Delay execution for a few seconds or minutes, for use within a batch file.
Syntax
TIMEOUT delay [/nobreak]
Key
delay Delay in seconds (between -1 and 100000) to wait before continuing.
The value -1 causes the computer to wait indefinitely for a keystroke
(like the PAUSE command)
/nobreak
Ignore user key strokes. (Windows 7 or greater)
Timeout will pause command execution for a number of seconds, after which it continues without requiring a user keystroke. If the user does press a key at any point, execution will resume immediately.
A delay can also be produced by the PING command with a loopback address, there is a delay of 1 second between each consecutive ping.
In tests PING consumes less processor time than Sleep.exe or Timeout.exe, this allows other processes to run in the background. The PING command can only be interrupted with Ctrl-C. Source: Clay Calvert (usenet 2001.)
Examples
@Echo off Echo Start Microsoft Word, wait for 10 seconds and then start Excel. START "" "C:Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\WINWORD.EXE" TIMEOUT /T 10 START "" "C:Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\EXCEL.EXE"
Set a delay for 40 seconds:
PING -n 41 127.0.0.1>nul
Echo Now we are ready
“It is awful work this love and prevents all a mans projects of good or glory” ~ Lord Byron
Related:
CHOICE /T Timeout - Accept keyboard input to a batch file.
PAUSE - Suspend processing of a batch file and display a message.
SLEEP - Delay execution for a few seconds/minutes (for use within a batch file).
WAITFOR - Wait for or send a signal.
Powershell: Start-Sleep - Suspend shell, script, or runspace activity (sleep).