Microsoft DOS echo command

Quick links

About echo
Availability
Syntax
Examples

About echo

Echo is used to repeat the text typed in back to the screen and can be used to echo to a peripheral on the computer, such as a COM port.

Availability

The echo command is an internal command that is available in the below Microsoft operating systems.

All Versions of MS-DOS
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

Syntax

Displays messages, or turns command-echoing on or off.

ECHO [ON | OFF]
ECHO [message]

Type ECHO without parameters to display the current echo setting.

Examples

echo ata > com1

Depending if your modem was on com1, this would make the modem try responding and you should hear some squealing from the modem. To stop the squealing, just typ echo atz > com1.

echo echo this is a test > test.bat

This would put in the file test.bat "echo this is a test", then when ever you would type in test, it would type in echo this is a test.

echo this is an example >> test.txt

In the above example, this would echo "this is an example" then using >> it would append that text into the test.txt file.

echo testing the echo string

This would type on your screen, testing the echo string, and then take you back to the prompt.