmic bios	Get BIOS information	wmic bios get Manufacturer, Name, Version
wmic cpu	Display CPU information	wmic cpu get Name, NumberOfCores, NumberOfLogicalProcessors
wmic memorychip	Retrieve memory information	wmic memorychip get Capacity, Manufacturer, Speed
wmic diskdrive	Get information about disk drives	wmic diskdrive get Model, Size, Status
msinfo32	Open the System Information tool	msinfo32 (Run command)
dxdiag	Open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool	dxdiag (Run command)
tasklist	List all running processes	tasklist
tasklist /svc	List services hosted in each process	tasklist /svc
tasklist /m	List all DLL modules loaded by each process	tasklist /m
taskkill	Terminate a running process	taskkill /PID 1234
netstat	Display network connections, routing tables, and interface statistics	netstat -an
ipconfig	Display IP configuration	ipconfig
ipconfig /all	Show detailed IP configuration	ipconfig /all
ipconfig /release	Release all IP addresses	ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew	Renew all IP addresses	ipconfig /renew
ping	Test connectivity to a network host	ping google.com
tracert	Trace the route packets take to a network host	tracert google.com
getmac	Display MAC addresses for network adapters	getmac
netsh	Configure and display network settings	netsh interface ip show config
whoami	Display the currently logged-in user	whoami
echo %username%	Display the current username	echo %username%
powercfg /batteryreport	Generate a battery report (laptops)	powercfg /batteryreport
powercfg /energy	Generate a system energy report	powercfg /energy
gpresult /R	Display Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP) for user and computer	gpresult /R
net user	Display user account information	net user
systeminfo /S <computer>	Retrieve system information from a remote computer	systeminfo /S remotePC
query user	Display information about user sessions on a terminal server	query user
sc query	Display information about running services	sc query
sc qc	Display configuration information for a service	sc qc servicename
schtasks	Display scheduled tasks	schtasks /query /fo LIST /v
reg query	Display registry information	reg query HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
fsutil fsinfo	Display file system information	fsutil fsinfo drives

Network Commands

Setting up and maintaining network configurations helps maintain solid connectivity and high performance in your computer systems. From setting up a small home network to troubleshooting connectivity issues over a VPN Windows Command Line commands offer a robust set of tools help you to manage and diagnose your network related tasks.

There are many network components and settings which are done when you install an operating system (OS) to your machine, in this guide I will only talk a little about IP address configuration. Being able to control these components via the command line can not only strengthen the stability of your network, it also offer more power and freedom compared to GUIs.

Command	Usage	Example
ipconfig	Display IP configuration	ipconfig
ipconfig /all	Show detailed IP configuration	ipconfig /all
ipconfig /release	Release all IP addresses	ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew	Renew all IP addresses	ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns	Flush DNS resolver cache	ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /displaydns	Display DNS resolver cache	ipconfig /displaydns
ping	Test connectivity to a network host	ping google.com
ping -t	Ping a host continuously	ping -t google.com
ping -n	Ping a host a specific number of times	ping -n 10 google.com
tracert	Trace the route packets take to a network host	tracert google.com
traceroute	Alias for tracert on some systems	traceroute google.com
pathping	Combine ping and tracert to locate network issues	pathping google.com
netstat	Display network connections, routing tables, and interface statistics	netstat -an
netstat -e	Display Ethernet statistics	netstat -e
netstat -r	Display routing table	netstat -r
netstat -s	Display per-protocol statistics	netstat -s
arp	Display and modify the ARP cache	arp -a
nslookup	Query the DNS to obtain domain name or IP address mapping	nslookup google.com
route	Display and modify the IP routing table	route print
route add	Add a static route to the routing table	route add 192.168.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1
route delete	Delete a route from the routing table	route delete 192.168.1.0
getmac	Display MAC addresses for network adapters	getmac
netsh	Configure and display network settings	netsh interface ip show config
netsh wlan	Manage wireless networks	netsh wlan show profiles
netsh advfirewall	Manage Windows Firewall settings	netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off
nbtstat	Display NetBIOS over TCP/IP statistics and resolve NetBIOS names	nbtstat -a computername
telnet	Connect to a remote host using Telnet	telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl
ftp	Transfer files to/from a remote host using FTP	ftp ftp.example.com
sftp	Securely transfer files to/from a remote host using SFTP	sftp [email protected]
ssh	Securely connect to a remote host using SSH	ssh [email protected]
net	Command for network operations	net view
net view	View network resources	net view \\servername
net use	Connect to or disconnect from a shared resource	net use Z: \\servername\sharename
net user	Manage user accounts	net user username /add
net start	Start a network service	net start servicename
net stop	Stop a network service	net stop servicename
net share	Create and manage shared resources	net share sharename=C:\Path\To\Folder
netsh interface	Configure network interfaces	netsh interface ipv4 set address "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.1.100 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1
netsh lan	Manage local area network settings	netsh lan show profiles
netsh int ip reset	Reset TCP/IP stack	netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

