Compiler options listed alphabetically

This table contains an alphabetical list of compiler options. For a list of compiler options by category, see the Compiler options listed by category article.

Compiler options

Option	Purpose
@	Specifies a response file.
/?	Lists the compiler options.
/AI<dir>	Specifies a directory to search to resolve file references passed to the #using directive.
/analyze	Enables code analysis.
/arch	Minimum CPU architecture requirements.
/arm64EC	Generate code compatible with the arm64EC ABI.
/await	Enable coroutines (resumable functions) extensions.
/await:strict	Enable standard C++20 coroutine support with earlier language versions.
/bigobj	Increases the number of addressable sections in an .obj file.
/C	Preserves comments during preprocessing.
/c	Compiles without linking.
/cgthreads	Specifies number of cl.exe threads to use for optimization and code generation.
/clr	Produces an output file to run on the common language runtime.
/clr:implicitKeepAlive-	Turn off implicit emission of System::GC::KeepAlive(this).
/clr:initialAppDomain	Enable initial AppDomain behavior of Visual C++ 2002.
/clr:netcore	Produce assemblies targeting .NET Core runtime.
/clr:noAssembly	Don't produce an assembly.
/clr:nostdimport	Don't import any required assemblies implicitly.
/clr:nostdlib	Ignore the system .NET framework directory when searching for assemblies.
/clr:pure	Produce an IL-only output file (no native executable code).
/clr:safe	Produce an IL-only verifiable output file.
/constexpr:backtrace<N>	Show N constexpr evaluations in diagnostics (default: 10).
/constexpr:depth<N>	Recursion depth limit for constexpr evaluation (default: 512).
/constexpr:steps<N>	Terminate constexpr evaluation after N steps (default: 100000)
/D<name>{=|#}<text>	Defines constants and macros.
/diagnostics	Diagnostics format: prints column information.
/diagnostics:caret[-]	Diagnostics format: prints column and the indicated line of source.
/diagnostics:classic	Use legacy diagnostics format.
/doc	Processes documentation comments to an XML file.
/E	Copies preprocessor output to standard output.
/EHa	Enable C++ exception handling (with SEH exceptions).
/EHc	extern "C" defaults to nothrow.
/EHr	Always generate noexcept runtime termination checks.
/EHs	Enable C++ exception handling (no SEH exceptions).
/EP	Copies preprocessor output to standard output.
/errorReport	Deprecated. Windows Error Reporting (WER) settings control error reporting.
/execution-charset	Set execution character set.
/experimental:log	Enables experimental structured SARIF output.
/experimental:module	Enables experimental module support.
/exportHeader	Create the header units files (.ifc) specified by the input arguments.
/external:anglebrackets	Treat all headers included via <> as external.
/external:env:<var>	Specify an environment variable with locations of external headers.
/external:I <path>	Specify location of external headers.
/external:templates[-]	Evaluate warning level across template instantiation chain.
/external:W<n>	Set warning level for external headers.
/F	Sets stack size.
/FA	Configures an assembly listing file.
/Fa	Creates an assembly listing file.
/fastfail	Enable fast-fail mode.
/favor:<blend|AMD64|INTEL64|ATOM>	Produces code that is optimized for a specified architecture, or for a range of architectures.
/FC	Displays the full path of source code files passed to cl.exe in diagnostic text.
/Fd	Renames program database file.
/Fe	Renames the executable file.
/feature	Enable architecture features.17.10
/FI<file>	Preprocesses the specified include file.
/Fi	Specifies the preprocessed output file name.
/Fm	Creates a mapfile.
/Fo	Creates an object file.
/Fp	Specifies a precompiled header file name.
/fp:contract	Consider floating-point contractions when generating code.
/fp:except[-]	Consider floating-point exceptions when generating code.
/fp:fast	"fast" floating-point model; results are less predictable.
/fp:precise	"precise" floating-point model; results are predictable.
/fp:strict	"strict" floating-point model (implies /fp:except).
/fpcvt:BC	Backward-compatible floating-point to unsigned integer conversions.
