Windows Cheatsheet

Updated September 2026 · Quick reference

Command Prompt (CMD) is the classic Windows shell for navigating folders, managing files, and running system utilities.

Paths may use backslashes. Quote paths that contain spaces. PowerShell can run many of the same ideas with different syntax.

Full lessons: Windows Tutorials

CMD basics

Open Command Prompt

Search for cmd, or press Win+R, type cmd, and Enter. Run as administrator only when a task requires it.

Win + R → cmd → Enter

help / /?

List common commands or show help for one command. Many tools accept /?.

help
dir /?
ipconfig /?

cls

Clear the screen so new output is easier to follow.

cls

Command history

Press Up/Down to recall previous lines. doskey /history lists recent commands in the session.

doskey /history

echo & prompt

echo prints text or variable values. Useful when writing and testing batch files.

echo Hello
echo %USERNAME%
echo %CD%

Exit codes

After a command, %ERRORLEVEL% is 0 on success for many tools, nonzero on failure.

dir missing-folder
echo %ERRORLEVEL%

Files & folders

dir

List files and folders. /a shows hidden items; /s includes subfolders; /w is wide view.

dir
dir /a
dir *.txt /s

cd / chdir

Change directory. cd \ goes to the drive root; cd .. goes up one level.

cd %USERPROFILE%\Documents
cd ..
cd /d D:\projects

md / mkdir

Create a new folder. Intermediate folders may need creating step by step in older CMD styles.

mkdir notes
mkdir projects\web

copy / xcopy / robocopy

copy for simple files; robocopy for robust folder backups and mirrors.

copy draft.txt draft.bak
robocopy C:\Data D:\Backup\Data /E

move / ren

Move files between folders or rename them in place.

move report.pdf %USERPROFILE%\Documents\
ren old.txt new.txt

del / rd

Delete files with del; remove empty directories with rd. rd /s removes a tree—confirm carefully.

del temp.log
rd empty-folder
rd /s /q old-build

tree

Show a folder hierarchy as a tree listing.

tree
tree /F C:\projects\demo

Viewing & search

type

Print a text file to the console. For long files, pipe into more.

type readme.txt
type big.log | more

Page through output one screen at a time. Press Space for the next page.

more longfile.txt

findstr

Search for text patterns inside files (similar in spirit to grep).

findstr /i "error" app.log
findstr /s /i "TODO" *.py

where

Locate executables on PATH, or find files matching a pattern when used carefully.

where python
where notepad

Pipes & redirection

Pipe with |; write output with >; append with >>.

dir /b | findstr .txt
ipconfig > network.txt

attrib

View or change file attributes such as read-only or hidden.

attrib notes.txt
attrib +R important.cfg

System & processes

systeminfo

Print OS version, memory, hotfixes, and other machine details.

systeminfo
systeminfo | findstr /i "OS Name"

whoami

Show the current user context, including domain\user form on domain-joined PCs.

whoami
whoami /groups

tasklist

List running processes and PIDs. Filter by image name when hunting a specific app.

tasklist
tasklist | findstr /i chrome

taskkill

End a process by PID or image name. Prefer closing apps normally when possible.

taskkill /PID 1234
taskkill /IM notepad.exe

Environment variables

Expand with %NAME%. set lists or sets variables for the current session.

echo %PATH%
set MYDIR=C:\Work
echo %MYDIR%

setx (persistent)

Writes a user or machine environment variable permanently—use sparingly and reopen CMD to see changes.

setx DEMO_PATH C:\Tools\demo

Networking

ipconfig

Show adapter addresses. /all includes DNS and DHCP details; /flushdns clears the DNS cache.

ipconfig
ipconfig /all
ipconfig /flushdns

ping

Test reachability and round-trip time to a host.

ping example.com
ping -n 4 8.8.8.8

tracert

Trace the route packets take toward a destination, hop by hop.

tracert example.com

nslookup

Query DNS for name-to-address (and related) records.

nslookup example.com
nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1

netstat

Inspect active connections and listening ports.

netstat -ano
netstat -ano | findstr :443

Batch tips

@echo off

At the top of a .bat file, hide command echoing so only your messages and results show.

@echo off
echo Starting backup...

Variables

Set with set; expand with %NAME%. Use delayed expansion for values set inside blocks.

@echo off
set NAME=Ada
echo Hello %NAME%

if / exist

Branch on conditions such as file existence or string comparison.

@echo off
if exist notes.txt (
  echo Found notes
) else (
  echo Missing notes
)

for loops

Iterate files or simple lists. Quote paths with spaces.

@echo off
for %%F in (*.txt) do echo %%F

pause & exit

pause waits for a key (useful when double-clicking a script). exit /b returns from a batch script.

@echo off
echo Done
pause
exit /b 0

Calling other scripts

Use call so control returns to the parent batch file afterward.

@echo off
call setup-env.bat
call build.bat

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