Windows CLI Commands Cheat Sheet

pwd                     # Get-Location – Print current directory
ls                      # Get-ChildItem – List directory contents
ls -Force               # Get-ChildItem -Force – Include hidden files
cd C:\Path\To\Dir       # Set-Location – Change directory
cd ~                    # Set-Location ~ – Go to home/profile dir
cd ..                   # Go up one directory
mkdir NewFolder         # New-Item -ItemType Directory – Create folder
ni file.txt             # New-Item file.txt – Create empty file
cp source.txt dest.txt  # Copy-Item – Copy file
mv old.txt new.txt      # Move-Item – Move or rename
rm file.txt             # Remove-Item – Delete file
rm -r -fo folder        # Remove-Item -Recurse -Force – Delete folder recursively (dangerous)

code file.txt              # Open in VSCode (Requires environment Var)
cat file.txt               # Get-Content – View file contents
cat file.txt | select -f 10  # Get-Content -Head 10 – First 10 lines
cat file.txt | select -l 10  # Get-Content -Tail 10 – Last 10 lines
sls "text" file.txt         # Select-String – Search text in file
ls -r -fi *.log             # Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Filter *.log – Find log files

cat filename.txt | sort -u                          # Sort-Object | Get-Unique – Remove duplicates
cat filename.txt | group | sort Count -desc         # Group-Object | Sort-Object – Count + sort
sls "Search" filename.txt | sort -u                 # Search, sort, unique lines

systeminfo                              # Display all system information
ps                                      # Get-Process – List all processes
ps | ? {$_.Name -like "*app*"}          # Where-Object – Filter by name
While(1) {ps | sort -des cpu | select -f 15 | ft -a; sleep 1; cls}  # Real-time monitor
uptime                                  # Get-Uptime – System uptime (PowerShell 7+)
whoami                                  # whoami – Current user (native cmd)
hostname                                # hostname – System hostname
gcim Win32_OperatingSystem | select Version  # Get OS version

ipconfig                     # Network info
netstat -an                  # Active connections
netstat -anb                 # Add -b for process names
Get-NetTCPConnection         # List TCP connections
ping 8.8.8.8                 # Test network
iwr http://example.com       # Invoke-WebRequest – Fetch content
nslookup domain.com          # DNS lookup

icacls file.txt                  # View permissions
icacls file.txt /grant User:F   # Grant full permissions to User
takeown /f file.txt             # Take ownership
Start-Process powershell -v runAs  # Run as Administrator

ii .                         # Invoke-Item . – Open folder in Explorer
ii file.pdf                  # Invoke-Item – Open file with default app
Start notepad.exe            # Start-Process – Launch app
kill -n notepad              # Stop-Process -Name – Kill by name
ps | ? {$_.MainWindowTitle -like "*text*"} | kill  # Filter + kill

winget install name          # Install package
winget upgrade               # Update all packages
winget list                  # List installed packages
winget uninstall name        # Uninstall package

# Requires -Version X.0
'Hello Windows' | Out-Host

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted  # Allow scripts
Unblock-File .\hello.ps1 
.\hello.ps1                      # Run script

Get-Volume                   # List volumes
mountvol                     # Volume mount info
Get-Disk                     # Physical disks

Get-FileHash file.txt                  # Compute SHA256 hash (default)
Get-FileHash file.txt -a SHA1          # Compute SHA1 hash
(Get-FileHash file.txt).Hash           # Output just the hash string

# Compare two files
if ((Get-FileHash file1.txt).Hash -eq (Get-FileHash file2.txt).Hash) {
    "Files are identical"
} else {
    "Files differ"
}

Get-Date                     # Show date/time
history                      # Get-History – Show command history
clear                        # Clear-Host – Clear screen