ECHO Command – Display Messages and Control Command Echoing

The ECHO command is a Windows Command Prompt utility that displays messages to the console or writes text to files using redirection operators. Use ECHO to print text output, create or append to files with > and >>, check echo status, or control command echoing in batch scripts with ECHO ON and ECHO OFF—essential for script output, user feedback, and file creation.

Whether you're a system administrator creating batch scripts with user feedback, a developer generating configuration files from scripts, or a power user automating tasks with clear progress messages, ECHO provides simple yet powerful text output and file creation capabilities. IT professionals rely on ECHO for script logging, status messages, and automated file generation across enterprise environments.

This comprehensive guide covers ECHO syntax, all parameters and redirection options, practical examples for console output and file creation, troubleshooting tips for output issues, related text processing commands, and frequently asked questions. By the end, you'll confidently use ECHO for script output, file creation, and batch file automation in Windows environments.

What Is the ECHO Command?

The ECHO command is a versatile output tool in Windows Command Prompt that serves dual purposes: displaying text messages to the console for user feedback or logging, and toggling whether commands appear on screen during batch script execution.

ECHO works in Command Prompt (CMD), Windows PowerShell (with CMD compatibility), Windows Terminal, and is available in all Windows versions from MS-DOS through Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, and all enterprise editions. Its simplicity and reliability make it a staple in batch scripts, system administration tasks, and automated workflows.

The command's text output capabilities, combined with redirection operators (> for overwrite, >> for append), enable quick file creation, log generation, and configuration file building directly from command line or scripts. System administrators use ECHO for script progress messages, error reporting, and automated documentation generation.

ECHO in Batch Scripts

In batch files, ECHO serves two critical functions:

Display messages: Show progress, status, errors, or instructions to users
Control command visibility: ECHO OFF hides commands, showing only output; ECHO ON displays commands as they execute

Most batch scripts start with @ECHO OFF to hide commands and show only meaningful output, improving readability and user experience.

Syntax

ECHO [ON | OFF]
ECHO [message]
ECHO [message] > filename
ECHO [message] >> filename

Parameters

Parameter	Description
`ON`	Displays each command before executing it (default in interactive CMD)
`OFF`	Hides commands during execution (common in batch scripts)
`message`	Text to display or write to a file
`>`	Redirects output to a file, overwriting existing content
`>>`	Redirects output to a file, appending to existing content

No parameters: Running ECHO without arguments displays the current echo status ("ECHO is on" or "ECHO is off").

Special characters: Use escape characters (^) or quotes to display special symbols like &, |, <, >, (, ).

How to Use ECHO Command

Display a Message

Print text to the console:

ECHO Hello World
ECHO Processing files...
ECHO Operation completed successfully

Output appears immediately in the console window.

Check Echo Status

Run ECHO without arguments to see if echo is ON or OFF:

ECHO

Output: "ECHO is on" or "ECHO is off"

Create a File with Text

Use > to write text to a new file (overwrites if file exists):

ECHO This is the content > file.txt
ECHO [Settings] > config.ini
ECHO # Configuration File > settings.conf

Creates the file with the specified content. If the file exists, it's overwritten.

Append Text to a File

Use >> to add text to the end of an existing file:

ECHO Additional line >> file.txt
ECHO New log entry >> application.log
ECHO Data row >> data.csv

If the file doesn't exist, >> creates it. If it exists, text is appended without overwriting.

Display an Empty Line

Use ECHO. (with a period) to print a blank line:

ECHO.
ECHO First line
ECHO.
ECHO Second line

Alternative separators: ECHO:, ECHO/, ECHO+ also work for blank lines.

Turn Off Command Echoing

Use ECHO OFF at the start of batch files to hide commands:

@ECHO OFF

The @ symbol hides the ECHO OFF command itself. Without @, you'd see "ECHO OFF" in the output.

Turn On Command Echoing

Use ECHO ON to display commands as they execute (useful for debugging):

ECHO ON
DIR C:\
CD \Windows

Each command appears before its output, helping troubleshoot batch scripts.

