How to send a network message from the command line

Sometimes a message has to go out with no one clicking anything: a notice before a nightly backup, or a line inside a deployment script. For that, run the send from the command line so a batch file or a scheduled task can fire it.

The manual way: msg.exe

net send was removed after Windows XP and Server 2003, so it is gone from every supported version of Windows. The built-in replacement is msg.exe. It sends a line to the terminal-services sessions on one host:

msg * /server:PC1 Reboot at 5pm

That works in a script, but it targets a single host per call, takes no message title or icon, and expands no variables. To reach a list you loop it over every name yourself.

The faster way: LanSend from the command line

LanSend runs the same send without opening the window. Pass the message as switches and the app sends it, then exits. The switches are append-only: write the value attached to the switch with an optional colon, like -to:PC1, never -to PC1. The delimiter can be - or /, and the switch name is not case sensitive. For the full list, see the Command line reference.

1. Set the recipients with -to:. List computer or group names separated by commas. Required. Example: -to:PC1,PC2,Sales.
2. Set the body with -message:. Pass the text, or a path to a .txt file to read the body from. Required. Example: -message:"Save your work".
3. Add a title with -title:. Optional. Example: -title:Reboot.
4. Choose a type with -type:. Info, Warning, or Error adds the matching Windows icon and sound. Omit it for a plain message with no icon.
5. Set an auto-close timeout with -time:. A whole number of seconds. 0 or omitted leaves the message open until the user clicks OK.
6. Run it. Put the switches after lansend.exe:

lansend.exe -to:PC1,PC2 -title:Reboot -message:"Save your work, %computer_name% restarts soon" -type:Warning -time:30

To keep a longer message out of the command line, save it as a .txt file and point -message: at the path:

lansend.exe -to:Sales -title:"Scheduled maintenance" -message:C:\messages\maintenance.txt -type:Info -time:60

The title and body accept the same five variables as the window. They expand to the sender's local values just before the message goes out: %computer_name%, %user_name%, %time_now%, %time%, and %date%. There are no -user: or -password: switches. The command runs under the account that starts it, which needs administrative rights on each target by default — configurable via Terminal Services permissions (see Enable Message Sending for Standard Users).

Run it on a schedule

Put the command in a Windows scheduled task to send on a timer or at logon.

1. Open Task Scheduler and choose Create Basic Task.
2. Name the task and pick a trigger, such as a daily time or at startup.
3. Choose Start a program as the action.
4. In Program/script, enter the full path to lansend.exe.
5. In Add arguments, paste the switches, for example -to:Sales -title:Maintenance -message:C:\messages\maintenance.txt -type:Info -time:60.
6. Finish. The task now runs the send at each trigger with no window and no clicks. The account the task runs as needs admin rights on the targets by default — configurable via Terminal Services permissions (see Enable Message Sending for Standard Users).

What a command-line send does, and does not do

A command-line send shows a pop-up so people can read it and act. It does not restart, lock, or sign anyone off, and it cannot force an action on the target.

Related

• Command line reference
• net send and msg.exe alternative

Links

• LanSend
• Download