Batch file commands pause seconds To suppress the message: PAUSE >nul To display a different message: Echo Are you sure? Press Ctrl-C to cancel. This utility is valuable in scripting to pause the execution temporarily, allowing for processes or services to start-up or to provide a buffer time before executing subsequent commands. This truly is the simplest batch file you could ever make and all you need to make it is knowing what commands are available. [1] This command is available on all modern versions of windows, including Windows 10. Overview The TIMEOUT command in Windows CMD is used to delay the processing of a batch file for a specified number of seconds. Often during these complex procedures, you need your code to pause and wait before continuing: Wait for a backend process to startup Temporarily halt a long-running loop Delay command execution […] May 11, 2012 · I want to make a batch file that waits for a few minutes, then executes a command. As of right now I only know of the timeout (seconds) which can only delay for a minimum of 1 second. For instance, using the following on the command prompt will pause the terminal for 10 seconds unless you press a key: timeout /t 10 Whereas this command will pause the terminal for 30 seconds whether you press a key or not: timeout /t 30 /nobreak And Mar 14, 2025 · This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to sleep or wait for a specified number of seconds in a batch file. e. Please help me. Pause PowerShell with Start-Sleep The most common way to pause a PowerShell script for a given period of time is to use the Start-Sleep command. I'd like to have the cmd window stray open for, say, 20 seconds, and then close. Equivalent PowerShell: Start-Sleep - Suspend shell, script, or runspace activity (sleep). To pass additional commands you have to pass the commands to a new instance of CMD and escape any special characters, to be able to pass them to the child process (CMD. EXE" -nc line has closed or discontinued. This comprehensive guide navigates through the intricacies of making a batch file wait for a specific process, exploring essential principles, methods, and real-world implementations. Oct 22, 2016 · I would use /B to stay in the same process and /wait tot wait until the first command is finished. Now, the answer. PAUSE >nul PAUSE - Suspend processing of a batch file and display a message. However, when a batch file is run, it does not wait for the command process to complete; it executes all the commands line by line. To wait somewhere between 29 and 30 seconds: timeout /t 30 The timeout would get interrupted if the user hits any key; however, the command also accepts the optional switch /nobreak, which effectively ignores anything the user may press, except an explicit CTRL-C: timeout /t 30 /nobreak First off: Bash and Batch are very different languages. Timeout Timeout The simplest way to make a delay or pause for a certain amount of time, is with the standard command TIMEOUT. It allows you to define how long to pause your script in seconds or milliseconds. each of them can then be run followed by the /? switch to get full help on each command. I want run: 1 open command windo Sep 22, 2003 · I am running windows 2k pro I would like to create a batch file that will pause for 5 seconds after the first job and then move on to the next job and waith another 5 seconds. Aug 1, 2012 · The second case is easy as the commands late in the file won't execute until the former have completed, so I'll assume you're facing case #1. It should be noted that while the choice command is waiting 5 seconds for input, the timer gets reset each and every time the user presses a key. However, sometimes execution requires periods of waiting or pausing. I prefer the ping command over the sleep command, for it's easy switching between seconds and milliseconds: ping -n 11 127. Apr 30, 2013 · Is it possible in MS-DOS batch file to pause the script and wait for user to hit enter key? I wish to do this inside a for loop. Jul 6, 2024 · I would like to make a bat file but with several commands that each take some time. 1>nul That command pauses for 10 seconds then resumes. Ping -l 1 -n 1 -w 5000 1. Jun 5, 2015 · See this question for some worthwhile information. This works in Window 7 or later. Jan 8, 2025 · How to Add a Timeout or Pause in a Batch File Batch files are a staple for automating tasks in Windows environments. please let mw know if this can be done thanks. I tried opening a manual instance of the program and re-running the batch then manually closing the "batch opened program" and it closed the manual running program as I suspected. Sep 23, 2013 · In this hub I'm going to explain how to create a loop inside a batch program and how to make a batch program sleep or delay itself for a specific interval of time. bat returns a lot of stdout and stderr messages each batch*. Learn effective methods to manage command execution time, ensuring your scripts run smoothly and efficiently. While the well-known sleep command from older versions of Windows is not available in Windows 10 or 11, you can use Mar 21, 2025 · Steps on how to sleep or create a delay in a batch file for a few seconds or minutes. Using timeout instead will not change that (except that it's calling a separate program instead of a shell-builtin). Syntax SLEEP time Key time The number of seconds to pause Pause for 10 seconds before running the next command in a batch file: SLEEP 10 Alternative: