How to Copy Files Using PowerShell in Windows 11/10/8/7?

Command-line programs are great for managing files and folders on your computer. While there are many command-line utilities, one of the most commonly used is for copying files. With the "copy file" command, you can duplicate a file from its source location to a destination. PowerShell is a more advanced version of CMD that allows you to copy files faster than with CMD. A post from Tools delves into the PowerShell Copy-Item cmdlet and how to copy files using PowerShell. Head over there to learn more!

Yes, you can definitely use PowerShell to copy files. In PowerShell, you can utilize the `Copy-Item` cmdlet for this purpose. Here's a basic example: ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination\file.txt" ``` In this command, `"C:\Source\file.txt"` is the path of the file you want to copy, and `"C:\Destination\file.txt"` is where you want to copy it to. If it's a folder, you can specify the folder path and PowerShell will copy the entire contents. If you need to copy multiple files or recursively copy a folder with its contents, you can adjust the parameters accordingly. For example: ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\*" -Destination "C:\Destination\" -Recurse ``` This command will copy all files and subfolders from the source directory to the destination directory.

PowerShell is a powerful command-line tool with an excellent shell, scripting language, and configuration framework. While PowerShell is available by default on Windows, you can also download it for macOS and Linux. The `Copy-Item` command helps you copy a file from a source location to a destination. When copying a file, if a file with the same name already exists at the destination, it will overwrite that file.

Other command shells might delete or cut the file after copying its contents, but PowerShell doesn't. Also, the flexibility with which you can copy and paste files with cmdlets depends on the PowerShell provider, which defines the terms. For example, you can copy files and directories in a file-system drive and registry items and keys in a registry drive.

If you'd like to learn how to move files from one folder to another using PowerShell, you can refer to the following article.

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I will do my best to translate it into Chinese.

Move Files from One Folder to Another with PowerShell

This article introduces some PowerShell commands for various operations to move files from one folder to another. Read More >>

Backing up files to different locations instead of copying them

Data loss can occur while handling files, especially during transfer or duplication. Many command-line tools delete files from the source folder when attempting to copy them to the destination. In such cases, you might lose your data. Accidentally deleting data using command-line utilities while performing a copy operation is quite common.

In this case, you can try using professional software to assist you. A tool like Todo Backup, for example, is a professional utility that can protect your data and help you restore it in case of accidents. It's a free backup and recovery program for Windows PCs.

It can help you automatically back up your files or create a system image for hard drive failure recovery. With just a few clicks, the tool can create a backup and provide flexible storage options for your files, folders, disks, and system. You can store your backups on your PC, external drive, or in the cloud. As one of the best file sync software options for Windows 10, it can help you synchronize files across different locations without copying them.

With advanced algorithms and features, you can efficiently perform backups and recoveries. Download the Todo Backup tool to safeguard your data.

Step 1: To start the backup, tap “Choose Backup.”

Step 2: There are four backup types: Files, Disk, System, and Mail. Click on Files.

Step 3. On the left, you'll see all your local and network files. Expand the directories to locate the backup file.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions and choose where you want to save your backup.

Click on Options, set a password for Encrypted Backup under the Backup Options, then click on Backup Schedule to specify when the backup should occur, and initiate a backup at certain events. You can also select additional options as per your need to customize the backup process.

Step 5: The backup can be stored on a local disk, the tool's online service, or a NAS.

Step Six: Todo Backup also enables customers to back up their data to third-party cloud-storage services as well as to its own.

If you want to back up to a cloud drive provided by a third party, choose “Local Disk,” scroll down and add “Cloud Device,” and then add and log in to your account.

You can also choose to back up to the Tool Cloud. Register for a Tool account and then click Tool Cloud and log in.

Step 7. Click Backup Now to start the backup process. When complete, the backup job appears as a card on the left side of the dashboard. Right-click the backup job for further handling.

Share this article on social media to help others learn how to copy files with PowerShell.

