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Arnošt Havelka

How to Move Files and Folders in CMD with move

Learn to move files and folders, rename them, and control overwrite prompts with the CMD move command and /y switch.

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How to Move Files and Folders in CMD with move

Unlike copy, which duplicates data, move relocates it. It is efficient because it doesn't duplicate the data on the disk (unless moving across drives); it just updates the file system pointer. It is also used to rename directories.

Try the command

Try moving a file!

Build the command
move
sourceThe file or directory to move.
destinationThe new location or new name.
Terminal
C:\Users\Student>move file.txt Archive\\
1 file(s) moved.

Real-World Examples

Move a file to a folder:

Terminal
C:\Users\Student>move proposal.docx Projects\

Rename a directory (Move trick):

Terminal
C:\Users\Student>move OldDir NewDir

Knowledge Check

1 / 2

Does the move command delete the original file?

References

These documentation links provide authoritative details for the commands used in this article.

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