delay using Ping A delay can also be produced by the PING command with a loopback address (127. Since runas is an executable and the batch waits until it is finished it's possible you can let away the start command all together. Nov 18, 2011 · How to wait for a process to terminate before executing another process in a batch file? Let's say I have a process notepad. Mar 20, 2025 · There are multiple commands and installation processes in a batch file, which usually takes some time to complete. You don't need the /wait in the second line unless there are more commands to follow. start cmd /c myapp. The best solution is to use Windows Scripting Host -- VB Script or JScript. Discover effective methods using the timeout and ping commands to enhance your batch scripting skills. Nov 24, 2009 · I have a batch file: arp -s 192. (Run the script and smile at the camera, for example. Nov 24, 2018 · The start command can only be used invoke a single internal or external command. r/Batch is all about the Batch scripting language, which runs in the windows CMD language. Note Feb 10, 2012 · I want to add time delay in my batch file. It can be used within the CMD, or via . Apr 26, 2025 · Windows timeout command - how to add sleep or delay or wait in windows batch script. No pause can be added in run_batches_1_to_4_in_parallel. ” to the screen, then put in a PAUSE command in the batch file to create a hard delay. retrofit sleep command sleep. exe ^& pause As an addition, If command extensions are enabled (which is the default case) "CMD " can be used Feb 12, 2016 · The easiest way to add a delay in a batch file is with the ping command. bat, as the run_all_sessions. TIMEOUT - Delay execution for a few seconds/minutes (for use within a batch file). Sep 21, 2016 · I was hoping to use this to see how many seconds a command takes unfortunately echo %time% && command & echo %time% always prints the same value for time for both echos, even when the command is not instant. As an alternative to ping you can use timeout: timeout 1 /nobreak Delay for 1 second and ignore user keystrokes. Mar 21, 2011 · How can I display my data from x. exe command which will block and wait until the file appears. I am trying to write a batch script and trying to wait 10 seconds between 2 function calls. Since I have a need to wait in between two commands only for something like 10-100 milliseconds, that does not work for me unfortunately. @ECHO OFF :BEGIN ECHO Authorized user :END If I use Apr 23, 2020 · I was wondering if there is a delay command in a batch file that can delay for less than a second (like 0. For more information on PAUSE and other batch commands, see Chapter 5, Using Batch Files, in the downloadable book DOS the Easy Way . bat files. It's a simple yet powerful tool used to pause the execution of a batch script or command prompt session for a specified number of seconds or until a key is pressed. It also includes sample code. bat has a running time that is different and I have to wait until all of them are completed. 1), in tests this consumes less processor 3 How do I delay batch files between commands, with a 1s delay, or even less? You can't delay for < 1s using built-in commands. Closed 7 years ago. For example, you want to open multiple URLs at once using a batch script, and you want to add a delay of some seconds between each URL because they open all at once which freezes up the machine. WAITFOR - Wait for or send a signal. I want to run two commands in a Windows CMD console. Oct 26, 2023 · In this article, we will look at the different options to pause PowerShell or to let it wait for a command to continue. You can hide on-screen messages that indicate delay to the user by adding >nul to the end of the timeout, ping, and choice commands. Apr 19, 2015 · Is there any way to delay a batch file in under a second, for example 10 milliseconds? I have tried to write this: ping localhost -n 1 -w 10 But it didn't work Can anyone help? Is it possible to insert a timed pause in a DOS batch file? It should act like the pause command, but instead of having to hit any key, it will continue on its own in X seconds. exe. If all this Jan 27, 2017 · Batch Script - Wait 5 seconds before exec program [duplicate] Asked 8 years, 9 months ago Modified 4 years, 1 month ago Viewed 59k times Sep 14, 2016 · I’m writing a basic batch file to launch some programs without having to click on each one to launch it. It's part of the core Windows system files and is not a third-party application. An example is when we want to execute a number of PINGs in succession by using a code loop. This page provides a clear explanation of how to use the timeout command to wait for a specified time in the command prompt or batch file, including how to set options. SLEEP SLEEP was included in some of Feb 2, 2024 · This tutorial illustrates different ways to wait for a command or a program to finish before executing the next command in the Windows Batch file. exe can be used to pause your batch for any number of seconds to allow the program to install fully before the batch file proceeds to install anything else. This command is typically used in batch files. I would prefer to use the wait or sleep commands but they do not appear to be included in Windows 7. can this be done I have been looking everywhere on the net. ) How do I sleep for 5 seconds in a batch file? Sep 23, 2014 · If you are writing a batch file and you don't want to continue until somebody presses a key, you can do it really easy with the timeout command. PAUSE - Suspend processing of a batch file and display a message. Aug 10, 2023 · each batch*. bat script should run completely without user interaction. 