Display Special Characters

Use escape characters or quotes for special symbols:

ECHO The file is located at: C:\Path\File.txt
ECHO Use ^& to display ampersand
ECHO "Special characters: < > | & ( )"

The caret (^) escapes special characters. Quotes preserve most special characters.

Display Environment Variables

Use %VARIABLE% syntax to display variable values:

ECHO Current user: %USERNAME%
ECHO Computer name: %COMPUTERNAME%
ECHO System drive: %SYSTEMDRIVE%
ECHO Current directory: %CD%

Variables expand to their values in the output.

Create Multi-Line Files

Use multiple ECHO commands with > and >>:

ECHO Line 1 > file.txt
ECHO Line 2 >> file.txt
ECHO Line 3 >> file.txt

First command creates the file, subsequent commands append lines.

Create Configuration Files

Generate config files from batch scripts:

ECHO [Database] > app.config
ECHO Server=localhost >> app.config
ECHO Port=5432 >> app.config
ECHO User=admin >> app.config

Useful for automated configuration generation.

Common Use Cases

Display script progress – Use ECHO in batch files to show status messages, progress indicators, and completion notifications to users.
Create simple text files – Use ECHO with > to quickly create files with content without opening an editor.
Append to log files – Use ECHO with >> to add timestamped entries to log files for application monitoring or audit trails.
Debug batch scripts – Use ECHO to display variable values during script execution for troubleshooting and verification.
User prompts and instructions – Use ECHO to display instructions, prompts, or help text in interactive batch scripts.
Create empty files – Use ECHO. > file.txt to create blank placeholder files for testing or initialization.
Format batch output – Use ECHO to add spacing, separators, and formatting to script output for improved readability.
Generate configuration files – Use ECHO in deployment scripts to create configuration files with environment-specific settings.
Create CSV or data files – Use ECHO to generate CSV files, data files, or structured text files from batch scripts.
Display error messages – Use ECHO to show error messages, warnings, or alerts in batch scripts when operations fail.
Create batch file headers – Use ECHO to display script titles, version information, or copyright notices when scripts start.
Generate HTML or XML – Use ECHO to create simple HTML or XML files from batch scripts for reporting or documentation.

Tips and Best Practices

Start batch files with @ECHO OFF – Hide commands and show only output for clean, professional-looking scripts: @ECHO OFF.
Use ECHO. for blank lines – Print blank lines for formatting with ECHO. (period with no space). Alternatives: ECHO:, ECHO/, ECHO+.
Quote messages with special characters – Enclose text containing &, |, <, >, (, ) in quotes: ECHO "Message with & special chars".
Display variable values – Debug scripts by showing variable contents: ECHO The path is: %PATH%.
Create files with multiple lines – Use > for the first line, >> for subsequent lines to build multi-line files.
Add timestamps to logs – Use ECHO %DATE% %TIME% to add timestamps to log entries for tracking and debugging.
Redirect errors separately – Send error messages to standard error: ECHO Error message 1>&2 for proper error handling.
Use ECHO for script documentation – Add comments and descriptions with ECHO to explain script actions to users.
Test file creation – Use ECHO. > test.txt to quickly create test files for script development and debugging.
Escape special characters – Use caret (^) to escape special characters: ECHO Use ^& for ampersand.
Create batch file menus – Use ECHO to display menu options in interactive batch scripts with numbered choices.
Verify output – After using ECHO to create files, use TYPE filename to verify the content was written correctly.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

ECHO Displays "ECHO is on" Instead of Message

Problem: Running ECHO without arguments displays "ECHO is on" instead of an empty line.

Cause: ECHO without parameters shows the current echo status, not a blank line.

Solution: Use ECHO. to display an empty line:

ECHO.

Alternatives: ECHO:, ECHO/, ECHO+ also work.

Prevention: Always use ECHO. (or alternatives) for blank lines, never ECHO alone.

Special Characters Don't Display Correctly

Problem: Characters like &, |, <, > cause errors or don't display.

Cause: These are command-line operators with special meaning in CMD.

Solution: Escape with caret (^) or use quotes:

ECHO Use ^& for ampersand
ECHO "Special chars: < > | &"

Prevention: Always escape or quote special characters in ECHO messages.