How to Copy Files Using PowerShell on Windows 11/10/8/7

The `Copy-Item` command is useful in various scenarios for copying files. Here are some common examples of using the `Copy-Item` command in PowerShell: 1. **Basic file copy:** ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination\file.txt" ``` This copies `file.txt` from the `C:\Source` directory to `C:\Destination`. 2. **Copying a folder and its contents:** ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\folder" -Destination "C:\Destination" -Recurse ``` This recursively copies the entire `C:\Source\folder` and all its subfiles and subfolders to `C:\Destination`. 3. **Confirming the copy operation:** ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination\file.txt" -Confirm ``` This prompts the user for confirmation before performing the copy. 4. **Forcing overwrite of an existing file:** ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination\file.txt" -Force ``` This overwrites an existing file at the destination without prompting if one with the same name exists. 5. **Copying multiple files with wildcards:** ```powershell Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\*.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination" ``` This copies all `.txt` files in the `C:\Source` directory to `C:\Destination`. 6. **Using piped operations:** ```powershell Get-ChildItem "C:\Source\*.txt" | Copy-Item -Destination "C:\Destination" ``` This retrieves all `.txt` files in `C:\Source` and copies them to `C:\Destination`. Adjust these examples as needed for your specific requirements.

1. Scenario 1: Copying a File to a Specific Directory
2. Scenario 2: Copying a File to an Existing Directory
3. Scenario 3: Copying a File to a New Directory
4. Scenario 4: Copying a File to a Specific Directory with Renaming
5. Scenario 5: Copying a File to a Remote Computer
6. Scenario 6: Copying a Folder to a Remote Computer
7. Scenario 7: Copying a Remote File to a Local Computer
8. Scenario 8: Copying the Contents of a Remote Folder to a Local Computer

Scenario 1: Copying a file to a designated directory

A common scenario for copying a file is to duplicate it into a specific directory. Suppose you want to copy the `mongodb.log.txt` file to the `Logs` directory on drive C. Here's how you can do that:

Step 1: Click “Start,” type “PowerShell,” and run PowerShell as an administrator.

Enter the following Copy-Item cmdlet in PowerShell and execute it.

• Copy item "F:UserDataMyDocumentsmongodb.log.txt" -Destination "C:Logs"

Case 2: Copying a File to an Existing Directory

We have a directory called `C:Logs` and you want to copy its contents into an existing `C:BetaDev` directory. The command will not copy the Logs directory itself but will copy all subdirectories and their file structures. Since the `container` parameter is set to `True` by default, it will preserve the directory structure.

• Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logs*" -Destination "C:\BetaDev" -Recurse

Tip: To include the Logs folder and all its subfolders and files, remove the asterisk (*) and proceed.

• Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logs" -Destination "C:\BetaDev" -Recurse

Case 3: Copying a File to a New Directory

A common task is to copy the contents of a folder to a new directory, for example, to copy the contents of C:\Logs to a new directory called GameLogs within C:\Drawings.

To keep the source folder name, you must copy it into an existing folder (as in Scenario 2) or rename the new folder with the source folder name.

• Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logs" -Destination "C:\Drawing Game Logs" -Recurse

Tip: To copy everything in the source, including the folder structure and subfolders, replace “C:\Logs” in the command with “C:\Logs\*”.

Case 4: Copy a file to a specified directory and rename it

To copy a file to a specific directory and rename it, use the following command. For example, running the following command copies the Desktop-Widgets.ps1 file from the \Server01Share directory to the \Server12ScriptArchive directory.

• Copy-Item "\Server01\Share\Desktop-Widget.ps1" -Destination "\Server12\ScriptArchive\Get-Widget.ps1.txt"

After execution, the PowerShell Copy-Item command renames Desktop-Widget.ps1 to Get-Widget.ps1.txt.

Scenario 5: Copying a File to a Remote Computer

Since PowerShell is an advanced command-line shell, it allows users to copy files to remote computers. This is done through a session, enabling you to copy files to a remote system. Assuming you have a remote computer named "Server01" with credentials for "ContosoUser01" and the result stored in a variable named $Session, you can do this as follows: ```powershell # First, establish a remote session $Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName Server01 -Credential (Get-Credential -UserName 'ContosoUser01') # Now, copy a file from your local machine to the remote server Copy-Item -Path "C:\LocalFilePath\YourFile.txt" -Destination "C:\RemoteFilePath\" -ToSession $Session # After you're done, close the remote session Remove-PSSession -Session $Session ``` In this example, replace "C:\LocalFilePath\YourFile.txt" with the path to the file on your local machine that you want to copy and "C:\RemoteFilePath\" with the destination path on the remote server. The `Get-Credential` cmdlet will prompt you for the password if it's not provided directly. Please note that for this to work, PowerShell Remoting must be enabled on both the local and remote machines, and the necessary firewall rules should be in place.