1 -n 1 -w 10001 >nul Which also pauses for 10 seconds, but in milliseconds. EXE in this case). exe 60 goto waitloop : waitloopend I am looking for a more efficient way of waiting for files. Something like a waitfile. 1. 0. On both machines, open regedit and check this key. Up until now, I had used the pause command to execute it after some of the other start-ups finished. Batch file commands, such as pause, delete, sleep, and more, are ways to combine and use multiple Windows commands in unison. Sep 19, 2025 · The timeout command lets you pause for specific number of seconds, until a user presses a key, or indefinitely. 11 I have some batch scripts which wait for files. I Haven't written a bat file in about 20 years I would appreciate some examples. Sleep. Oct 11, 2013 · Do the users SEE the batch command window that executes this stuff pop up in the background? If so, a somewhat ghetto workaround could be to echo something like “CITRIX SESSION STARTED. Sep 27, 2012 · The correct way to sleep in a batch file is to use the timeout command, introduced in Windows 2000. Well, almost any key: Ctrl, Shift, NumLock etc. bat for 5 seconds? When this code runs, it's impossible for me to see anything, it opens and closes immediately. Windows's Snipping tool can capture the screen, but sometimes I want to capture the screen after five seconds, such as taking an image being displayed by the webcam. If this doens't work, experiment with leaving the cmd /K away. Syntax PAUSE Displays the message "Press any key to continue . I can’t select a file to run which means I have to use 1 line. This is fine for interactive use, but sometimes we just want to delay the batch file for a fixed number of seconds, without user interaction. So it is possible that your batch file will never exit this choice step. Make sure you use the correct keys or key combinations to trigger the desired action. Whether you’re managing file systems, executing applications, or automating system commands, batch scripting can save significant time and effort. But sometimes, you need a little breathing room in your script – a pause, a delay, a moment for things to happen before the next command fires off. Aug 25, 2023 · It is used within a computer batch file and allows the computer to pause the currently running batch file until the user presses any key. I am running Windows XP. Explore practical examples and enhance your Batch scripting skills today. WHEN FINISHED, PRESS ANY KEY TO SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER. exe that I need to kill before executing wordpad. Learn how to create the basic but useful commands of REM, Pause and Apr 23, 2025 · The correct command to pause a batch file for a set period is the timeout command that’s been available in all versions of Windows since Vista. Doktoro has been kind enough to give you the command list, I've been kind enough to tell you the specific command. exe be killed when it will start? I don't want to use timing commands, thanks! (the gamelauncher. I want to delay a batch file without any words being showed on the screen. I would like to add like a 5 second pause between programs but I can’t figure out how. Therefore it is also impossible to guarantee that the routine will only wait 5 seconds -- it could be longer because of a key Apr 29, 2014 · Possible Duplicates: Sleeping in a DOS batch file How to wait in a batch script I have a program that is kicked off with a batch file. Oct 26, 2013 · I know how to delay a batch file with "pause", "timeout" or "ping", but they all show words on the screen when delaying. You won't be able to pause for 250ms. Jun 24, 2009 · 相關連結 Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools Implementing the WAIT Command in a Batch File Batch file SLEEP Command Batch files - The CHOICE command 標籤 : dos, batch, sleep, windows Jul 24, 2025 · Learn how to use the pause command in Windows batch files to halt execution and prompt user interaction. By inserting the timeout command into your batch file, you can prompt the batch file to wait a specified number of seconds (or for a key press) before proceeding. batch-file Add delay to Batch file Introduction # This topic will teach you one of the many useful things to know in the scripting language, batch file; Adding a delay/pause/timeout to your batch file. Save this example with a . 168. SLEEP - Delay execution for a few seconds/minutes (for use within a batch file). Jul 11, 2013 · Can someone tell me what do I need to write in [X] to make the process Maplestory. Or: ping 1. In this tutorial, you will learn about all the batch file commands and how they are used in batch file scripting or programming. While the well-known sleep command from older versions of Windows is not available in Windows 10 or 11, you can use Dec 6, 2019 · So I have a program that runs a command from cmd but the window closes. Oct 21, 2022 · If you are writing a batch file and you don’t want to continue until somebody presses a key, you can do it really easy with the timeout command. What command can I put at the end of a batch file to prevent auto-closing of the console after the execution of the file? Aug 4, 2025 · You can stop or prevent Command Prompt from closing immediately after opening or executing a batch file