Microsoft DOS attrib command

About attrib

Attrib allows a user to change the properties of a specified file. Using attrib, the user has the capability of changing the file to have any of the below attributes. Note if you're wanting to change the ACL's of a file see the CACLS command.

Read-only - allowing the file to be only viewed and not written to.

Archived - allowing Microsoft backup and other backup programs to know what files to backup.

Hidden - making the file invisible to standard users.

System - making the file an important system file.

Availability

The attrib.exe command is an external command that is available in the below Microsoft operating systems.

MS-DOS 3.0 and above
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

Syntax

Microsoft Windows 95, 98, and ME syntax

Displays or changes file attributes.

ATTRIB [+R | -R] [+A | -A] [+S | -S] [+H | -H] [[drive:][path]filename] [/S]
+ Sets an attribute.
- Clears an attribute.
R Read-only file attribute.
A Archive file attribute.
S System file attribute.
H Hidden file attribute.
/S Processes files in all directories in the specified path.

Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP syntax

Displays or changes file attributes.

ATTRIB [+R | -R] [+A | -A ] [+S | -S] [+H | -H] [[drive:] [path] filename] [/S [/D]]
+ Sets an attribute.
- Clears an attribute.
R Read-only file attribute.
A Archive file attribute.
S System file attribute.
H Hidden file attribute.
/S Processes files in all directories in the specified path.
/D Process folders as well.

Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP recovery console syntax

Note: The below options are the available options in the Windows recovery console.

Changes attributes on one file or directory.

ATTRIB -R | +R | -S | +S | -H | +H | -C | +C filename
+ Sets an attribute.
- Clears an attribute.
R Read-only file attribute.
S System file attribute.
H Hidden file attribute.
C Compressed file attribute.

Examples

attrib

Typing attrib by itself will display all files in the current directory and each of their attributes. If any file is hidden it will also display those files.

attrib +r autoexec.bat

Add the read-only attribute to the autoexec.bat file so it cannot be modified until the read only attribute is taken off. This is helpful for important system files or any other file that you do not want to have mistakenly edited or changed by another program.

attrib +h config.sys

Add the hidden attribute to the config.sys file causing it to be not be seen by the average user.

attrib -h config.sys

This command will do the opposite of the above command. Instead of hiding the file it will unhide the file if hidden.

* Additional examples and information about displaying hidden files in MS-DOS can be found on document CH001039.

Extended information

See our File attributes computer dictionary definition for additional information about file attributes. DOS directory file attribute bit position and Hex Value with bit positions (7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0).

Bit Positions Hex Description
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 01h Read Only file
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 02h Hidden file
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 04h System file
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 08h Volume Label
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 10h Subdirectory
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 20h Archive
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 40h Reserved
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 80h Reserved

Examples

0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 21h Read Only, Archive
0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 32h Hidden, Subdirectory, Archive
0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 27h Read Only, Hidden, Archive