{"id":3179,"date":"2023-02-12T20:35:08","date_gmt":"2023-02-12T20:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/?p=3179"},"modified":"2023-02-12T20:39:20","modified_gmt":"2023-02-12T20:39:20","slug":"how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/","title":{"rendered":"How to List Files in Command Prompt"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<p>So you want to know how to list files in Command Prompt, do you? Well, you&#8217;ve come to the right place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re a Windows user, you&#8217;re probably familiar with the Command Prompt. It&#8217;s a powerful tool that lets you access your computer&#8217;s file system and carry out various tasks, such as creating, renaming and deleting files and folders. Another task you can do in Command Prompt is listing the files and directories within a specific folder. In this article, we&#8217;ll show you how to do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662b34e0583a5\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662b34e0583a5\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#Note_On_Other_Operating_Systems\" title=\"Note On Other Operating Systems\">Note On Other Operating Systems<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#How_to_List_Files_in_Command_Prompt\" title=\"How to List Files in Command Prompt\">How to List Files in Command Prompt<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#Open_Command_Prompt\" title=\"Open Command Prompt\">Open Command Prompt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#Change_the_Directory\" title=\"Change the Directory\">Change the Directory<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#List_Files\" title=\"List Files\">List Files<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#How_to_Sort_Files_listed_in_Command_Prompt\" title=\"How to Sort Files listed in Command Prompt\">How to Sort Files listed in Command Prompt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Note_On_Other_Operating_Systems\"><\/span>Note On Other Operating Systems<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While this guide has been specifically written for using Command Prompt on Windows, you can use similar commands on Mac OS and Linux to list files. On Mac OS, you can use the <code>ls<\/code> command in the Terminal, and on Linux, you can use the <code>ls<\/code> command in the Terminal or Console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_List_Files_in_Command_Prompt\"><\/span>How to List Files in Command Prompt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-howto\" class=\"rank-math-block\" >\n<div class=\"rank-math-howto-description\">\n\n<p>How to List Files in Command Prompt<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"rank-math-howto-duration\"><strong>Total Time:<\/strong> <span>1 minute<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rank-math-steps \">\n<div id=\"howto-step-1676233034445\" class=\"rank-math-step\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-step-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Open_Command_Prompt\"><\/span>Open Command Prompt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-step-content \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"976\" height=\"508\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/command-prompt.jpg?fit=976%2C508&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/command-prompt.jpg?w=976&amp;ssl=1 976w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/command-prompt.jpg?resize=300%2C156&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/command-prompt.jpg?resize=768%2C400&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 976px) 100vw, 976px\" \/><p>The first step is to open the Command Prompt. You can do this by clicking the Windows button and typing &#8216;cmd&#8217; into the search bar. Then, click on the Command Prompt application to open it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"howto-step-1676233067753\" class=\"rank-math-step\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-step-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Change_the_Directory\"><\/span>Change the Directory<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-step-content \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"979\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-12.png?fit=979%2C512&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"change directory command prompt\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-12.png?w=979&amp;ssl=1 979w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-12.png?resize=300%2C157&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-12.png?resize=768%2C402&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px\" \/><p>Once you&#8217;re in the Command Prompt, you&#8217;ll need to navigate to the directory that contains the files you want to list. To change the directory, use the <code>cd<\/code> command followed by the path to the desired folder. <\/p>\n<p>For example, if you want to list the files in a folder called &#8216;Test&#8217; in the root of your c:\\ drive, you would type<\/p>\n<p><code>cd c:\\Test<\/code><\/p>\n<p><code>and press enter<br \/><\/code><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"howto-step-1676233196902\" class=\"rank-math-step\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-step-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"List_Files\"><\/span>List Files<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-step-content \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"979\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-16.png?fit=979%2C512&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-16.png?w=979&amp;ssl=1 979w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-16.png?resize=300%2C157&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-16.png?resize=768%2C402&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px\" \/><p>Now that you&#8217;re in the correct directory, you can list the files using the <code>dir<\/code> command. <\/p>\n<p>Simply type;<\/p>\n<p><code>dir<\/code> <\/p>\n<p>and press enter to see a list of all the files and folders in the current directory!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Sort_Files_listed_in_Command_Prompt\"><\/span>How to Sort Files listed in Command Prompt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whilst it&#8217;s useful to be able to list files, it&#8217;s also useful to be able to sort them too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In our example the files are all prefixed with a number which makes them appear in a logical order, but that wouldn&#8217;t always be the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to sort the files, you can use the <code>\/O<\/code> switch with the <code>dir<\/code> command. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can order by the following attributes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>N &#8211; By name (alphabetic)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>S &#8211; By size (smallest first)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>E &#8211; By extension (alphabetic)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>D &#8211; By date\/time (oldest first)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>G &#8211; Group directories first<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; &#8211; Prefix to reverse order<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, to sort the files in alphabetical order, you would type<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code> <span style=\"background-color: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: inherit;\">dir \/O:N<\/span> <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>And press enter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>And there you have it, a simple and straightforward guide on how to list files in Command Prompt.  It&#8217;s a simple but useful trick that can come in handy in many situations. Whether you&#8217;re a seasoned Command Prompt user or a beginner, this guide should help you get the most out of this powerful tool. So, give it a go and see what files and directories you can uncover!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"How to List Files in Command Prompt\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/how-to-list-files-in-command-prompt\/#more-3179\" aria-label=\"More on How to List Files in Command Prompt\">Read Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3179"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3183,"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3179\/revisions\/3183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rapidlydigital.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}