using Pause, cmd /k or editing Registry. An easy workaround/hack if the execution takes (approximately) the same amount of time every time it runs is to use a ping command with a delay. won't work. When a user double-clicks a batch script, the command window often appears, runs its commands, and vanishes instantly, leaving no time to read the output. because it takes forever for my pc to start and i also get the unresponsiveness because of it. Control and debug your scripts effectively. What does C do in CMD? How do I get a Windows batch script to wait a few seconds? sleep and wait don't seem to work (unrecognized command). A well-managed exit allows users to review results, confirm success, or diagnose errors. The command prompt window then closes. . Nov 2, 2019 · Do BAT files wait for command to finish? Since runas is an executable and the batch waits until it is finished it’s possible you can let away the start command all together. They allow users to execute sequences of commands, run programs, and perform a variety of system functions with a single script. CHOICE /T Timeout - Accept keyboard input to a batch file. To summarize, using ping to pause is limited to 500ms or greater. A PAUSE command will suspend execution of a batch file or alias, giving you the opportunity to change disks, turn on the printer, etc. Mar 21, 2025 · The pause command is used within a computer batch file. You can do this with a batch / JScript hybrid to avoid having to call an external VBS script. This is useful for scenarios like scheduled polling, automated checks, data sync operations, or periodic task execution—without needing Task Scheduler or third-party tools. Feb 8, 2015 · Windows batch file or script in which we want to delay code execution with sub-second resolution. zip GOTO waitloopend sleep. Got any batch-file Question? Ask any batch-file Questions and Get Instant Answers from ChatGPT AI: We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. 1 -4 1>nul 2>&1 The parameters you use are defined below: -l = number of bytes in ping packet -n = number of ping requests to send -4 = for use of IPv4 (in case both are available) -w = timeout in milliseconds You can adjust the -w value 1000 = 1 second and the -n parameter to create a delay If you can't understand the sleep command then obviously you do not 'understand the lowest level'. Rinse and repeat. May 3, 2017 · 89 I use a batch file to start up a few of the programs I need running in the background. May 4, 2018 · Hi All, I am writing a batch file to update some of our units software modules. SLEEP. The batch file will be running silently at backgorund. exe is a command-line utility included in Microsoft Windows operating systems. If all this doesn’t work insert 5 ping commands, that is the classic way to wait for ± one second. Jul 9, 2017 · 4 I know the timeout /t 60 way to get a delay with automatic continue and the set /p var="prompt" for getting user input but is there any change to do both; ask and have a timeout to continue if nothing is entered? I would use it for a sort of get set screen for my looping script to change script settings. Example 1: Loop Execution with timeout (Recommended) The timeout Sep 7, 2025 · How to run batch file commands at specific intervals with detailed solutions for different Windows versions, ensuring efficient and timely execution of tasks. cmd in C:\Windows\System32 @echo off @ping localhost -n 2 > NUL @ping localhost -n %1 > NUL Windows Vista/7/8/10/11 since Windows Vista there is the command "timeout": timeout /T 10 waits 10 seconds, the waiting time can be PAUSE Pause the execution of a batch file. A user keystroke will typically resume execution even if the timeout period hasn’t elapsed. The command: sleep 10 Does not make the batch file wait for 10 seconds. It is most effectively […] May 2, 2017 · 5 Easy Commands to Delay a Batch File in Windows If you need some extra time for a command in your batch file to execute, there are several easy ways to delay a batch file. My guess would be that there is a goto :eof or exit /b somewhere before the pause (not uncommon in batch files with subroutines – where you cannot just add commands to the end to get them executed). In this case, you can use the timeout command. Jan 8, 2025 · How to Add a Timeout or Pause in a Batch File Batch files are an essential part of Windows command line scripting, allowing users to automate repetitive tasks seamlessly. In a batch file in Windows, you can use the pause statement to wait for keyboard input. The first module takes 10 seconds or so to initialize, May 2, 2017 · If you need some extra time for a command in your batch file to execute, there are several easy ways to delay a batch file. Aug 7, 2021 · Batch files can only respond to individual keys or search for a specific key combination. Either can be adapted into: :a start C:\Users Jul 8, 2010 · sleep or wait with ping Command: @ping -n 10 localhost> nul waits in about 10 seconds (-n 10) and then continues to execute the batch file. Apr 4, 2024 · timeout /t 10 Double clicking on it, launches a window where it executes the 2 programs and then the pause statement suspends execution until I hit a key. How do I add sleep in a batch script for X seconds? This will stop the script execution for the defined number of seconds. In the landscape of Windows scripting, ensuring that a batch file patiently waits for a specific process to complete is a crucial aspect. It allows the computer to pause