ECHO Creates File with Extra Spaces

Problem: ECHO Text > file.txt creates a file with trailing spaces.

Cause: ECHO includes spaces before the redirection operator in the output.

Solution: Remove spaces before >:

ECHO Text>file.txt

Or use quotes:

ECHO "Text" > file.txt

Prevention: Don't put spaces before redirection operators unless you want them in the output.

Environment Variables Don't Expand

Problem: ECHO %PATH% displays "%PATH%" literally instead of the variable value.

Cause: Variables aren't expanding, possibly due to delayed expansion issues in loops or incorrect syntax.

Solution: Verify variable name is correct:

ECHO %PATH%

For variables in loops, enable delayed expansion:

SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
FOR %%i IN (1 2 3) DO (
    SET var=%%i
    ECHO !var!
)

Prevention: Use correct variable syntax (%VAR% in most contexts, !VAR! in loops with delayed expansion).

ECHO Output Doesn't Appear in File

Problem: Using ECHO text > file.txt doesn't create the file or file is empty.

Cause: Insufficient permissions, file is locked, or path doesn't exist.

Solution:

Run CMD as Administrator for protected locations
Verify the directory exists: DIR parent_directory
Close programs that might have the file open
Check disk space is available

Prevention: Verify write permissions and directory existence before using redirection.

ECHO Doesn't Work in PowerShell

Problem: ECHO behaves differently in PowerShell than in CMD.

Cause: PowerShell has its own echo alias that maps to Write-Output, with different behavior.

Solution: In PowerShell, use Write-Host for console output:

Write-Host "Message"

Or use CMD explicitly:

cmd /c echo Message

Prevention: Use PowerShell-native commands (Write-Host, Write-Output) in PowerShell scripts instead of ECHO.

Related Commands

TYPE – Display File Contents

TYPE displays the contents of text files in the console. Use after ECHO to verify file creation.

Example:

ECHO Test content > file.txt
TYPE file.txt

Integration: Verify ECHO output by displaying files with TYPE.

SET – Display and Set Variables

SET displays or sets environment variables. Use with ECHO to show variable values.

Example:

SET MESSAGE=Hello World
ECHO %MESSAGE%

When to use: Managing variables that ECHO will display.

PAUSE – Wait for User Input

PAUSE displays "Press any key to continue..." and waits. Use with ECHO for interactive scripts.

Example:

ECHO Processing complete
PAUSE

Integration: Combine ECHO messages with PAUSE for user-paced scripts.

REM – Add Comments

REM adds comments to batch files. Use for internal documentation; ECHO for user-visible messages.

Example:

REM This is a comment (not displayed)
ECHO This is a message (displayed to user)

Difference: REM is for developers, ECHO is for users.

TITLE – Set Window Title

TITLE sets the Command Prompt window title. Use with ECHO for professional script presentation.

Example:

TITLE Backup Script
ECHO Starting backup process...

Integration: Set window title with TITLE, show progress with ECHO.

CLS – Clear Screen

CLS clears the console screen. Use before ECHO to present clean output.

Example:

CLS
ECHO === System Information ===
ECHO.

When to use: Clear old output before displaying new information with ECHO.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ECHO OFF do?

ECHO OFF disables the display of commands as they execute in batch files. Only command output appears, not the commands themselves. Use @ECHO OFF at the start of batch scripts to hide all commands, including the ECHO OFF command itself. This creates clean, professional-looking script output.

How do I create a file with ECHO?

Use ECHO content > filename.txt to create a new file with the specified content. This overwrites any existing file. Use ECHO content >> filename.txt to append to an existing file or create a new one if it doesn't exist. Example: ECHO Hello World > greeting.txt.

What is the difference between > and >>?

> redirects output to a file, overwriting existing content or creating a new file. >> appends output to the end of an existing file or creates a new file if it doesn't exist. Use > for new files, >> for adding to existing files. Example: ECHO Line1 > file.txt then ECHO Line2 >> file.txt.

How do I display an empty line with ECHO?

