What Is a .cmd File? .cmd Format, MIME & How to Open

Quick facts

Extension.cmd

File typeWindows Command Script

MIME type—

CategoryExecutable

Charset—

Compressible—

Format familybatch

What is .cmd

What is a .cmd file?

A .cmd file is a Windows Command Script — Windows command script.

In the mime-db registry it has no registered standard MIME type. When serving this file over HTTP, use a Content-Type that matches its actual format.

How to open .cmd files

Use cmd or Notepad++ to open and edit .cmd files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

# No standard MIME type is registered for .cmd

Common software that reads/writes .cmd:

cmdNotepad++

Relation chain

.cmdextension of

format

batchserved as

mime type

—sent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related programming languages

Batchfile

.bat .cmd

Common uses

Running programs
Installing software
System libraries

How to edit .cmd files

Open the file with cmd, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .cmd files

Create a new file and save it with the .cmd extension, or export this format from cmd.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .cmd files?

Common options include cmd, Notepad++. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .cmd file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .cmd extension.

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-08-18

Explore this reference

What is a .cmd file?

What programs can open .cmd files?

How do I create a .cmd file?

Related extensions

Related programming languages

Related headers

Related methods

Related status codes