the currently running batch file until the user presses any key. Includes using Windows command line commands and downloadable utilities. Origin and Oct 6, 2021 · I n this tutorial, we’ll explore two methods to automatically run a batch file every X seconds or minutes using native Windows command-line utilities. Let us see how to pause our bash based shell script for a given number of times in seconds/minutes/hours before continuing to next operation/command running on a Linux or Unix-like systems. As a power user of the Windows Command Prompt, you likely write batch scripts, execute pipelines, automate workflows, and perform other intensive operations in CMD. Learn how to implement these techniques with clear examples and improve your automation tasks. ). The wait loop is done with the typical IF EXISTS loop: :waitloop IF EXISTS file. How can I pause the command in the same line of “code”? I am using “openfiles /query /s usaarhfioao” Jan 29, 2011 · I thought of using SLEEP command but it's not sure that the commands used before the wait command will end up at certain time (due to inconsistent file sizes) but it's sure that they will be done by 5:00 or 5:10 and next it should execute wait command which waits for certain system clock. This will stop execution of the batch file until someone presses "any key". exe causes the Mar 12, 2019 · I have searched intensively but have only found wait-tips in batch files in seconds units (the ping approach i. It also Feb 21, 2025 · Batch files, the unsung heroes of Windows automation, are powerful tools for streamlining tasks. Controlling how and when a script exits is crucial for user experience and for debugging. In Linux I would do it like this touch thisfile ; ls -lstrh How is it done on Windows? Feb 25, 2025 · timeout. After I press a key, the bat file continues to the timeout statement which does a countdown. 254 xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx ipconfig /flushdns How can I do these two commands on Windows XP, every 10 seconds? Feb 3, 2023 · Reference article for the pause command, which suspends the processing of batch programs. Use /WAIT to Wait for the Command to Finish Execution in Batch Script The /WAIT parameter is used with the START command in a Batch file. Use the pause command to delay the batch file until a user presses any key, or the choice command to give the user options to choose from. Aug 28, 2018 · To learn about Windows cmd/batch commands, and how to use them in a batch files you can open cmd and type help which will list loads of commands. Oct 27, 2023 · When working with batch files, you may need to implement a process that waits for a certain amount of time. Feb 26, 2014 · It doesn't continue to the next command line until the "C:\Program Files\WinTV\WinTV2K. Mar 12, 2025 · This article discusses how to set command timeouts in Batch scripts, focusing on Git commands. 2 seconds). How would I do this? Specifically, I want it to end another program in 3 minutes after opening the file. Example To suspend execution of a batch file and display the message Insert the target diskette in drive A, enter pause Insert the target diskette in drive A Jul 30, 2020 · Typically used in Windows batch files, the timeout command allows for pausing a specified number of seconds and optionally ignore any key commands. bat extension and try it. Here is a simple example of how you can do this: I'm running a batch file on a server to dump a MySQL database. I’ve included a “timeout /t 10” command between each file to allow for 10 seconds to verify everything ran well at a glance between each section and to allow for the updater to be manually moved forward if the 10 seconds (or however long it ultimately ends up being, considering 30 seconds) but I am wondering Example 2: Pause execution at the command line This example shows that execution is paused for 5 seconds when run from the command line. Sep 12, 2023 · PAUSE The most obvious way to pause a batch file is of course the PAUSE command. That's so if I run it manually I can see that it fin Jan 28, 2014 · When I'm writing a batch file to run automatically, how do I write it so that when the batch file is run, it can pause for a couple seconds in between commands? Context: psexec \\\\server -u user - Nov 30, 2011 · I'm trying to write a batch file which starts some programs automatically with a delay. I know the pause statement will do just that - pause until I hit a key, but I want it to pause for a few seconds then run the next line of the file. Feb 3, 2023 · Pauses the command processor for the specified number of seconds. Jan 12, 2011 · Well, if pause is called, it will work. It is very important to have these commands wait for them to complete and then execute the next r/Batch is all about the Batch scripting language, which runs in the windows CMD language. . exe (2003 Resource Kit) Delay execution for a few seconds/minutes, for use within a batch file. TIMEOUT [/T] timeout [/NOBREAK] Description: This utility accepts a timeout parameter to wait for the specified time period (in seconds) or until any key is pressed. After each iteration, I want the script to pause and wait for user Use the timeout command to specify the delay time in seconds. " Presssing Ctrl-C when this prompt appears will offer the option: Terminate batch job (Y/N)? Pressing either y or Y will then end the batch script immediately. fopown tkhtv jftg eyel xslq xez dnsnd jnlhm nub sexojo zbtxakm fyzzwfve mfc txrr aui