Displaying All the Files in a Folder using the Command Prompt

by Barry Dysert
(last updated April 19, 2021)

2

You probably already know that you can navigate through folders and view their contents by using the Windows Explorer. Another way to display all the files a folder contains is by using the Command Prompt window. (Accessing the Command Prompt window is covered in this tip.)

At the command prompt, you can navigate through the folders and subfolders by using the CD command to change your current directory. Just follow the command by a space and the name of the directory you want to change to. If the directory name contains spaces, simply surround the directory name with quote marks, as shown in these examples:

CD "my files"
CD "c:/my data/word documents/budgeting"

After navigating to the directory using the CD command, you can see what files are contained in the directory by typing the DIR command at the command prompt.

 This tip (12033) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

Working with Compressed Files and Folders via Zip

Windows 10 provides multiple ways to work with compressed files and folders. One great way is to use the Zip utility, ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Notification Area Icons

Getting notified of events can be useful, but if the notification icons get too numerous you may wish to turn some off. ...

Discover More

Displaying Hidden and System Files in a Folder

Files (and folders) can be marked hidden so that you don't see them in Windows Explorer. This tip tells you how to ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Moving Files Using the Command Line

The MOVE command can be a timesaver over trying to do the similar sort of thing with File Explorer. You can move hundreds ...

Discover More

Listing Folder and Directory Content Using Command Prompt

Using Command Prompt to generate file listing the contents of a directory is quick and easy. Here's how to do it.

Discover More

Using the Find Command

Finding data within files is a common need. If what you're looking for is in a flat file, you can find what you're after ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight minus 6?

2021-06-28 08:07:47

Len Richards

You always leave out some way to do something ... it is because you don't know about it

DIR /B "MY FILES" ==== DISPLAYS THE FILES

no need for your long version of doing something then using cd command to get somewhere else ... c'mon man, do some learning about Windows

2021-04-19 15:42:27

Tomek

@Barry: You forgot to mention that you have to make sure that the directory you want is on the current drive.
If you issue a command "cd E:\MyFiles" but you current drive is C:, the command "dir" will still show files from current directory od drive C:.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.