Selected 8086 Instructions

Quick Reference List

adc	Add with carry flag
add	Add two numbers
and	Bitwise logical AND
call	Call procedure or function
cbw	Convert byte to word (signed)
cli	Clear interrupt flag (disable interrupts)
cwd	Convert word to doubleword (signed)
cmp	Compare two operands
dec	Decrement by 1
div	Unsigned divide
idiv	Signed divide
imul	Signed multiply
in	Input (read) from port
inc	Increment by 1
int	Call to interrupt procedure
iret	Interrupt return
j??	Jump if ?? condition met
jmp	Unconditional jump
lea	Load effective address offset
mov	Move data
mul	Unsigned multiply
neg	Two's complement negate
nop	No operation
not	One's complement negate
or	Bitwise logical OR
out	Output (write) to port
pop	Pop word from stack
popf	Pop flags from stack
push	Push word onto stack
pushf	Push flags onto stack
ret	Return from procedure or function
sal	Bitwise arithmetic left shift (same as shl)
sar	Bitwise arithmetic right shift (signed)
sbb	Subtract with borrow
shl	Bitwise left shift (same as sal)
shr	Bitwise right shift (unsigned)
sti	Set interrupt flag (enable interrupts)
sub	Subtract two numbers
test	Bitwise logical compare
xor	Bitwise logical XOR

Detailed Instruction List

A complete listing of all x86 instructions along with usage and encoding information can be found in the NASM Manual (852 KB). However, when using this manual, be careful to only use instructions compatible with the 8086. The Am186/Am188 Instruction Set Manual (2,242 KB) contains a more detailed description of instruction behavior for instructions compatible with the 8086. However, these AMD processors also support the following x86 instructions which are not 8086 compatible: bound, enter, ins, leave, outs, popa, and pusha.

1. The first operand of an instruction is also the destination if there is a resulting value. Divide and multiply instructions are common exceptions to this rule.
2. There can be at most one memory operand per instruction.
3. There can be at most one immediate operand per instruction.
4. Operands generally must be of the same size (i.e., byte or word).
5. Using a label is the same as using an immediate or constant value.
6. When BP is used in a memory reference, SS is assumed as the segment. Otherwise DS is assumed.
7. While an instruction is executing, IP refers to the next instruction.
8. Many instructions are smaller if you use the appropriate registers (usually AX or AL).
9. In NASM, all labels are case sensitive but instruction and register names are not.

• memory - Refers to an 8 or 16-bit memory location determined by an effective address.
• register - AX, BX, CX, DX, SI, DI, BP, or SP as well as the 8-bit derivatives of AX, BX, CX, and DX (other registers or flags are not allowed).
• immediate - A numeric constant or label.
• REG1::REG2 - The concatenation of two registers (e.g., the 32-bit value DX::AX) A single colon is used for memory addresses.
• XF or XF=b - A flag's value after an instruction can be 0 or 1 and usually depends on the result of the instruction. A flag being set to '?' by an instruction indicates that the flag is undefined after the operation.

adc	Add with carry flag
  Syntax: 	adc	dest, src
  dest: memory or register
  src:  memory, register, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest + src + CF
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF, CF
  Notes: This instruction is used to perform 32-bit addition.


add	Add two numbers
  Syntax: 	add	dest, src
  dest: register or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest + src
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF, CF
  Notes: Works for both signed and unsigned numbers.


and	Bitwise logical AND
  Syntax:	and	dest, src
  dest: register or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest & src
  Flags Affected: OF=0, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF=0


call	Call procedure or function
  Syntax:	call	addr
  addr: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: Push IP onto stack, set IP to addr.
  Flags Affected: None


cbw	Convert byte to word (signed)
  Syntax:	cbw
  Action: Sign extend AL to create a word in AX.
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: For unsigned numbers use "mov ah, 0".


cli	Clear interrupt flag (disable interrupts)
  Syntax:	cli
  Action: Clear IF
  Flags Affected: IF=0


cmp	Compare two operands
  Syntax:	cmp	op1, op2
  op1: register or memory
  op2: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: Perform op1-op2, discarding the result but setting the flags.
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF, CF
  Notes: Usually used before a conditional jump instruction.


cwd	Convert word to doubleword (signed)
  Syntax:	cwd
  Action: Sign extend AX to fill DX, creating a dword contained in DX::AX.
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: For unsigned numbers use "xor dx, dx" to clear DX.