/fpcvt:IA	Intel native floating-point to unsigned integer conversion behavior.
/FR, /Fr	Name generated .sbr browser files. /Fr is deprecated.
/FS	Forces writes to the PDB file to be serialized through MSPDBSRV.EXE.
/fsanitize	Enables compilation of sanitizer instrumentation such as AddressSanitizer.
/fsanitize-coverage	Enables compilation of code coverage instrumentation for libraries such as LibFuzzer.
/Ft<dir>	Location of the header files generated for #import.
/FU<file>	Forces the use of a file name, as if it had been passed to the #using directive.
/Fx	Merges injected code with the source file.
/GA	Optimizes for Windows applications.
/Gd	Uses the __cdecl calling convention. (x86 only)
/Ge	Deprecated. Activates stack probes.
/GF	Enables string pooling.
/GH	Calls hook function _pexit.
/Gh	Calls hook function _penter.
/GL[-]	Enables whole program optimization.
/Gm[-]	Deprecated. Enables minimal rebuild.
/GR[-]	Enables run-time type information (RTTI).
/Gr	Uses the __fastcall calling convention. (x86 only)
/GS[-]	Checks buffer security.
/Gs[n]	Controls stack probes.
/GT	Supports fiber safety for data allocated by using static thread-local storage.
/Gu[-]	Ensure distinct functions have distinct addresses.
/guard:cf[-]	Adds control flow guard security checks.
/guard:ehcont[-]	Enables EH continuation metadata.
/Gv	Uses the __vectorcall calling convention. (x86 and x64 only)
/Gw[-]	Enables whole-program global data optimization.
/GX[-]	Deprecated. Enables synchronous exception handling. Use /EH instead.
/Gy[-]	Enables function-level linking.
/GZ	Deprecated. Enables fast checks. (Same as /RTC1)
/Gz	Uses the __stdcall calling convention. (x86 only)
/H	Deprecated. Restricts the length of external (public) names.
/headerName	Build a header unit from the specified header.
/headerUnit	Specify where to find the header unit file (.ifc) for the specified header.
/HELP	Lists the compiler options.
/homeparams	Forces parameters passed in registers to be written to their locations on the stack upon function entry. This compiler option is only for the x64 compilers (native and cross compile).
/hotpatch	Creates a hotpatchable image.
/I<dir>	Searches a directory for include files.
/ifcOutput	Specify output file name or directory for built .ifc files.
/interface	Treat the input file as a module interface unit.
/internalPartition	Treat the input file as an internal partition unit.
/J	Changes the default char type.
/jumptablerdata	Put switch case statement jump tables in the .rdata section.
/JMC	Supports native C++ Just My Code debugging.
/kernel	The compiler and linker create a binary that can be executed in the Windows kernel.
/LD	Creates a dynamic-link library.
/LDd	Creates a debug dynamic-link library.
/link	Passes the specified option to LINK.
/LN	Creates an MSIL .netmodule.
/MD	Compiles to create a multithreaded DLL, by using MSVCRT.lib.
/MDd	Compiles to create a debug multithreaded DLL, by using MSVCRTD.lib.
/MP	Builds multiple source files concurrently.
/MT	Compiles to create a multithreaded executable file, by using LIBCMT.lib.
/MTd	Compiles to create a debug multithreaded executable file, by using LIBCMTD.lib.
/nologo	Suppresses display of sign-on banner.
/O1	Creates small code.
/O2	Creates fast code.
/Ob<n>	Controls inline expansion.
/Od	Disables optimization.
/Og	Deprecated. Uses global optimizations.
/Oi[-]	Generates intrinsic functions.
/openmp	Enables #pragma omp in source code.
/openmp:experimental	Enable OpenMP 2.0 language extensions plus select OpenMP 3.0+ language extensions.
/openmp:llvm	OpenMP language extensions using LLVM runtime.
/options:strict	Unrecognized compiler options are errors.
/Os	Favors small code.
/Ot	Favors fast code.
/Ox	A subset of /O2 that doesn't include /GF or /Gy.
