Changes the DOSBox-X screen to 25/28/50 line mode.

Usage: Simply enter 25, 28, or 50 without any parameters. See also the Z:\TEXTUTIL directory for more text-mode related tools.

Starts the 4DOS 8.00 command shell for 4DOS features and capabilities.

Usage: 4DOS [option]

Note: You can set 4DOS.COM as the default shell to start (instead of COMMAND.COM) via the SHELL option in the config file. When in the 4DOS shell, type OPTION to set 4DOS options.

Generates artificial keypresses.

Usage: ADDKEY key(s)

Enables a program to open data files in specified directories as if the files were in the current directory.

Usage: APPEND [ [drive]:path[;…​] ] [/X[:ON|:OFF]] [/PATH:ON|/PATH:OFF] [/E]

Note: It uses the APPEND command from FreeDOS.

Defines or displays aliases.

Usage: ALIAS [name[=value] …​ ]

Displays or changes file extension associations.

Usage: ASSOC [.ext[=command] …​ ]

Displays or changes the attributes of files and directories.

Usage: ATTRIB [+R | -R] [+A | -A] [+S | -S] [+H | -H] [drive:][path][filename] [/S]

Note: Changing file attributes only works on mounted local, SMB share, overlay and FAT drives.

Performs scripted keyboard entry into a running DOS program.

Usage: AUTOTYPE [-list] [-w WAIT] [-p PACE] button_1 [button_2 […​]]

Note: It can be used to reliably skip intros, provide input to answer initial startup or configuration questions, or conduct a simple demo.

Starts disk or BIOS images independent of the operating system emulation offered by DOSBox-X.

Usage: BOOT [diskimg1.img diskimg2.img] [-l driveletter] or BOOT [driveletter:]

Note: You can boot a disk image in write-protected mode by putting a lead colon (:).

Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking.

Usage: BREAK [ON | OFF]

Displays or changes the CONFIG.SYS’s BUFFERS setting.

Usage: BUFFERS [buffernum]

Starts a batch file from within another batch file.

Usage: CALL [drive:][path]filename [batch-parameters]

Captures or releases the mouse inside DOSBox-X.

Usage: CAPMOUSE [/C|/R]

Displays or changes the current directory.

Usage: CD [drive:][path] or CHDIR [drive:][path]

Starts the full-screen CD player for playing CD audio tracks.

Usage: CDPLAY [options]

Note: Command-lines usages are accepted. For further information please read the CDPLAY.TXT file on the Z drive.

Starts DOSBox-X’s graphical configuration tool, where you can review or change its settings.

Usage: Simply enter CFGTOOL without any parameters.

Note: You can also use CONFIG command to start DOSBox-X’s command-line configuration utility.

Displays the current DOS code page, or changes the current code page when using the TrueType font (TTF) output.

Usage: CHCP [codepage [file]]

Note: Type CHCP /? to see a list of supported code pages. Specify a code page file for a custom code page.

Checks a volume and returns a status report.

Usage: CHKDSK [drive:] [options]

Note: It uses the CHKDSK command from FreeDOS.

Waits for a user keypress and sets ERRORLEVEL. Displays the given prompt followed by [Y,N]? for yes or no response by default.

Usage: CHOICE [/C:choices] [/N] [/S] [/T:c,nn] text

Clears the screen of all input and returns just the current prompt in the upper left-hand corner.

Usage: Simply enter CLS without any parameters.

Sets the default console foreground and background colors.

Usage: COLOR [attr]

Note: Use SETCOLOR command to view or change the text-mode color scheme settings.

Runs DOSBox-X’s internal command shell.

Usage: COMMAND [options]

Compares files.

Usage: COMP file1 [file2] [options]

Note: It uses the COMP command from FreeDOS.

Starts DOSBox-X’s command-line configuration utility to change it settings.

Usage: CONFIG [options]

Note: You can also use CFGTOOL command to start DOSBox-X’s graphical configuration tool.

Copies one or more files.

Usage: COPY source [destination]

Changes the country code for country-specific date/time/decimal formats.

Usage: COUNTRY [code]

Changes the standard I/O device.

Usage: CTTY device

Starts CWSDPMI, a 32-bit DPMI server used by various DOS games/applications.

Usage: CWSDPMI [options]

Displays or changes the internal date.

Usage: DATE [ [/T] [/H] [/S] | MM-DD-YYYY ]

The DOS DEBUG tool used to test and edit programs.

Usage: DEBUG [ [drive:][path]progname [arglist] ]

Optimizes file loading times by moving file fragments together.

Usage: DEFRAG [drive:] [options]

Note: It uses the DEFRAG command from FreeDOS.