So, we will use the session information stored in the $Session variable to copy the text.log file from the D:\MyFolder01 folder on the local system to the C:\MyFolder01_C folder on the remote system.

These PowerShell commands translate to:
1. $Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Node01" -Credential "ContosoUser01"
2. Copy-Item "D:\MyFolder01\test.log" -Destination "C:\MyFolder01_C" -ToSession $Session
This means: 1. Create a new PowerShell session to a computer named "Node01" using the credentials of "ContosoUser01". 2. Copy the file "D:\MyFolder01\test.log" to the "C:\MyFolder01_C" directory on "Node01" using the previously created $Session.

The first command sets up a session with the remote PC (the connection); the second helps you copy files.

Scenario 6: Copying a Folder to a Remote Computer

Similarly, you can use the Copy-Item cmdlet in PowerShell to copy an entire folder. Let's copy “D:\MyFolder02” to “C:\MyFolder02_C.”

Note: If the recurse parameter is not specified, no files or subfolders are copied to the remote computer.

These two lines of English code translate to:
• $Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Node02" -Credential "ContosoUser01"
• Copy-Item "D:MyFolder02" -Destination "C:MyFolder02_C" -ToSession $Session
This code is run in a PowerShell environment and creates a new PSSession (a remote session) to a computer named "Node02" using the credentials of "ContosoUser01". Then, it copies the contents from "D:MyFolder02" to the "C:MyFolder02_C" location on the "Node02" computer, using the previously created $Session.

Share this article on social media to help more people learn how to copy files with PowerShell.

Case 7: Copying a Remote File to the Local Computer

First, we establish a connection from the local computer named Node01 with credentials ContosoUser01. Similarly, you can reverse the operation to copy a remote file to your local computer.

The command to copy the file "test.log" from the remote PC directory "C:MyRemoteFile" to the local directory "D:MyLocalFile" would be: ``` copy \\remotePC\C$\MyRemoteFile\test.log D:\MyLocalFile\ ``` Please replace "remotePC" with the actual name or IP address of the remote computer.

These lines of code in Chinese translation are:
• $Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Node01" -Credential "ContosoUser01"
• Copy-Item "C:\MyRemoteFile\test.log" -Destination "D:\MyLocalFile" -FromSession $Session
The meaning of these two PowerShell commands is: 1. Create a new PSSession (PowerShell session) to a computer named "Node01" using the credentials "ContosoUser01". 2. Copy the file "C:\MyRemoteFile\test.log" from the session stored in $Session to the local destination "D:\MyLocalFile".

Case 8: Copy the contents of a remote folder to a local computer

Suppose we want to copy the entire C:\MyRemoteDataFolder folder on the remote computer to the D:\MyLocalDataFolder folder on the local computer.

These lines of code translate to:
• $Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Node01" -Credential "ContosoUser01"
• Copy-Item "C:\MyRemoteDataFolder" -Destination "D:\MyLocalDataFolder" -FromSession $Session
These two PowerShell commands mean: 1. Create a new PSSession (PowerShell Remote Session) to a computer named "Node01" using the credentials "ContosoUser01." 2. Copy the contents of the directory "C:\MyRemoteDataFolder" from the session $Session to the local directory "D:\MyLocalDataFolder."

In short

That's all there is to it for how to copy files with PowerShell. Using a command-line tool to transfer files between locations is convenient, and PowerShell offers powerful copying methods. This article went through in detail how to use PowerShell to copy files in various scenarios. We listed eight common situations where PowerShell can help you copy your files.

Copying commands via command line tools can potentially lead to data loss. If a command execution fails, it might result in data corruption. Protect your data with the Todo Backup tool right now. It allows you to back up and synchronize your files to different locations and restore them when needed. Download and try it out immediately!

**Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Copying Files with PowerShell** 1. **What is PowerShell?** PowerShell is a command-line shell and scripting language developed by Microsoft for system administration and task automation. It offers greater control and management capabilities compared to the traditional Command Prompt (CMD). 2. **How do I copy a single file in PowerShell?** You can use the `Copy-Item` cmdlet. For example: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination" ``` 3. **How do I copy multiple files at once?** If the filenames follow a pattern, you can use wildcards to select multiple files: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file*.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination" ``` 4. **How do I copy an entire directory and its contents?** By adding the `-Recurse` parameter, you can copy a directory and its subdirectories: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\" -Destination "C:\Destination" -Recurse ``` 5. **How do I skip existing files when copying?** Adding the `-Skip` parameter skips files with the same name that already exist at the destination: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\*" -Destination "C:\Destination" -Skip 1 ``` 6. **How do I show a progress bar during the copy process?** Use the `-Verbose` parameter to see detailed information about the copy process: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination" -Verbose ``` 7. **How do I preserve file permissions while copying?** Using the `-Container` and `-PreservePermissions` parameters retains the NTFS permissions of the source files: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\" -Destination "C:\Destination" -Recurse -Container -PreservePermissions ``` 8. **Does PowerShell support network copying?** Yes, you can copy files and directories across networks using UNC paths: ``` Copy-Item -Path "\\Server\Share\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Local Destination" ``` 9. **How do I confirm each action during a copy operation?** Adding the `-Confirm` parameter prompts the user for confirmation before each operation: ``` Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination" -Confirm ``` 10. **How do I copy files in the background?** You can use the `Start-Job` cmdlet to copy files asynchronously in the background: ``` Start-Job -Name "FileCopy" -ScriptBlock { Copy-Item -Path "C:\Source\file.txt" -Destination "C:\Destination" } ``` Adjust these examples according to your specific needs.

Here are some common questions about copying files using PowerShell.

How to delete files or folders using PowerShell? In the Windows operating system, you can use PowerShell to remove files or folders. Follow these steps: 1. Open PowerShell: Press `Win + X` and select "Windows PowerShell" (or search for "PowerShell" and run it as an administrator). 2. In the PowerShell window, type the following command, replacing `` with the full path of the file or folder you want to delete: For a file: ``` Remove-Item -Path "" -Force ``` For a folder: ``` Remove-Item -Path "" -Recurse -Force ``` The `-Force` parameter confirms the deletion, even if the file is set to read-only. The `-Recurse` parameter is used to delete the folder and all its contents recursively. 3. Press Enter to execute the command. You might be prompted for confirmation; type `Y` and press Enter to proceed. Please note that deletion is irreversible, so make sure to back up important files before deleting them.

PowerShell provides a `Remove-Item` command to delete files or folders. You can use `Remove-Item -path C:\Temp\file.txt` to delete any file, and specify a folder to delete that folder. Additionally, you can use the `*` symbol to delete multiple files or folders at once.

What is the difference between Copy and Xcopy in PowerShell?

The `Copy` command in PowerShell is used to copy files or data, while `Xcopy` is used to copy multiple files and directory structures from one location to another.

Here are the steps to copy multiple files from one folder to another using PowerShell in American English: 1. First, open PowerShell. You can launch it by searching for "PowerShell" in the Windows search bar and running it as an administrator. 2. Next, you need to navigate to the source folder location. Use the `cd` (change directory) command to switch directories. For instance, if your source folder is at `C:\SourceFolder`, enter this command: ```powershell cd C:\SourceFolder ``` 3. Once you're in the correct source folder, use the `Copy-Item` cmdlet to copy the files. Assuming you want to copy all `.txt` files to the destination folder `C:\DestinationFolder`, use this command: ```powershell Copy-Item -Path *.txt -Destination "C:\DestinationFolder" -Recurse ``` Here, the `-Path` parameter specifies the files to copy, `*.txt` denotes all text files. The `-Destination` parameter indicates the target location, and `-Recurse` ensures that any .txt files in subfolders of the source folder are also copied. 4. If you want to copy all file types, simply replace `*.txt` with `*`: ```powershell Copy-Item -Path * -Destination "C:\DestinationFolder" -Recurse ``` After executing these commands, all files of the specified type in the source folder will be copied to the destination folder. Make sure the destination folder already exists, or PowerShell will throw an error.

When using Copy-Item to copy multiple files, separate all the files with commas. See the following example for better understanding: Copy-Item .\PowerShellcopycommands.jpg, .\multiplefiles.xml -Destination D:\CopyContent\.