/Oy	Omits frame pointer. (x86 only)
/P	Writes preprocessor output to a file.
/PD	Print all macro definitions.
/permissive[-]	Set standard-conformance mode.
/PH	Generate #pragma file_hash when preprocessing.
/presetPadding	Zero initialize padding for stack based class types.
/Qfast_transcendentals	Generates fast transcendentals.
/QIfist	Deprecated. Suppresses the call of the helper function _ftol when a conversion from a floating-point type to an integral type is required. (x86 only)
/Qimprecise_fwaits	Removes fwait commands inside try blocks.
/QIntel-jcc-erratum	Mitigates the performance impact of the Intel JCC erratum microcode update.
/Qpar-report:<n>	Enables reporting levels for automatic parallelization.
/Qpar	Enables automatic parallelization of loops.
/Qsafe_fp_loads	Uses integer move instructions for floating-point values and disables certain floating point load optimizations.
/Qspectre[-]	Enable mitigations for CVE 2017-5753, for a class of Spectre attacks.
/Qspectre-load	Generate serializing instructions for every load instruction.
/Qspectre-load-cf	Generate serializing instructions for every control flow instruction that loads memory.
/Qvec-report:<n>	Enables reporting levels for automatic vectorization.
/reference	Use named module IFC.
/RTC1	Enable fast runtime checks (equivalent to /RTCsu).
/RTCc	Convert to smaller type checks at run-time.
/RTCs	Enable stack frame runtime checks.
/RTCu	Enables uninitialized local usage checks.
/scanDependencies	List module dependencies in C++ Standard JSON form.
/sdl	Enable more security features and warnings.
/showIncludes	Displays a list of all include files during compilation.
/source-charset	Set source character set.
/sourceDependencies	List all source-level dependencies.
/sourceDependencies:directives	List module and header unit dependencies.
/std:c++14	C++14 standard ISO/IEC 14882:2014 (default).
/std:c++17	C++17 standard ISO/IEC 14882:2017.
/std:c++20	C++20 standard ISO/IEC 14882:2020.
/std:c++latest	The latest draft C++ standard preview features.
/std:c11	C11 standard ISO/IEC 9899:2011.
/std:c17	C17 standard ISO/IEC 9899:2018.
/std:clatest	The latest draft C standard preview features.
/TC	Specifies all source files are C.
/Tc	Specifies a C source file.
/TP	Specifies all source files are C++.
/Tp	Specifies a C++ source file.
/translateInclude	Treat #include as import.
/U<name>	Removes a predefined macro.
/u	Removes all predefined macros.
/utf-8	Set source and execution character sets to UTF-8.
/V	Deprecated. Sets the version string.
/validate-charset	Validate UTF-8 files for only compatible characters.
/vd{0|1|2}	Suppresses or enables hidden vtordisp class members.
/vlen	Specifies vector length.
/vmb	Uses best base for pointers to members.
/vmg	Uses full generality for pointers to members.
/vmm	Declares multiple inheritance.
/vms	Declares single inheritance.
/vmv	Declares virtual inheritance.
/volatile:iso	Acquire/release semantics not guaranteed on volatile accesses.
/volatile:ms	Acquire/release semantics guaranteed on volatile accesses.
/volatileMetadata	Generate metadata on volatile memory accesses.
/w	Disable all warnings.
/W0, /W1, /W2, /W3, /W4	Set output warning level.
/w1<n>, /w2<n>, /w3<n>, /w4<n>	Set warning level for the specified warning.
/Wall	Enable all warnings, including warnings that are disabled by default.
/wd<n>	Disable the specified warning.
/we<n>	Treat the specified warning as an error.
/WL	Enable one-line diagnostics for error and warning messages when compiling C++ source code from the command line.
/wo<n>	Display the specified warning only once.
/Wv:xx[.yy[.zzzzz]]	Disable warnings introduced after the specified version of the compiler.
/WX	Treat warnings as errors.
/X	Ignores the standard include directory.
/Y-	Ignores all other precompiled-header compiler options in the current build.
/Yc	Create .PCH file.
/Yd	Deprecated. Places complete debugging information in all object files. Use /Zi instead.