Removes one or more files.

Usage: DEL [/P] [/Q] names or ERASE [/P] [/Q] names

Deletes a directory and all the subdirectories and files in it.

Usage: DELTREE [/Y] [drive:]path [[drive:]path[…​]]

Note: This will delete the entire directory tree. Please use this command with caution.

Loads device drivers as CONFIG.SYS’s DEVICE command.

Usage: DEVICE [program] [options]

Lists available files and sub-directories inside the current directory.

Usage: DIR [drive:][path][filename] [options]

Optimizes file loading times by moving file fragments together.

Usage: DISKCOPY [drive1:] [drive2:] [options]

Note: It uses the DISKCOPY command from FreeDOS.

Starts DOS32A, a 32-bit DOS extender used by various DOS games/applications.

Usage: DOS32A executable.xxx

Starts DOS4GW, a 32-bit DOS extender used by various DOS games/applications.

Usage: DOS4GW executable.xxx

Puts the DOS emulator into idle mode for lower CPU usages.

Usage: Simply enter DOSIDLE without any parameters.

Plays MIDI/RMI/MUS audio files.

Usage: DOSMID audio_file [options]

Note: It supports both General MIDI and Adlib (OPL2/OPL3) MIDI devices.

Runs DOSLIB’s DSXMENU tool, a simple DOS menu system.

Usage: DSXMENU [-d] INI_file

Note: This is an open-source tool; its source code is in the related DOSLIB project.

Starts capture (AVI, WAV, etc. as specified), runs program, then automatically stops capture when the program exits.

Usage: DX-CAPTURE [command] [options]

Note: This built-in command name is deliberately longer than 8 characters so that there is no conflict with external .COM/.EXE executables that are limited to 8.3 filenames. It can be used for example to make Demoscene captures and to make sure the capture stops when it exits.

Displays messages and enable/disable command echoing.

Usage: ECHO [message] or ECHO [ON | OFF]

Starts the full-screen file editor.

Usage: EDIT [file] [-l LineNum]

Edits files by lines.

Usage: EDLIN [file]

Exits from the batch file or DOSBox-X.

Usage: Simply enter EXIT without any parameters.

Compares two files or sets of files and displays the differences between them.

Usage: FC file1 file2 [options]

Note: It uses the FC command from FreeDOS.

Displays or changes the CONFIG.SYS’s FCBS setting.

Usage: FCBS [fcbnum]

Manages partitions on the hard drive.

Usage: FDISK [options]

Note: It uses the FDISK command from FreeDOS.

Displays or changes the CONFIG.SYS’s FILES setting.

Usage: FILES [filenum]

Prints lines of a file that contains the specified string.

Usage: FIND [/C] [/I] [/N] [/V] "string" [file(s)]

Marks or flags files to be saved for the save state feature.

Usage: FLAGSAVE [file(s) [/F] [/R]] [/U]

Runs a specified command for each file in a set of files.

Usage: FOR %variable IN (set) DO command [command-parameters]

Note: Specify %%variable instead of %variable when used in a batch file. It is also possible to use nested FOR commands.

Formats the specified disk volume.

Usage: FORMAT drive: [options]

Note: It uses the FORMAT command from FreeDOS.

Jumps to a labeled line in a batch script.

Usage: GOTO label

Shows DOSBox-X command help.

Usage: HELP [/A|/ALL] or HELP command

Runs DOSLIB’s HEXMEM tool, a memory viewer/dumper.

Usage: HEXMEM16 [options] or HEXMEM32 [options]

Note: Included in the related DOSLIB project, this open-source tool was specifically written as a way to poke around the addressable memory available to the CPU and to show how a 16-bit DOS program can access extended memory, including flat real mode, and the 286 reset vector trick for 80286 systems. There is also code to access memory above 4GB if the CPU supports 64-bit long mode or the PAE page table extensions, although these are not yet supported by DOSBox-X.

Displays or clears the command history list.

Usage: HISTORY [/C]

Performs conditional processing in batch programs.

Usage: IF [NOT] ERRORLEVEL number command or IF [NOT] string1==string2 command or IF [NOT] EXIST filename command

Makes floppy drive or hard-disk images.

Usage: IMGMAKE file [-t type] [-size size|-chs geometry] [-nofs] [-source source] [-r retries] [-bat] [-fat] [-spc] [-fatcopies] [-rootdir]

Mounts drives from floppy drive, hard-disk, or CD images in the host system.

Usage: IMGMOUNT drive filename [options] or IMGMOUNT -u drive|driveLocation

Note: You can write-protect a disk image by putting a leading colon (:) before the image file name in the default setting.

