--- title: GetConsoleMode function description: Retrieves the current input mode of a console's input buffer or the current output mode of a console screen buffer. author: miniksa ms.author: miniksa ms.topic: article keywords: console, character mode applications, command line applications, terminal applications, console api f1_keywords: - consoleapi/GetConsoleMode - wincon/GetConsoleMode - GetConsoleMode MS-HAID: - '\_win32\_getconsolemode' - 'base.getconsolemode' - 'consoles.getconsolemode' MSHAttr: - 'PreferredSiteName:MSDN' - 'PreferredLib:/library/windows/desktop' ms.assetid: 49adf618-196d-4490-93ca-cd177807f58e topic_type: - apiref api_name: - GetConsoleMode api_location: - Kernel32.dll - API-MS-Win-Core-Console-l1-1-0.dll - KernelBase.dll - API-MS-Win-DownLevel-Kernel32-l1-1-0.dll - MinKernelBase.dll api_type: - DllExport --- # GetConsoleMode function Retrieves the current input mode of a console's input buffer or the current output mode of a console screen buffer. ## Syntax ```C BOOL WINAPI GetConsoleMode( _In_ HANDLE hConsoleHandle, _Out_ LPDWORD lpMode ); ``` ## Parameters *hConsoleHandle* \[in\] A handle to the console input buffer or the console screen buffer. The handle must have the **GENERIC\_READ** access right. For more information, see [Console Buffer Security and Access Rights](console-buffer-security-and-access-rights.md). *lpMode* \[out\] A pointer to a variable that receives the current mode of the specified buffer. [!INCLUDE [console-mode-flags](./includes/console-mode-flags.md)] ## Return value If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero. If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call [**GetLastError**](/windows/win32/api/errhandlingapi/nf-errhandlingapi-getlasterror). ## Remarks [!INCLUDE [console-mode-remarks](./includes/console-mode-remarks.md)] To change a console's I/O modes, call [**SetConsoleMode**](setconsolemode.md) function. ## Examples For an example, see [Reading Input Buffer Events](reading-input-buffer-events.md). ## Requirements | | | |-|-| | Minimum supported client | Windows 2000 Professional \[desktop apps \| UWP apps\] | | Minimum supported server | Windows 2000 Server \[desktop apps \| UWP apps\] | | Header | ConsoleApi.h (via WinCon.h, include Windows.h) | | Library | Kernel32.lib | | DLL | Kernel32.dll | ## See also [Console Functions](console-functions.md) [Console Modes](console-modes.md) [**ReadConsole**](readconsole.md) [**ReadConsoleInput**](readconsoleinput.md) [**ReadFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-readfile) [**SetConsoleMode**](setconsolemode.md) [**WriteConsole**](writeconsole.md) [**WriteFile**](/windows/win32/api/fileapi/nf-fileapi-writefile)