subst

• Applies to:

  ✅ Windows Server 2025, ✅ Windows Server 2022, ✅ Windows Server 2019, ✅ Windows Server 2016, ✅ Windows 11, ✅ Windows 10, ✅ Azure Stack HCI, versions 23H2 and 22H2

Associates a path with a drive letter. If used without parameters, subst displays the names of the virtual drives in effect.

Syntax

subst [<drive1>: [<drive2>:]<path>]
subst <drive1>: /d

Parameters

Parameter	Description
<drive1>:	Specifies the virtual drive to which you want to assign a path.
[<drive2>:]<path>	Specifies the physical drive and path that you want to assign to a virtual drive.
/d	Deletes a substituted (virtual) drive.
/?	Displays help at the command prompt.

Remarks

• The following commands don't work and must not be used on drives specified in the subst command:

  • chkdsk command

    diskcomp command

    diskcopy command

    format command

    label command

    recover command

• The <drive1> parameter must be within the range that is specified by the lastdrive command. If not, subst displays the following error message: Invalid parameter - drive1:

Examples

To create a virtual drive z for the path b:\user\betty\forms, type:

subst z: b:\user\betty\forms

Instead of typing the full path, you can reach this directory by typing the letter of the virtual drive followed by a colon as follows:

z:

Related links

• Command-Line Syntax Key