Swaps floppy, hard drive and optical disc images (when there are multiple disks mounted on the same drive).

Usage: IMGSWAP drive [position]

A full-screen introduction.

Usage: Simply enter INTRO without any parameters.

Changes the layout of the keyboard used for different countries.

Usage: KEYB [keyboard layout ID [codepage number [codepage file]]]

Changes the volume label of a drive.

Usage: LABEL [drive:][label]

Displays or changes the CONFIG.SYS’s LASTDRIVE setting.

Usage: LASTDRIV [driveletter]

Enables or disables long filenames when processing FOR wildcards.

Usage: LFNFOR [ON | OFF]

Note: This command is only useful if long filename support is currently enabled.

Loads a program above the first 64K of memory. It may be required for some programs to work.

Usage: LOADFIX [program] [options]

Loads a program into upper memory (if UMB is available).

Usage: LH [program] [options] or LOADHIGH [program] [options]

Lists directory contents in Unix-like style.

Usage: LS [drive:][path][filename] [/A] [/L] [/P] [/Z]

Makes a directory.

Usage: MD [drive:][path] or MKDIR [drive:][path]

Displays the status of the DOS memory, such as the amount of free memory.

Usage: MEM [options]

Note: It uses the MEM command from FreeDOS.

Displays or changes the current sound mixer volumes.

Usage: MIXER [/GUI|/NOSHOW] [/LISTMIDI [handler]] [MASTER volume] [RECORD volume]

Note: Simply enter MIXER without any parameters to display the current sound mixer volumes. Use the /GUI option for a popup that displays the sound mixer volumes.

Configures DOS system devices.

Usage: MODE display-type or MODE CON RATE=r DELAY=d

Displays output one screen at a time.

Usage: MORE [filename] or command | MORE

Mounts drives from directories or drives in the host system.

Usage: MOUNT [option] driveletter host_directory

Note: The behavior of its -freesize option can be changed with the freesizecap config option.

Turns on/off mouse support.

Usage: MOUSE [/U] [/V]

Moves a file or directory to another location.

Usage: MOVE [/Y | /-Y] source1[, source2[,…​]] destination

Note: It uses the MOVE command from FreeDOS.

Media player for a variety of audio file formats such as FLAC, MP3, OGG and WAV.

Usage: MPXPLAY audio_file [options]

Loads the NE2000 packet driver for the NE2000 networking feature.

Usage: NE2000 [options]

Note: This command is available when the NE2000 networking emulation is enabled.

Views or changes the parallel port settings.

Usage: PARALLEL [port] [type] [option]

Displays/Sets a search patch for executable files.

Usage: PATH [drive:]path[;…​][;PATH] or PATH ;

Waits for a keystroke to continue.

Usage: PAUSE [message]

Changes to the directory stored by the PUSHD command.

Usage: POPD

Prints a file in the background.

Usage: PRINT file [options]

Note: It uses the PRINT command from FreeDOS.

Changes the DOS command prompt.

Usage: PROMPT [text]

Stores the current directory for use by the POPD command, then changes to the specified directory.

Usage: PUSHD [path]

Removes a directory.

Usage: RD [drive:][path] or RMDIR [drive:][path]

Sends a signal to re-boot the kernel of the emulated DOS, without rebooting DOSBox-X itself.

Usage: Simply enter RE-DOS without any parameters.

Adds a comment in a batch file.

Usage: REM [comment]

Renames a file/directory or files.

Usage: REN [drive:][path]filename1 filename2 or RENAME [drive:][path]filename1 filename2

Replace files in the destination directory with files from the source directory that have the same name.

Usage: REPLACE [drive1:][path1]filename [drive2:][path2] [/switches]

Refreshes mounted drives by clearing their caches.

Usage: RESCAN [/A] or RESCAN [drive:]

Note: Simply enter RESCAN without any parameters to refresh the current drive. You can also refresh drives from the menu (under "DOS" for all drives or "Drive" for individual drives).

Views or changes the serial port settings.

Usage: SERIAL [port] [type] [option]

Displays and sets environment variables.

Usage: SET [variable=[string]]

Views or changes the text-mode color scheme settings.

Usage: SETCOLOR [color# [value]]

Note: Use COLOR command to change the current background and foreground colors.

Left-shifts command-line parameters in a batch script.

Usage: Simply enter SHIFT without any parameters.

Restarts or shuts down DOSBox-X.

Usage: SHUTDOWN [/R|/S]

Sorts input and writes results to the screen, a file, or another device.

Usage: SORT [/R] [/+num] [/A] [file] or command | SORT

Note: It uses the SORT command from FreeDOS.

Starts a command or program to run on the host system.

