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Use Windows mklink to create a second path that points to the same file or folder. For a folder, open Command Prompt and run mklink /D "C:pathtolink" "C:pathtooriginal-folder". For one file, omit /D: mklink "C:pathtolink.txt" "C:pathtooriginal.txt". The link is not a duplicate; both paths reach the same underlying item.
What a symbolic link does
A symbolic link is a filesystem object that redirects one path to another. You keep the real file or folder in one location, then create a link at a second location. Opening the linked path takes you to the target, so an application can reach the same data through either path without maintaining two copies.
The path you create is the link. The existing file or folder it refers to is the target. In the Microsoft command syntax, the order is always link first and target second: mklink [[/d] | [/h] | [/j]] <link> <target>. Reversing those arguments creates the wrong result or fails.
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A symbolic link does not synchronize two independent copies. Changes made through either path affect the target. If the target is moved or renamed, the link may stop resolving, depending on whether the link stores an absolute or relative target path.
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Choose whether you are linking a folder or a file
Linking a folder
Use a directory symbolic link with /D. The target folder must already exist, while the link path must be available for the new link object.
mklink /D "C:UsersAlexDocumentsSharedView" "D:ProjectsSharedFiles"After this command, C:UsersAlexDocumentsSharedView exposes the contents of D:ProjectsSharedFiles.
Linking one file
For a file symbolic link, use plain mklink without /D. The target file should exist before you run the command.
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Prepare the paths before creating the link
- Locate the real item. Decide which file or folder will hold the actual data. This is the target path.
- Choose the second path. Decide where users or an application should see the item. This is the link path.
- Check that the link path is unused. A directory, file, or existing link with that name prevents creation. Do not point the link at a path that already contains files you intend to preserve.
- Confirm access. You need permission to create an object in the link’s parent directory and to access the target.
- Quote paths containing spaces. Quotation marks keep a path such as
C:Work FilesReportstogether as one command argument.
For clarity, write the two paths down as “link” and “target” before entering the command. The first quoted path is the new location; the second is the existing item.
Create the symbolic link in Command Prompt
Step 1: Open Command Prompt
Open the Start menu, type Command Prompt, and launch it. If Windows returns an access or privilege error, close it, search for Command Prompt again, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2: Run the correct command
For a directory:
mklink /D "C:pathtolink" "C:pathtooriginal-folder"For a file:
mklink "C:pathtolink.txt" "C:pathtooriginal.txt"You do not need to change to either directory first when you use complete absolute paths. Press Enter once the command is correct. A successful command reports that the symbolic link was created and displays the link and target paths.
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Step 3: Verify the result
Open the new path in File Explorer. For a folder link, browse into it and open a known file. For a file link, open it from the link path and confirm that it is the expected target. You can also run dir in Command Prompt to inspect the link entry. This confirms that the path resolves; it does not establish that every third-party application will treat links identically.
Create the link with PowerShell
PowerShell uses New-Item with -ItemType SymbolicLink. Specify the new path with -Path and the existing item with -Target.
Folder example
New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "C:UsersAlexDocumentsSharedView" -Target "D:ProjectsSharedFiles"File example
New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "C:UsersAlexDesktopsettings-copy.json" -Target "D:AppDatasettings.json"Microsoft documents relative targets as valid for this cmdlet as well as absolute targets. If PowerShell reports that the operation requires elevation, reopen PowerShell with Run as administrator, unless your supported Windows configuration has Developer Mode enabled.
Administrator rights, Developer Mode, and creation privileges
On Windows, symbolic-link creation commonly requires administrator elevation. Microsoft’s PowerShell documentation identifies an exception for Windows 10 build 14972 or newer when Developer Mode is enabled. The exact requirement can also vary with the program or API being used. Windows provides an unprivileged symbolic-link creation option through its API, but an application must use that option; its existence does not automatically make every command or tool non-elevated.
To enable Developer Mode on a compatible Windows installation, open Settings → System → For developers and turn on Developer Mode, then retry the operation. Organizations may restrict this setting through policy. Microsoft’s user-rights policy documentation says the symbolic-link creation privilege should be assigned only to trusted users, so do not alter local security policy merely to avoid opening an elevated console.
If elevation still fails, check the parent directory’s permissions, whether the target is on a protected location, and whether security software or organizational policy blocks reparse-point creation. A successful link command cannot compensate for a target that your account cannot read.
Understand absolute and relative targets
Absolute target paths
An absolute target names the complete location, such as D:ProjectsSharedFiles. It is straightforward to inspect and remains valid when the link itself is moved, provided the target stays at that exact location. If the target folder is moved to another drive or renamed, the link breaks until it is recreated or the target is restored.
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Relative target paths
A relative target is resolved from the link’s position. This can be useful when a project directory and its linked item are moved together while preserving their relative layout. It can also make a link harder to understand when someone opens it from a different location. Microsoft documents that relative symbolic links are restricted to a single volume.
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For example, if C:ProjectPublicassets links to C:Projectprivateassets, the relationship can be represented relatively because both paths are on drive C:. Moving both directories together may preserve that relationship, but moving only one does not. Decide based on how the directories will be deployed, renamed, or backed up.
Remote and UNC targets
Windows path documentation describes UNC paths for remote targets. A link to a network location therefore has different operational dependencies from a link on a local volume: the share must be reachable and your account must retain access. Test the link from the account and machine that will actually use it rather than assuming that a path working for an administrator will work for every user.
Symbolic link, junction, hard link, or shortcut?
