How to Hide and Show a Console Window in C++?

Last Updated : 4 Sep, 2026

In Windows, a C++ program can hide or show its console window using functions provided by the Windows API. This can be useful when a program needs to temporarily hide the console while continuing its execution.

  • ShowWindow() controls the visibility of a window.
  • FindWindowA() is used to obtain the handle of the console window.

Example: The following program displays a countdown, hides the console window, performs another countdown, and then shows the console again.

C++ 
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>

using namespace std;

void countdown()
{
    cout << "3" << endl;
    Sleep(1000);
    cout << "2" << endl;
    Sleep(1000);
    cout << "1" << endl;
    Sleep(1000);
    cout << "0" << endl;
}

int main()
{
    countdown();
    HWND window;
    AllocConsole();
    // You Can Find HANDLE of other windows too
    window = FindWindowA("ConsoleWindowClass", NULL);
    ShowWindow(window, 0);

    countdown();
    ShowWindow(window, 1);
}

Output:

Explanation

  • countdown() prints numbers from 3 to 0, with a one-second delay between each number.
  • AllocConsole() creates a console window, while FindWindowA() gets its handle.
  • ShowWindow(window, 0) hides the console window.
  • The second countdown() runs while the console is hidden.
  • ShowWindow(window, 1) shows the console window again.

Note: This program uses the Windows API and therefore works only on Windows.

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