Windows CMD CD to Another Drive: Complete Guide

What is CD Command in Windows?

The cd (short for change directory) command allows you to change the current working directory, the folder you're currently in, in the command-line environment. Specifically, when you open the Windows Command Prompt, you're in a default directory (often your user folder). The cd command lets you move to other folders (directories) so you can run commands and manage files there.

The problem is that cd alone cannot change drives. To fully utilize CMD and perform operations across drives, you need to combine commands or use specific syntax. And that's where most users have trouble trying to figure out how to do a Windows CMD cd to another drive. That's why we are here to show you how to change directory in CMD on Windows 11/10.

🌟Important: Backup Crucial Files Before Changing Directory

It is always recommended to backup your important files before navigating system folders or making file system-related changes via CMD, including Windows CMD cd to a different drive. Because the CMD environment can execute commands quickly, a single error can affect critical directories. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a professional yet free backup software designed for Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/Vista.

AOMEI Backupper

Best Windows Backup Software

• Various backup features - Except for File Backup for backing up specific files/folders, it also provides System Backup to create Windows system images, Disk Backup and Partition Backup to back up entire hard drive and specific partitions.
• Diverse backup destination - It allows you to backup to network drive, NAS, USB drive, external hard drive, cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, etc.), and so on.
• Automatic backup - You can run the task at a specific time or on a frequency basis (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly), which is particularly useful for long-term data protection.

Download Freeware
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

100% Secure

Download this freeware and install it on your computer right now. To backup your individual files and folders, please select Backup > File Backup. To create a system image for the Windows OS, please choose System Backup.

Note: If you are backing up data to an external hard drive, please plug it in in advance and make sure it is detectable.

You can go to Restore > Select Task to restore your backup image when needed. And if you upgrade to the Professional edition of AOMEI Backupper, you are able to restore system image from another computer with different hardware and ensure a secure boot.

How to Let Windows CMD CD to Another Drive: Step-by-Step Guide

If you try using cd d:\folder from the C: drive in CMD, you will notice nothing happens. That is because CMD doesn't automatically switch the working drive with just the cd command. So how to let Windows CMD change directory to different drive, e.g., how to change directory in CMD from C to D? Let’s walk through the step-by-step instructions below.

Note: CD is case-insensitive: cd, Cd, or CD work the same.

Step 1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Windows search box and click on Run as administrator.

Step 2. Then, you could use the CD command lines in CMD to change different directories or folder paths. For example:

• If you type cd with pressing Enter, it will show you the full path of the current directory, usually C:\Windows\System32.
• To change CMD to another drive, type the drive letter followed by a colon, such as D:, then press Enter. This switches CMD from the current C drive to D drive.
• To use cd to navigate to a specific folder or directory, type cd folder path, like cd C:\users\syed.rahman\Downloads to enter that folder, or use cd directory path, like cd C:\Downloads to go to the target directory.

Note: When using the cd command, there are absolute and relative paths. An absolute path is the full path from the root directory. For example, "cd C:\Users\YourUsername\Pictures" will take you directly to the "Pictures" folder. The relative path navigates according to the current location. For example, "cd FolderName" will move you to a specific folder in the current directory.

Other Useful Directory Commands

To make your CMD cd usage more effective, here are some additional commands worth remembering:

dir - Lists contents of the current directory. Helps confirm you are in the right place.

cd.. - Moves up one level in the directory structure.

cd \ - Returns to the root of the current drive.

mkdir NewFolder - Creates a new folder.

tree - Displays folder structure in a graphical hierarchy.

cls - Clears the screen for better readability.

Troubleshoot: Windows CMD CD to Another Drive Not Working

Sometimes, even when you do everything right, CMD change directory just doesn’t behave. Here's what could be causing the issue:

• You forgot to type the colon after the drive letter (e.g., D instead of D:)
• The drive isn't connected or properly mounted
• You're in restricted privileges
• The directory path doesn't exist

To fix CMD cd not working on Windows 11/10, you can try the following solutions:

• Check your syntax: If you want to use CMD cd to another drive from C drive, like D drive, always type D: and press Enter before using cd.
• Ensure drive is connected: To let Windows CMD cd to external drive, ensure the external disk is mounted correctly and recognized by Windows.
• Access denied errors: If you get a permission denied message, it could be because you don’t have admin privileges to the target directory or you're trying to access a protected system directory.
• Path not found: Check if the folder actually exists. Spelling mistakes or incorrect slashes (\ instead of /) can cause the issue. Use dir to view the current directory’s contents.

To Sum it up

Learning how to run Windows CMD cd to another drive makes it simple to navigate directories across different drives, especially when combined it with other useful directory commands.

But don't forget to back up your files before doing any major changes on your computer. AOMEI Backupper allows you to create backup images for your files/folders, Windows system, and hard drives with ease. Also, its Sync features can help you transfer files from one drive to another for data migration quickly and securely.