These options are not interchangeable. Microsoft’s mklink reference lists separate switches, while Windows shortcuts are shell objects rather than the same filesystem link type.
| Type | Command or object | Use established by the documentation | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Directory symbolic link | mklink /D |
Expose a folder at another path. | Target may be absolute or relative; relative links are limited to one volume. |
| File symbolic link | mklink |
Expose one file at another path. | Omit /D; the link path is first and target second. |
| Directory junction | mklink /J |
A separate directory-link type listed by Windows. | The supplied Microsoft material does not establish every junction limitation, so do not assume it is universally interchangeable with a symbolic link. |
| Hard link | mklink /H |
A separate hard-link option. | It is not the default choice for exposing a folder through a second path. |
| Windows shortcut | .lnk shell object |
Provides a user-facing shortcut. | It is not the same filesystem link mechanism, and applications that require a filesystem path may not follow it. |
Use /D when the requirement is specifically “make this directory available at another filesystem path.” Use a plain mklink command when the requirement concerns one file.
Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| “You do not have sufficient privilege” or an access error | The console is not elevated, or policy blocks symbolic-link creation. | Run the console as administrator. On supported Windows 10 builds, check whether Developer Mode is enabled. If policy still blocks it, contact the administrator rather than changing security rights blindly. |
| “Cannot create a file when that file already exists” | The intended link path already contains a file, folder, or link. | Choose an unused name or move the existing item after confirming it is safe to do so. |
| The command creates the wrong kind of link | The switch does not match the object. | Use /D for a directory symbolic link; omit switches for a file symbolic link. Do not substitute /H or /J without understanding the different type. |
| The link opens an error after the target was reorganized | An absolute or relative target no longer resolves. | Restore the target path, move the target and link together when using an appropriate relative relationship, or remove and recreate the link with the new target path. |
| File Explorer opens it but an application does not | The application may not support or may deliberately reject symbolic links. | Check that application’s documentation and security settings. Do not assume behavior for backup, synchronization, antivirus, or other software from File Explorer’s behavior. |
| A network-linked item is unavailable | The UNC share is offline or the current account lacks permission. | Test the share directly, confirm credentials and network availability, and then test the link again. |
Remove a link without deleting the target
Remove only the link object when you want to stop exposing the second path. Do not recursively delete the linked folder’s contents. The command depends on whether the link represents a directory or a file.
Remove a directory symbolic link
In Command Prompt, use rd (also called rmdir) on the link path:
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rd "C:UsersAlexDocumentsSharedView"This removes the directory link entry. It is not a request to erase the target folder. Verify that you typed the link path, not the original target path, before pressing Enter.
Remove a file symbolic link
Use del on the file link:
del "C:UsersAlexDesktopsettings-copy.json"Microsoft’s Win32 documentation describes removing a symbolic link with file removal or directory removal according to the link type. If you are unsure which path is the link, inspect it first rather than deleting the directory that contains the real data.
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Give an application a second folder path
Suppose an application only scans C:AppImports, while the actual files must remain under D:TeamShareImports. Create the directory link at the path the application scans:
mklink /D "C:AppImports" "D:TeamShareImports"The application sees an ordinary-looking directory entry at its expected path, while the files remain in the target location. Whether the application accepts this arrangement is application-specific; test its import, write, backup, and update operations before relying on it.
Expose a configuration file in a second directory
If a tool expects C:Toolconfig.ini but the maintained file belongs in D:Managedconfig.ini, create the file link after ensuring the parent directory exists:
mklink "C:Toolconfig.ini" "D:Managedconfig.ini"Editing either path edits the same target. Keep one authoritative target location so that administrators know which file to back up and secure.
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A relative link can be appropriate when a project is moved as a complete unit and the linked directories remain on one volume. Document the relationship for other users, because the target is resolved from the link’s location rather than from the current working directory of the command prompt.
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Security, backup, and application considerations
A link can make sensitive data reachable through an additional path. Apply permissions to the target and its parent directories, and consider whether the application should be allowed to traverse the link. Do not grant broad symbolic-link creation rights simply to simplify a one-time setup.
Backup and synchronization tools differ in how they treat symbolic links: some preserve the link, some copy the target’s contents, and some skip links to avoid loops. The Microsoft command and API references do not establish a universal policy for those products. Confirm the behavior of the particular tool, especially before deleting an original folder or assuming that a backup contains both the link metadata and the target data.
Likewise, a link can participate in loops if links are created carelessly. Keep the target outside the linked path when possible, and test recursive scans with non-critical data first. A link is an additional route to the same object, not an independent safety copy.
Quick decision checklist
- Need a second path to a folder? Use
mklink /D. - Need a second path to one file? Use plain
mklink. - Remember the order: link path first, target path second.
- Use quotes around paths containing spaces.
- Ensure the target exists and the link name does not.
- Use an elevated console when Windows requires it; Developer Mode can change that requirement on supported Windows 10 builds.
- Choose absolute or relative targets based on how the files will be moved and whether both paths stay on one volume.
- Remove the link with
rdfor a directory ordelfor a file, never by deleting the target. - Verify compatibility with the application, backup, synchronization, and security tools that will access the link.
Frequently asked questions
Can I create the link before the target exists?
The normal workflow is to create the target file or folder first, then point the link at it. A link whose target path does not resolve is broken until that path is restored.
Does a symbolic link use twice the storage?
The link itself is a filesystem object containing a path reference; it is not a second copy of the target’s contents. The target still consumes its original storage.
Will moving the link move the original folder?
Moving the link changes the location of the redirecting object, not the target. An absolute target can continue working after the link moves, while a relative target may resolve differently because its base location changed.
Can I use a symbolic link across drives?
An absolute symbolic-link target can identify a path on another drive. Relative symbolic links are restricted to a single volume, so use an absolute target when the relationship crosses volumes.
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A shortcut is a shell object intended for user navigation. A symbolic link supplies a filesystem path, which is why it is used when a program expects a directory or file at a specific location. Individual applications can still reject or specially handle links.
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