Applications and Processes

Being able to manage applications and processes is a key skill that will help prevent your operating system from bogging down, and that will keep you in control of what your computer is doing at all times. For troubleshooting non-responsive applications, performance optimization or process control and resource management, the Windows Command Line provides various tools to manage such efficiently and that too, in a proper way.

An application is just a piece of software that you use on a computer - like a web browser, your favorite word processing app, or a game. Processes, alternatively, are running program instances. Every running app is represented by one or more processes, not just the primary executable, but any supporting processes or background services.

Command	Usage	Example
start	Start a program or open a document	start notepad.exe
tasklist	Display a list of currently running processes	tasklist
taskkill	Terminate a running process	taskkill /PID 1234
taskkill /IM	Terminate a process by its name	taskkill /IM notepad.exe
wmic process list	Display detailed information about processes	wmic process list brief
wmic process where	Filter and display process information	wmic process where "name='notepad.exe'" get ProcessId
taskmgr	Open Task Manager	taskmgr
sc query	Display information about running services	sc query
sc start	Start a service	sc start servicename
sc stop	Stop a service	sc stop servicename
sc config	Configure a service	sc config servicename start= auto
net start	Start a network service	net start servicename
net stop	Stop a network service	net stop servicename
schtasks	Schedule commands and programs to run at a specific time	schtasks /create /tn "MyTask" /tr "C:\Path\To\Program.exe" /sc daily /st 09:00
at	Schedule commands and programs to run at a specific time (deprecated)	at 14:00 /interactive "C:\Path\To\Program.exe"
powershell	Run PowerShell commands or scripts	powershell Start-Process notepad
runas	Run a program as another user	runas /user:administrator cmd
shutdown	Shutdown or restart the computer	shutdown /r /t 0
logoff	Log off the current user	logoff
msg	Send a message to another user	msg username "Your message here"
sfc	System File Checker to scan and repair protected system files	sfc /scannow
dism	Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool to service Windows images	dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
get-process	PowerShell command to get a list of processes	Get-Process
stop-process	PowerShell command to stop a process	Stop-Process -Name notepad
start-process	PowerShell command to start a process	Start-Process -FilePath "C:\Path\To\Program.exe"
get-service	PowerShell command to get the status of services	Get-Service
start-service	PowerShell command to start a service	Start-Service -Name servicename
stop-service	PowerShell command to stop a service	Stop-Service -Name servicename
restart-service	PowerShell command to restart a service	Restart-Service -Name servicename
set-service	PowerShell command to change the startup type of a service	Set-Service -Name servicename -StartupType Automatic
wmic service	Display detailed information about services	wmic service get name, startmode, state
wmic service where	Filter and display service information	wmic service where "name='servicename'" get startmode, state

Command Line Setup

Prepare Command Line EnvironmentThis is something basic and every one should do if you ever need to take help of Windows Command Line. Configuring your command line to fit in with your workflow will make the experience of using CLI much more pleasant — no matter whether you are a developer, system administrator or just a casual user.

The command line (Command Prompt is another name for this) is a classic text-based user interface where you can execute commands by giving text instructions. The command line provides more precision and power than graphical interfaces which allow you to perform complex tasks with a few keystrokes. Tailoring and setting up your command line environment the way you want it can help you work faster and automate everyday tasks, or just create the best possible environment for the way you work.