Use ECHO. (ECHO followed by a period with no space) to display a blank line. Alternatively, use ECHO:, ECHO/, or ECHO+. These variations work because they provide a valid separator after ECHO without printing visible characters. Never use ECHO alone—it displays echo status instead.

Can ECHO display environment variables?

Yes, use %VARIABLE% syntax: ECHO %USERNAME% displays the current username, ECHO %PATH% shows the PATH variable. In batch files, use %%VARIABLE%% for loop variables. Example: ECHO Current user: %USERNAME% or ECHO System drive: %SYSTEMDRIVE%.

Why does ECHO display "ECHO is on" instead of my message?

Running ECHO without arguments displays the current echo status ("ECHO is on" or "ECHO is off"). To display an empty line, use ECHO. instead. To display text, always include the message: ECHO Your text here. Never use ECHO alone for output.

How do I display special characters with ECHO?

Use escape characters (^) or quotes. Example: ECHO Use ^& for ampersand or ECHO "Special chars: < > | &". The caret (^) escapes individual characters. Quotes preserve most special characters. For literal percent signs, use %%.

Can I use ECHO in PowerShell?

PowerShell has an echo alias that maps to Write-Output, with different behavior than CMD's ECHO. For console output in PowerShell, use Write-Host "Message". To use CMD's ECHO in PowerShell, run cmd /c echo Message. For PowerShell scripts, prefer native cmdlets like Write-Host or Write-Output.

What does @ECHO OFF do?

@ECHO OFF combines two functions: @ hides the ECHO OFF command itself, and ECHO OFF hides all subsequent commands. This is the standard way to start batch scripts for clean output. Without @, you'd see "ECHO OFF" in the output before commands are hidden.

How do I add timestamps to ECHO output?

Use ECHO %DATE% %TIME% to display current date and time. For log files: ECHO %DATE% %TIME% - Log entry >> log.txt. This adds timestamps to log entries for tracking and debugging. Example: ECHO [%DATE% %TIME%] Backup started >> backup.log.

Can ECHO create multiple lines in one command?

No, each ECHO command creates one line. To create multi-line files, use multiple ECHO commands: ECHO Line1 > file.txt then ECHO Line2 >> file.txt. For complex multi-line content, consider using HERE documents in PowerShell or creating template files.

Why doesn't ECHO work with pipes?

ECHO works with pipes, but you may need quotes or escape characters. Example: ECHO Text | FIND "Text" works. For special characters in pipes: ECHO "Text | Symbol" | FIND "Symbol". Pipes have special meaning, so quote or escape them when they're part of the message.

Quick Reference Card

Command	Purpose	Example Use Case
`ECHO message`	Display text	Show progress message
`ECHO.`	Display blank line	Format output
`@ECHO OFF`	Hide commands	Start batch scripts
`ECHO text > file.txt`	Create file	Generate config file
`ECHO text >> file.txt`	Append to file	Add log entry
`ECHO %VAR%`	Display variable	Show variable value
`ECHO`	Show echo status	Check ON/OFF state
`ECHO ^& special`	Escape characters	Display special chars
`ECHO %DATE% %TIME%`	Display timestamp	Add timestamps
`ECHO "text" \| command`	Pipe output	Chain commands

Try ECHO Command Now

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Explore the full Commands Reference for more Windows CMD utilities, including file management (COPY, MOVE, DEL), directory operations (MKDIR, RMDIR, CD), and text processing commands.

Summary

The ECHO command is the essential Windows tool for displaying text and controlling command visibility in Command Prompt and batch scripts. Use ECHO to print messages, create or append to files with > and >>, display variable values, or control command echoing with ECHO ON and ECHO OFF.

Start batch files with @ECHO OFF for clean output, use ECHO. for blank lines, and combine ECHO with redirection operators to create configuration files, logs, and data files directly from scripts. Master ECHO for script user feedback, progress messages, error reporting, and automated file generation.

Understanding ECHO is fundamental to batch script development and command-line automation in Windows. The command's simplicity, combined with powerful redirection and variable expansion capabilities, makes it indispensable for system administrators, developers, and power users creating automated workflows and user-friendly scripts.