dec	Decrement by 1
  Syntax:	dec	op
  op: register or memory
  Action: op = op - 1
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF


div	Unsigned divide
  Syntax:	div	op8
  		div	op16
  op8: 8-bit register or memory
  op16: 16-bit register or memory
  Action: If operand is op8, unsigned AL = AX / op8  and  AH = AX % op8
          If operand is op16, unsigned AX = DX::AX / op16  and  DX = DX::AX % op16
  Flags Affected: OF=?, SF=?, ZF=?, AF=?, PF=?, CF=?
  Notes: Performs both division and modulus operations in one instruction.


idiv	Signed divide
  Syntax:	idiv	op8
  		idiv	op16
  op8: 8-bit register or memory
  op16: 16-bit register or memory
  Action: If operand is op8, signed AL = AX / op8  and  AH = AX % op8
          If operand is op16, signed AX = DX::AX / op16  and  DX = DX::AX % op16
  Flags Affected: OF=?, SF=?, ZF=?, AF=?, PF=?, CF=?
  Notes: Performs both division and modulus operations in one instruction.


imul	Signed multiply
  Syntax:	imul	op8
         	imul	op16
  op8: 8-bit register or memory
  op16: 16-bit register or memory
  Action: If operand is op8, signed AX = AL * op8
          If operand is op16, signed DX::AX = AX * op16
  Flags Affected: OF, SF=?, ZF=?, AF=?, PF=?, CF


in	Input (read) from port
  Syntax:	in	AL, op8
  		in	AX, op8
  op8: 8-bit immediate or DX
  Action: If destination is AL, read byte from 8-bit port op8.
          If destination is AX, read word from 16-bit port op8.
  Flags Affected: None


inc	Increment by 1
  Syntax:	inc	op
  op: register or memory
  Action: op = op + 1
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF


int	Call to interrupt procedure
  Syntax:	int	imm8
  imm8: 8-bit unsigned immediate
  Action: Push flags, CS, and IP; clear IF and TF (disabling interrupts); load
          word at address (imm8*4) into IP and word at (imm8*4 + 2) into CS.
  Flags Affected: IF=0, TF=0
  Notes: This instruction is usually used to call system routines.


iret	Interrupt return
  Syntax:	iret
  Action: Pop IP, CS, and flags (in that order).
  Flags Affected: All
  Notes: This instruction is used at the end of ISRs.


j??	Jump if ?? condition met
  Syntax:	j??	rel8
  rel8: 8-bit signed immediate
  Action: If condition ?? met, IP = IP + rel8 (sign extends rel8)
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: Use the cmp instruction to compare two operands then j?? to jump
         conditionally. The ?? of the instruction name represents the jump
         condition, allowing for following instructions:

         ja	jump if above, unsigned >
         jae    jump if above or equal, unsigned >=
         jb	jump if below, unsigned <
         jbe	jump if below or equal, unsigned <=
         je	jump if equal, ==
         jne	jump if not equal, !=
         jg	jump if greater than, signed >
         jge	jump if greater than or equal, signed >=
         jl	jump if less than, signed <
         jle	jump if less than or equal, signed <=

         All of the ?? suffixes can also be of the form n?? (e.g., jna for
         jump if not above). See 8086 documentation for many more ?? conditions.

         An assembler label should be used in place of the rel8 operand. The
         assembler will then calculate the relative distance to jump.

         Note also that rel8 operand greatly limits conditional jump distance
         (-127 to +128 bytes from IP). Use the jmp instruction in combination
         with j?? to overcome this barrier.


jmp	Unconditional jump
  Syntax:	jump	rel
         	jump    op16
         	jump	seg:off
  rel: 8 or 16-bit signed immediate
  op16: 16-bit register or memory
  seg:off: Immediate 16-bit segment and 16-bit offset
  Action: If operand is rel, IP = IP + rel
          If operand is op16, IP = op16
          If operand is seg:off, CS = seg, IP = off
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: An assembler label should be used in place of the rel8 operand. The
         assembler will then calculate the relative distance to jump.


lea	Load effective address offset
  Syntax:	lea	reg16, memref
  reg16: 16-bit register
  memref: An effective memory address (e.g., [bx+2])
  Action: reg16 = address offset of memref
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: This instruction is used to easily calculate the address of data in 
         memory. It does not actually access memory.


