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40 Most Useful PowerShell and Command Prompt Commands for Windows

#powershell #windows #commandline #tutorial

Introduction

Whether you're a system administrator, developer, or power user, mastering command-line tools is essential for efficient Windows management. This comprehensive guide covers 40 of the most useful PowerShell and Command Prompt commands that will boost your productivity and help you troubleshoot issues like a pro.

File and Directory Management

1. dir / ls

Purpose: List directory contents

dir
ls  # PowerShell alias
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2. cd

Purpose: Change directory

cd C:\Users\Username\Documents
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3. mkdir / md

Purpose: Create a new directory

mkdir NewFolder
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4. rmdir / rd

Purpose: Remove a directory

rmdir OldFolder
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5. copy / cp

Purpose: Copy files

copy source.txt destination.txt
Copy-Item source.txt destination.txt  # PowerShell
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6. move / mv

Purpose: Move or rename files

move oldname.txt newname.txt
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7. del / rm

Purpose: Delete files

del file.txt
Remove-Item file.txt  # PowerShell
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8. tree

Purpose: Display directory structure

tree /F
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System Information

9. systeminfo

Purpose: Display detailed system information

systeminfo
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10. Get-ComputerInfo (PowerShell)

Purpose: Get comprehensive computer information

Get-ComputerInfo
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11. hostname

Purpose: Display computer name

hostname
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12. ver

Purpose: Display Windows version

ver
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13. Get-WmiObject (PowerShell)

Purpose: Query system information via WMI

Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem
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Network Commands

14. ipconfig

Purpose: Display network configuration

ipconfig /all
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15. ping

Purpose: Test network connectivity

ping google.com
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16. tracert

Purpose: Trace route to destination

tracert google.com
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17. nslookup

Purpose: Query DNS information

nslookup google.com
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18. netstat

Purpose: Display network statistics and connections

netstat -an
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19. arp

Purpose: Display ARP cache

arp -a
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20. Test-Connection (PowerShell)

Purpose: Advanced ping functionality

Test-Connection -ComputerName google.com -Count 4
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21. Invoke-WebRequest (PowerShell)

Purpose: Download files from web

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://example.com/file.zip" -OutFile "file.zip"
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Process Management

22. tasklist

Purpose: List running processes

tasklist
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23. taskkill

Purpose: Terminate processes

taskkill /IM notepad.exe /F
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24. Get-Process (PowerShell)

Purpose: Get detailed process information

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending
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25. Stop-Process (PowerShell)

Purpose: Stop processes by ID or name

Stop-Process -Name notepad
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Disk Management

26. diskpart

Purpose: Disk partition management tool

diskpart
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27. chkdsk

Purpose: Check disk for errors

chkdsk C: /F
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28. format

Purpose: Format a drive

format D: /FS:NTFS
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29. Get-Disk (PowerShell)

Purpose: Get disk information

Get-Disk
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30. Get-Volume (PowerShell)

Purpose: Get volume information

Get-Volume
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User and Permission Management

31. net user

Purpose: Manage user accounts

net user username /add
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32. whoami

Purpose: Display current user

whoami
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33. icacls

Purpose: Display or modify file permissions

icacls C:\folder /grant username:F
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34. Get-LocalUser (PowerShell)

Purpose: Get local user accounts

Get-LocalUser
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Advanced PowerShell Commands

35. Get-Service

Purpose: List and manage services

Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq 'Running'}
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36. Get-EventLog

Purpose: Retrieve event log entries

Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 10
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37. Get-Help

Purpose: Get command help

Get-Help Get-Process -Examples
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38. Select-Object

Purpose: Select specific properties

Get-Process | Select-Object Name, CPU, Memory
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39. Where-Object

Purpose: Filter objects

Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.CPU -gt 100}
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40. Export-Csv / Import-Csv

Purpose: Export and import CSV data

Get-Process | Export-Csv processes.csv
$data = Import-Csv processes.csv
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Bonus Tips

Command History

  • Press F7 in CMD to see command history
  • Use Get-History in PowerShell

Piping Commands

Combine commands using pipes (|):

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 10
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Running as Administrator

Many commands require elevated privileges. Right-click Command Prompt or PowerShell and select "Run as administrator."

Conclusion

These 40 commands form the foundation of efficient Windows command-line usage. Whether you're automating tasks, troubleshooting issues, or managing systems, these tools will significantly enhance your workflow. Start by mastering the basics, then gradually incorporate more advanced PowerShell cmdlets into your daily routine.

Happy scripting! 🚀

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