/Yl	Injects a PCH reference when creating a debug library.
/Yu	Uses a precompiled header file during build.
/Z7	Generates C 7.0-compatible debugging information.
/Za	Disables some C89 language extensions in C code.
/Zc:__cplusplus[-]	Enable the __cplusplus macro to report the supported standard (off by default).
/Zc:__STDC__	Enable the __STDC__ macro to report the C standard is supported (off by default).
/Zc:alignedNew[-]	Enable C++17 over-aligned dynamic allocation (on by default in C++17).
/Zc:auto[-]	Enforce the new Standard C++ meaning for auto (on by default).
/Zc:char8_t[-]	Enable or disable C++20 native u8 literal support as const char8_t (off by default, except under /std:c++20).
/Zc:enumTypes[-]	Enable Standard C++ rules for enum type deduction (off by default).
/Zc:externC[-]	Enforce Standard C++ rules for extern "C" functions (implied by /permissive-).
/Zc:externConstexpr[-]	Enable external linkage for constexpr variables (off by default).
/Zc:forScope[-]	Enforce Standard C++ for scoping rules (on by default).
/Zc:gotoScope	Enforce Standard C++ goto rules around local variable initialization (implied by /permissive-).
/Zc:hiddenFriend[-]	Enforce Standard C++ hidden friend rules (implied by /permissive-)
/Zc:implicitNoexcept[-]	Enable implicit noexcept on required functions (on by default).
/Zc:inline[-]	Remove unreferenced functions or data if they're COMDAT or have internal linkage only (off by default).
/Zc:lambda[-]	Enable new lambda processor for conformance-mode syntactic checks in generic lambdas.
/Zc:noexceptTypes[-]	Enforce C++17 noexcept rules (on by default in C++17 or later).
/Zc:nrvo[-]	Enable optional copy and move elisions (on by default under /O2, /permissive-, or /std:c++20 or later).
/Zc:preprocessor[-]	Use the new conforming preprocessor (off by default, except in C11/C17).
/Zc:referenceBinding[-]	A UDT temporary won't bind to a non-const lvalue reference (off by default).
/Zc:rvalueCast[-]	Enforce Standard C++ explicit type conversion rules (off by default).
/Zc:sizedDealloc[-]	Enable C++14 global sized deallocation functions (on by default).
/Zc:strictStrings[-]	Disable string-literal to char* or wchar_t* conversion (off by default).
/Zc:templateScope[-]	Enforce Standard C++ template parameter shadowing rules (off by default).
/Zc:ternary[-]	Enforce conditional operator rules on operand types (off by default).
/Zc:threadSafeInit[-]	Enable thread-safe local static initialization (on by default).
/Zc:throwingNew[-]	Assume operator new throws on failure (off by default).
/Zc:tlsGuards[-]	Generate runtime checks for TLS variable initialization (on by default).
/Zc:trigraphs	Enable trigraphs (obsolete, off by default).
/Zc:twoPhase[-]	Use nonconforming template parsing behavior (conforming by default).
/Zc:wchar_t[-]	wchar_t is a native type, not a typedef (on by default).
/Zc:zeroSizeArrayNew[-]	Call member new/delete for zero-size arrays of objects (on by default).
/Ze	Deprecated. Enables C89 language extensions.
/Zf	Improves PDB generation time in parallel builds.
/ZH:[MD5|SHA1|SHA_256]	Specifies MD5, SHA-1, or SHA-256 for checksums in debug info.
/ZI	Includes debug information in a program database compatible with Edit and Continue. (x86 only)
/Zi	Generates complete debugging information.
/Zl	Removes the default library name from the .obj file.
/Zm	Specifies the precompiled header memory allocation limit.
/Zo[-]	Generate richer debugging information for optimized code.
/Zp[n]	Packs structure members.
/Zs	Checks syntax only.
/ZW	Produces an output file to run on the Windows Runtime.

^17.10 This option is available starting in Visual Studio 2022 version 17.10.

See also

MSVC compiler options
MSVC compiler command-line syntax