Usage: START [option] command [arguments]

Note: This command is disabled by default, but can be enabled either by the startcmd config option or by the -hostrun command-line option.

Assigns an internal directory to a drive.

Usage: SUBST [drive1: [drive2:]path] or SUBST drive1: /D

Transfers DOS system files and command interpreter to a disk.

Usage: SYS [source] drive: [bootsect] [{option}]

Note: It uses the SYS command from FreeDOS.

Displays or changes the internal time.

Usage: TIME [ [/T] [/H] | hh:mm:ss ]

Sets the window title for the DOSBox-X window.

Usage: TITLE [string]

Note: You can also set the DOSBox-X window title via the "title" option in the config file.

Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or path.

Usage: TREE [drive:][path] [/F] [/A]

Finds the fully-expanded name for a file.

Usage: TRUENAME file

Displays the contents of a text-file.

Usage: TYPE [drive:][path][filename]

Converts UTF-16 text to view in the current code page.

Usage: UTF16 [/BE|/LE] < [drive:][path]filename or command-name | UTF16 [/BE|/LE]

Converts UTF-8 text to view in the current code page.

Usage: UTF8 < [drive:][path]filename or command-name | UTF8

Views and sets the reported DOS version. Also displays the running DOSBox-X version.

Usage: VER [/R], VER [SET] number or VER SET [major minor]

Note: "VER 3.3" or "VER SET 3.3" will set the reported DOS version as 3.3 (3.30), whereas "VER SET 3 3" will set the version as 3.03 if you use the [major minor] format.

Controls whether to verify that the files are written correctly to a disk.

Usage: VERIFY [ON | OFF]

Displays the disk volume label and serial number, if they exist.

Usage: VOL [drive]

Copies files and directory trees.

Usage: XCOPY source [destination] [options]

Note: It uses the XCOPY command from FreeDOS.

Changes the text mode to 80x25, 80x43, 80x50, 80x60, 132x25, 132x43, 132x50, and 132x60 modes respectively.

Note: This command is only available with a VGA machine type.

Changes the video mode to the CGA emulation mode.

Usage: CGA

Note: This command is only available with a VGA machine type.

Changes the video mode to the DCGA emulation mode.

Usage: DCGA

Note: This command can be used to enter J-3100 DCGA mode with Japanese support when J-3100 is enabled along with dosv=jp.

Changes the video mode to the EGA emulation mode.

Usage: EGA

Note: This command is only available with a VGA machine type.

Changes the video mode to the VGA mode.

Usage: VGA

Note: This command can be used to return from other video modes (such as CGA or DCGA mode) back to the VGA mode.

Changes V-text mode for the DOS/V emulation.

Usage: VTEXT [0|1|2]

Note: This command is only available in DOS/V emulation mode.

Views, turns on/off or changes the A20 gate mode.

Usage: A20GATE SET [off | off_fake | on | on_fake | mask | fast] or A20GATE [ON | OFF]

Boots into a BIOS image for running CPU tester BIOS.

Usage: BIOSTEST image_file

Turns CGA snow emulation on or off.

Usage: CGASNOW [ON|OFF]

Runs program and breaks into debugger at entry point.

Usage: DEBUGBOX [command] [options]

Hooks INT 2Fh for debugging purposes.

Usage: INT2FDBG [/I]

Note: The option install the hook which will hook INT 2Fh at the top of the call chain for debugging information.

Loads the specified Video BIOS ROM image file.

Usage: LOADROM ROM_file

Generates a non-maskable interrupt (NMI).

Usage: NMITEST

Note: This will test if the interrupt handler works properly.

Runs the VESA BIOS mode editor utility, which can be used to add, modify or delete VESA BIOS modes.

Usage: VESAMOED [options]

Note: It was originally written because some old DOS games or demoscene productions, especially those shipped with a UNIVBE binary, assumed video mode numbers instead of enumerating like they should. It can also be used to rearrange VESA BIOS modes for retro developers who want to make sure their code works properly no matter what strange VESA BIOS their code runs into on real hardware. Because of limitations in DOSBox-X SVGA emulation and the render scaler architecture, the maximum resolution possible resolution is 1920x1440.

Locks or unlocks the video refresh rate to a specific frame rate.

Usage: VFRCRATE [SET OFF|PAL|NTSC|rate]

Note: It was originally written to run demoscene games at 59.94Hz (NTSC) so that no frame blending is needed to author to DVD. It can also be used for development and testing to simulate a PC whose refresh rate is locked in hardware, such as what happens when running a DOS program on laptops. Even though standard VGA is 60Hz or 70Hz, laptops will lock the refresh rate to 60Hz when sending video to the internal display.