2 Easy Ways to Copy Files in Command Prompt

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Copy files from one directory to another using CMD

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: May 6, 2026 Fact Checked

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Copying Individual Files

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Copying a Folder's Contents

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

While you can easily copy files in File Explorer, sometimes you need to use Command Prompt to copy them instead. Navigating the file system with Windows Command Prompt (cmd) might seem daunting, but it's actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. This wikiHow will teach you how to copy one or more files from one folder to another from the command line in Windows.

Copying Files in Command Prompt

Before you begin, open Command Prompt and use the cd command to change to the directory containing the file you want to copy.
To copy an individual file, type copy [filename.ext] [destination directory], replacing [filename.ext] with the file's name and extension, and [destination directory] with the directory you want to copy the file to.
To copy all the files in a folder, type robocopy [folder directory] [destination directory], where [folder directory] is the path to the folder you're copying from, while [destination directory] is the path to the folder you're copying to.

Section 1 of 2:

Copying Individual Files

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1
Find your file's location. You'll need the file's location—also known as a "directory"—in order to tell Command Prompt where to look for the file.
- You can find the file's directory by opening File Explorer to the file's location and then clicking the URL bar near the top of the window.
If you want to copy your file, you'll need to know its name. Keep in mind that file names are case-sensitive in Command Prompt, so you'll need to include the proper capitalization.

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3
Open
Command Prompt. To do so, simply type "cmd" into the taskbar search bar and click Command Prompt in the Start menu that pops up.^{[1]
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- Keep in mind that if you're on a shared computer (e.g., a school or public PC), you may not be able to access the Command Prompt.
4
Change to the directory that contains the file you want to copy. Type in cd followed by the directory that you located in step 1, then press ↵ Enter.
- You can simply copy the file directory from File Explorer by clicking on the path in the address bar at the top of the window and pressing Ctrl+C, then you can paste it into Command Prompt with Ctrl+V.
Type copy followed by a space, but don't press ↵ Enter yet.^{[2]
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Enter your file's name. Type your file's name, followed by a space, and include the file's extension (e.g., .txt for a text file). Don't press ↵ Enter after doing so.^{[3]
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- If there are spaces in the file's name, you need to put quotation marks around the filename. For example, a file named Pickles are Good.txt would be "Pickles are Good.txt" in Command Prompt.
7
Enter a destination directory. Type in another directory (e.g., C:\Users\[you]\Desktop into which you want to copy the file.
- If you don't do this, the file will be copied to your user directory (e.g., "C:\Users\[you]") by default.
Doing so will copy the file to the directory you specified. You can view the copied file by going to the directory in question in your computer's File Explorer.

Section 2 of 2:

Copying a Folder's Contents

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You'll need the directory path to the folder you're copying from as well as the folder you're copying to. Make sure you get the full string by clicking the bar at the top of the File Explorer window when that folder is open.
2
Open
Command Prompt. To do so, simply type "cmd" into the taskbar search bar and click Command Prompt in the Start menu that pops up.^{[4]
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Research source}
- Keep in mind that if you're on a shared computer (e.g., a school or public PC), you may not be able to access the Command Prompt.
Type in robocopy and then a space, but don't press ↵ Enter yet.^{[5]
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4
Enter the directory of the folder you want to copy from. Type the path of the folder you want to copy, then press Space. Again, don't press the ↵ Enter key just yet.
- If there are spaces in the folder's name, make sure to put quotes around the entire directory string.
5
Enter a destination directory. Type the directory you want to copy the folder's files into.^{[6]
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- If there are lots of files in the folder, this can get messy if you copy them into an unorganized folder, since the folder itself won't be copied with the files.
- For example, your full command might look something like this: robocopy C:\Users\[username]\Documents\Folder1 C:\Users\[username]\Documents\Folder2.
Doing so will copy the contents of the folder into your destination folder.

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Question

Which command should I use to copy files?

Community Answer

Copy "source path" "destination path". For example, you might copy "C:\Users\qclab\Desktop\Stuff.txt" "P:\IT\Confidential". The quotation marks are optional unless you have spaces in your folder or file names. To copy everything in a folder use *.* as the name and extension. For example, copy "C:\Users\qclab\Desktop\Stuff.txt" "P:\IT\Confidential".

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Is it possible to move a PDF file from one folder to another and not have it overwrite another file with the same name by having a different date?

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You'll have to rename the PDF file prior to moving it, as two files with the same name can't reside in the same folder.

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Question

How can I copy all files from sub directories with a similar name to a different directory?

Community Answer

After you do one, press the up key and then change the name, which shouldn't take up much time.

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Tips

If you want to create a new destination folder for a set of copied files, enter the directory for the destination folder (including the destination folder itself) in conjunction with the "robocopy" command.^{[7]
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You can copy all files in a directory by typing copy *[file type] (e.g., copy *.txt).

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If you copy the Desktop folder's contents into a new folder, that new folder will be renamed to "Desktop".

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Warnings

Copying files and folders in Command Prompt can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Never copy or manipulate any files or folders that you don't understand.

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