Robocopy is Windows’ command-line utility for copying files and directory trees. A safe starting point is to specify the source and destination, choose whether empty folders should be included, set a deliberate retry policy, and save a log. Be especially careful with /MIR: it mirrors the source by purging destination-only files and folders.
What Robocopy does and how to form a command
Microsoft describes Robocopy as a tool that “Copies file data from one location to another.” Its documented syntax is:
robocopy <source> <destination> [<file>[ ...]] [<options>]The source and destination are directory paths. The optional file argument accepts wildcards; if omitted, Robocopy uses *.*. Put quotation marks around paths containing spaces. Microsoft lists the command for Windows 10 and 11, Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025, and Azure Local 2311.2 and later. See the Microsoft Learn Robocopy reference for the current syntax and option details.
How do I copy a folder with Robocopy?
For a recursive copy that includes empty subdirectories, use /E. Add explicit retry settings and a log path for a repeatable run:
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robocopy "C:Source Folder" "D:Backup Folder" /E /R:2 /W:5 /LOG:"C:Logscopy.log"Replace the example paths and select retry values suitable for the job. The command copies the contents of the source folder into the destination; it does not require a specific kind of storage device. Ensure the log directory exists and that the account running the command can write to it.
- Choose the source directory and the destination directory, and check both paths carefully.
- Choose
/Sif you want subdirectories but not empty ones, or/Eif empty directories should also be copied. - Set
/R:nfor the retry count and/W:nfor the wait between retries rather than relying on the lengthy defaults. - Add
/LOG:pathto create a log, then run the command and inspect the log and return code.
Choose the traversal behavior—and understand /MIR
| Option | Behavior | Use when |
|---|---|---|
/S |
Copies subdirectories but omits empty directories. | Empty folder structure is not needed. |
/E |
Copies subdirectories, including empty directories. | You want the destination to include the source folder structure without purging destination-only content. |
/MIR |
Equivalent to /E plus /PURGE; removes files and directories that exist only in the destination. |
You intend to make the destination mirror the source and accept the deletion of destination-only content. |
Before using /MIR, verify the source and destination arguments and decide whether extra destination content may be removed. If you need synchronization without purging destination-only files, do not use /MIR or /PURGE; instead, select suitable filters and review the resulting behavior.
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Choose restart, retry, and concurrency options
| Option | Documented behavior | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
/Z |
Uses restartable mode, which can resume an interrupted file copy. | Useful when an interruption is possible, such as during a network transfer. |
/B |
Uses backup mode, overriding file and folder permission settings that might otherwise block access. | Use only when the task requires backup privileges; it is not a routine default. |
/ZB |
Starts in restartable mode and switches to backup mode if access is denied. | Microsoft’s example uses this combination for a backup copy. |
/MT:n |
Enables multithreaded copying; the documented range is 1–128 threads and the default is 8. | Choose a value appropriate to the environment. The reference does not promise a speed improvement for every workload. Incompatible with /IPG and /EFSRAW. |
/R:n /W:n |
Sets retry count and wait interval. | Defaults are 1,000,000 retries and 30 seconds between retries, so unattended jobs should normally set intentional values. |
Microsoft also documents /J for unbuffered I/O and recommends it for large files. It does not provide universal throughput figures, so neither multithreading nor a particular I/O option should be treated as a guaranteed performance improvement.
Decide which metadata and files to copy
Robocopy’s default file-copy flags are DAT: data, attributes, and timestamps. If the task also requires security and ownership information, /COPYALL is equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU, adding NTFS ACLs, owner, and auditing information. These choices affect metadata as well as file contents, so use security-related flags only when they match the intended permissions and ownership behavior.
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D: file dataA: file attributesT: timestampsX: skip alternate data streamsS: NTFS ACLsO: ownerU: auditing information
/DCOPY controls directory information; its documented default is DA. Do not assume file-copy flags also determine which directory metadata is copied.
Filters can narrow which files or directories are considered. For example, /XF excludes file names or paths, /XD excludes directories, /MAX and /MIN set file-size limits, and /MAXAGE and /MINAGE set age filters. /XO excludes source files older than their destination counterpart; /XN excludes source files newer than the destination. Confirm the selection logic against the intended result before running a destructive mirror job.
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Copy to a network share and manage free space
A destination can be a quoted UNC path, such as \serversharefolder. Microsoft’s reference demonstrates a network-share copy using /MT and /Z; multithreading can be tuned, while restartable mode can resume an interrupted file copy. The same source/destination checks, retry decisions, and logging practices apply to a share.
/LFSM enables low-free-space mode: Robocopy pauses when a copy would reduce free space on the destination below a floor. The documented default floor is 10% of the destination volume size. /LFSM cannot be combined with /MT or /EFSRAW.
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Log the run and interpret the exit code
Microsoft highly recommends creating and inspecting a log to verify a run. /LOG:path writes a log, while /LOG+:path appends to an existing one. For more detail, /V requests verbose output, /TS timestamps, /FP full paths, and /BYTES byte counts.
A positive return code does not automatically mean the copy failed. Microsoft describes codes 0–7 as combinations that do not report a failure; a value of 8 or greater means at least one failure occurred.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | No files copied; no failure or mismatch, and the destination already had the files. |
| 1 | All files copied successfully. |
| 2 | Extra files exist in the destination; no files copied. |
| 3 | Some files copied and extra destination files are present; no failure reported. |
| 5 | Some files copied and some mismatched; no failure reported. |
| 6 | Extra and mismatched files; no files copied and no failure reported. |
| 7 | Files copied, with mismatches and extra files. |
| 8 or greater | At least one failure occurred; Microsoft’s example description for code 8 says several files did not copy. |
Use the return code together with the log: inspect failures, mismatches, and extra destination files in light of the job’s purpose. A code below 8 is not a substitute for checking whether the selected copy behavior produced the intended result.
Special case: copying from a device root
When copying from the root of a device, Microsoft notes that the destination directory adopts the hidden and system attributes during the copy process. Take that behavior into account if the destination folder’s attributes matter to other workflows.
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