How to save command output to file using Command Prompt or PowerShell

On Windows 11 and Windows 10, the ability to save the Command Prompt or PowerShell command output to a text file can be helpful many situations. For instance, it’s a convenient way to export the command output for analysis to troubleshoot a problem. You can also print the return of a command to a text file to save a configuration for documentation purposes and more.

You can always select and right-click the content to copy the output to the clipboard and paste it to text files. However, the approach requires additional steps, which you can avoid with a single command using the redirected output to the file function.

In this Windows 11 guide, we will walk you through the steps to save the command output to a text file on Command Prompt or PowerShell.

How to save command output to file using Command Prompt

To save the command output to a text file with Command Prompt, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt.
3. Right-click the top result and select the Run as administrator option.

4. Type the following command to save the output to a text file and press Enter:

   YOUR-COMMAND > C:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt

   In the command, replace “YOUR-COMMAND” with your command and “c:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt” with the path and file name to store the output. This example exports the system technical specifications to the “laptop_tech_specs.txt” file:

   systeminfo > C:laptop_tech_specs.txt

   Source: Windows Central

5. (Optional) Type the following command to save the output and view results on the screen and press Enter:

   YOUR-COMMAND > C:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt | type C:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt

   In the command, replace “YOUR-COMMAND” with your command and “c:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt” with the path and filename to store and view the output. This example exports the system technical specifications to the “laptop_tech_specs.txt” file and prints the information on the screen:

   systeminfo > C:laptop_tech_specs.txt | type C:laptop_tech_specs.txt

   Source: Windows Central

   Quick tip: If you have problems viewing the file, you can use the type c:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt command after step 3.

Once you complete the steps, the command output will be saved into a text file, which you can then review or share with tech support.

How to save command output to file using PowerShell

To save the command output to a text file with PowerShell on Windows 11 or Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for PowerShell.
3. Right-click the top result and select the Run as administrator option.

4. Type the following command to save the output to a text file and press Enter:

   YOUR-COMMAND | Out-File -FilePath C:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt

   In the command, replace “YOUR-COMMAND” with your command and “c:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt” with the path and file name to store the output. This example exports the IP address configuration to the “laptop_network_settings.txt” file:

   ipconfig | Out-File -FilePath C:laptop_network_settings.txt

   Source: Windows Central

5. (Optional) Type the following command to view the saved output on the screen and press Enter:

   Get-Content -Path C:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt

   In the command, replace “c:PATHTOFOLDEROUTPUT.txt” with the path and file name with the output content. This example shows the contents of the “laptop_network_settings.txt” file:

   Get-Content -Path C:laptop_network_settings.txt

   Source: Windows Central

After you complete the steps, PowerShell will save the result into a text file on your specified location.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

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