mov	Move data
  Syntax:	mov	dest, src
  dest: register or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = src
  Flags Affected: None


mul	Unsigned multiply
  Syntax:	mul	op8
         	mul	op16
  op8: 8-bit register or memory
  op16: 16-bit register or memory
  Action: If operand is op8, unsigned AX = AL * op8
          If operand is op16, unsigned DX::AX = AX * op16
  Flags Affected: OF, SF=?, ZF=?, AF=?, PF=?, CF


neg	Two's complement negate
  Syntax:	neg	op
  op: register or memory
  Action: op = 0 - op
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF, CF


nop	No operation
  Syntax:	nop
  Action: None
  Flags Affected: None


not	One's complement negate
  Syntax:	not	op
  op: register or memory
  Action: op = ~op
  Flags Affected: None


or	Bitwise logical OR
  Syntax:	or	dest, src
  dest: register or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest | src
  Flags Affected: OF=0, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF=0


out	Output (write) to port
  Syntax:	out	op, AL
  		out	op, AX
  op: 8-bit immediate or DX
  Action: If source is AL, write byte in AL to 8-bit port op.
          If source is AX, write word in AX to 16-bit port op.
  Flags Affected: None


pop	Pop word from stack
  Syntax:	pop	op16
  reg16: 16-bit register or memory
  Action: Pop word off the stack and place it in op16 (i.e., op16 = [SS:SP]
          then SP = SP + 2).
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: Pushing and popping of SS and SP are allowed but strongly discouraged.


popf	Pop flags from stack
  Syntax:	popf
  Action: Pop word from stack and place it in flags register.
  Flags Affected: All


push	Push word onto stack
  Syntax:	push	op16
  op16: 16-bit register or memory
  Action: Push op16 onto the stack (i.e., SP = SP - 2 then [SS:SP] = op16).
  Flags Affected: None
  Notes: Pushing and popping of SS and SP are allowed but strongly discouraged.


pushf	Push flags onto stack
  Syntax:	pushf
  Action: Push flags onto stack as a word.
  Flags Affected: None


ret	Return from procedure or function
  Syntax:	ret
  Action: Pop word from stack and place it in IP.
  Flags Affected: None


sal	Bitwise arithmetic left shift (same as shl)
  Syntax:	sal	op, 1
  		sal	op, CL
  op: register or memory
  Action: If operand is 1, op = op << 1
          If operand is CL, op = op << CL
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF
  

sar	Bitwise arithmetic right shift (signed)
  Syntax:	sar	op, 1
  		sar	op, CL
  op: register or memory
  Action: If operand is 1, signed op = op >> 1 (sign extends op)
          If operand is CL, signed op = op >> CL (sign extends op)
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF


sbb	Subtract with borrow
  Syntax:	sbb	dest, src
  dest: register or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest - (src + CF)
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF, CF
  Notes: This instruction is used to perform 32-bit subtraction.


shl	Bitwise left shift (same as sal)
  Syntax:	shl	op, 1
  		shl	op, CL
  op: register or memory
  Action: If operand is 1, op = op << 1
          If operand is CL, op = op << CL
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF


shr	Bitwise right shift (unsigned)
  Syntax:	shr	op, 1
  		shr	op, CL
  op: register or memory
  Action: If operand is 1, op = (unsigned)op >> 1
          If operand is CL, op = (unsigned)op >> CL
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF


sti	Set interrupt flag (enable interrupts)
  Syntax:	sti
  Action: Set IF
  Flags Affected: IF=1


sub	Subtract two numbers
  Syntax:	sub	dest, src
  dest: regsiter or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest - src
  Flags Affected: OF, SF, ZF, AF, PF, CF
  Notes: Works for both signed and unsigned numbers.


test	Bitwise logical compare
  Syntax:	test	op1, op2
  op1: register, memory, or immediate
  op2: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: Perform op1 & op2, discarding the result but setting the flags.
  Flags Affected: OF=0, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF=0
  Notes: This instruction is used to test if bits of a value are set.


xor	Bitwise logical XOR
  Syntax:	xor	dest, src
  dest: register or memory
  src: register, memory, or immediate
  Action: dest = dest ^ src
  Flags Affected: OF=0, SF, ZF, AF=?, PF, CF=0