Command	Usage	Example
prompt	Customize the command prompt appearance	prompt $P$G
color	Change the color of the command prompt text and background	color 0A
title	Set the title of the Command Prompt window	title My Custom Command Prompt
cls	Clear the command prompt screen	cls
doskey	Create command aliases and recall command history	doskey ls=dir /B
set	Set or display environment variables	set PATH=C:\MyPrograms;%PATH%
echo	Display messages or turn command echoing on or off	echo Hello, World!
chcp	Display or set the active code page number	chcp 65001
mode	Configure system devices, like setting the window size	mode con: cols=120 lines=30
assoc	Display or modify file extension associations	assoc .txt=txtfile
ftype	Display or modify file types used in file extension associations	ftype txtfile=C:\Windows\System32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1
path	Display or set the search path for executable files	path C:\MyPrograms;%path%
reg	Manage the registry from the command line	reg add HKCU\Software\MyApp /v MyValue /t REG_SZ /d MyData
setx	Set environment variables permanently	setx PATH "C:\MyPrograms;%PATH%"
powershell	Launch PowerShell from the Command Prompt	powershell
cmdkey	Manage stored usernames and passwords	cmdkey /add:server /user:username /pass:password
comp	Compare the contents of two files or sets of files	comp file1.txt file2.txt
fc	Compare two files and display the differences	fc file1.txt file2.txt
tree	Display the directory structure of a drive or path	tree C:\ /F
runas	Run a program as another user	runas /user:administrator cmd
schtasks	Schedule commands and programs to run at a specific time	schtasks /create /tn "MyTask" /tr "C:\Path\To\Program.exe" /sc daily /st 09:00
shutdown	Shutdown or restart the computer	shutdown /r /t 0
taskkill	Terminate a running process	taskkill /PID 1234
tasklist	Display a list of currently running processes	tasklist
wmic	Windows Management Instrumentation Command to manage various system settings	wmic path win32_computersystem get name
attrib	Display or change file attributes	attrib +r -s -h file.txt
cacls	Display or modify access control lists (ACLs) of files	cacls file.txt /G username:F
icacls	Display, modify, backup, or restore ACLs for files and directories	icacls file.txt /grant username:F
gpupdate	Update Group Policy settings	gpupdate /force
gpresult	Display Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP) for a user or computer	gpresult /R
systeminfo	Display detailed configuration information about the computer and its operating system	systeminfo
ver	Display the Windows version	ver
hostname	Display the name of the current computer	hostname
whoami	Display the current username	whoami
schtasks	Schedule tasks to run automatically	schtasks /create /tn "Backup" /tr "C:\BackupScript.bat" /sc weekly /d Sun /st 02:00

Tips for Setting Up Your Command Line Environment

1. Customizing the Prompt: Use the prompt command to make your command prompt more informative or fun. For example, prompt $P$G sets the prompt to display the current directory followed by a greater-than sign (>).
2. Changing Colors: The color command changes the text and background colors of the command prompt. For instance, color 0A sets the background to black and the text to light green.
3. Setting Environment Variables: Use the set command to define environment variables for the current session and setx to set them permanently. This is useful for adding directories to your PATH or setting other environment-specific values.
4. Creating Aliases: The doskey command allows you to create shortcuts for longer commands. For example, doskey ls=dir /B makes the ls command function like dir /B.
5. Window Size and Buffer: Adjust the window size and buffer with the mode command. For instance, mode con: cols=120 lines=30 sets the command prompt window to 120 columns wide and 30 lines tall.
6. Persistent Changes: Use the setx command to make permanent changes to environment variables, which ensures your custom setup remains even after rebooting.
7. Launching PowerShell: If you need more advanced scripting capabilities, you can switch to PowerShell by simply typing powershell in the command prompt.
8. Task Scheduling: Automate tasks using the schtasks command to schedule scripts or programs to run at specific times.

Conclusion

We hope this cheat sheet for the Windows Command Line helps you a little to complete your tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible. It is easy to confuse command prompt commands in Windows with other terminal scripting languages, but with this guide, this is all you need to regulate yourselves.

The Windows Command Line is a wonderful tool for any Windows person. It provides a degree of power and efficiency that could completely change the way you use your computer. Whether you are new to it or an expert in command prompt coding, this cheat sheet should help you perform the tasks that you require.