How to Create a Custom Windows Command Prompt

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Last Updated: March 14, 2025 Tested

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Changing the prompt dynamically

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Changing the prompt permanently

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Tips

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Warnings

The windows command prompt (located at C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe) is a useful tool to perform various administrative tasks. The prompt is a string of characters (special and non special) that are displayed whenever the command prompt is waiting for input. Making the prompt less boring or more useful can make a lot of difference when working with the command prompt. It can be changed dynamically using the 'prompt' command, or permanently by creating a %prompt% user variable.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Changing the prompt dynamically

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The new prompt is displayed at the new line.

Note that this only changes the prompt of the current command prompt session, which is reset the next time you run the command prompt.

Create a Custom Windows Command Prompt Step 4

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Changing the prompt permanently

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There are special character sequences that can be used in the prompt string to display different variables. The 'prompt /?' command displays a list of these special characters. Environmental variables can also be used in the prompt string, using the standard format % variablename%.

The default prompt is "$P$G" which simply means "Display the current drive and path ($P), followed by a ">" ($G). For example C:\Windows>. Following is the list of possible special characters.

$A & (Ampersand) $B | (pipe) $C ( (Left parenthesis) $D Current date $E Escape code (ASCII code 27) $F ) (Right parenthesis) $G > (greater-than sign) $H Backspace (erases previous character) $L < (less-than sign) $N Current drive $P Current drive and path $Q = (equal sign) $S (space) $T Current Time $V Windows version number $_ Carriage return and linefeed $$ $ (dollar sign)

If Command Extensions are enabled the PROMPT command supports the following additional formatting characters:

$+ zero or more plus sign (+) characters depending upon the depth of the PUSHD directory stack, one character for each level pushed.

$M Displays the remote name associated with the current drive letter or the empty string if current drive is not a network drive.

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Warnings

Avoid typing random gibberish in the command prompt. The Command Prompt is a powerful tool which can make permanent irreversible changes to your computer. It's quite possible to delete all the data on your computer!

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