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Copy-Item

Published: February 29, 2012

Updated: November 1, 2012

Applies To: Windows PowerShell 2.0, Windows PowerShell 3.0

Copy-Item

Copies an item from one location to another.

Aliases

The following abbreviations are aliases for this cmdlet:

copy, cp, cpi

Syntax

PowerShell

Parameter Set: Path
Copy-Item [-Path] <String[]> [[-Destination] <String> ] [-Container] [-Credential <PSCredential> ] [-Exclude <String[]> ] [-Filter <String> ] [-Force] [-Include <String[]> ] [-PassThru] [-Recurse] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [-UseTransaction] [ <CommonParameters>]

Parameter Set: LiteralPath
Copy-Item [[-Destination] <String> ] -LiteralPath <String[]> [-Container] [-Credential <PSCredential> ] [-Exclude <String[]> ] [-Filter <String> ] [-Force] [-Include <String[]> ] [-PassThru] [-Recurse] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [-UseTransaction] [ <CommonParameters>]

Detailed Description

The Copy-Item cmdlet copies an item from one location to another location in the same namespace. For example, it can copy a file to a folder, but it cannot copy a file to a certificate drive.

Copy-Item does not cut or delete the items being copied. The particular items that the cmdlet can copy depend on the Windows PowerShell provider that exposes the item. For example, it can copy files and directories in a file system drive and registry keys and entries in the registry drive.

Copy-Item can copy and rename items in the same command. To rename an item, enter the new name in the value of the Destination parameter. To rename an item without copying it, use the Rename-Item cmdlet.

Parameters

-Container

Preserves container objects during the copy operation.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	False
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Credential<PSCredential>

Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.

Type a user name, such as "User01" or "Domain01\User01", or enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you will be prompted for a password.

This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with Windows PowerShell.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	Current user
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Destination<String>

Specifies the path to the new location. To rename a copied item, include the new name in the value.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	2
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Exclude<String[]>

Omits the specified items. Wildcards are permitted.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	true

-Filter<String>

Specifies a filter in the provider's format or language. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. The syntax of the filter, including the use of wildcards, depends on the provider. Filters are more efficient than other parameters, because the provider applies them when retrieving the objects, rather than having Windows PowerShell filter the objects after they are retrieved.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	true

-Force

Allows the cmdlet to copy items that cannot otherwise be changed, such as copying over a read-only file or alias.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	Force
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Include<String[]>

Specifies only those items upon which the cmdlet will act, excluding all others.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-LiteralPath<String[]>

Specifies a path to the item. The value of the LiteralPath parameter is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell Windows PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.

Aliases	none
Required?	true
Position?	named
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue, ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-PassThru

Returns an object representing each copied item. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	False
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Path<String[]>

Specifies the path to the items to copy.

Aliases	none
Required?	true
Position?	1
Default Value	none
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue, ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Recurse

Specifies a recursive copy.

Aliases	none
Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	False
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	false
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	false
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-UseTransaction

Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see about_Transactions

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value	false
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

<CommonParameters>

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Verbose, -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -OutBuffer, and -OutVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=113216).

Inputs

The input type is the type of the objects that you can pipe to the cmdlet.

System.String
You can pipe a string that contains a path to Copy-ItemProperty.

Outputs

The output type is the type of the objects that the cmdlet emits.

None or an object representing the copied item.
When you use the PassThru parameter, Copy-Item returns an object that represents the copied item. Otherwise, this cmdlet does not generate any output.

Notes

Copy-Item is like the 'cp' or 'copy' commands in other shells.

The Copy-Item cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers available in your session, type "Get-PsProvider". For more information, see about_Providers.

Examples

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

This command copies the mar1604.log.txt file to the C:\Presentation directory. The command does not delete the original file.

PowerShell

PS C:\> Copy-Item C:\Wabash\Logfiles\mar1604.log.txt -Destination C:\Presentation

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

This command copies the entire contents of the Logfiles directory into the Drawings directory. If the LogFiles directory contains files in subdirectories, those subdirectories will be copied with their file trees intact. The Container parameter is set to true by default. This preserves the directory structure.

PowerShell

PS C:\> Copy-Item C:\Logfiles -Destination C:\Drawings -Recurse

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

This command copies the contents of the C:\Logfiles directory to the C:\Drawings\Logs directory. It creates the \Logs subdirectory if it does not already exist.

PowerShell

PS C:\> Copy-Item C:\Logfiles -Destination C:\Drawings\Logs -Recurse

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

This command uses the Copy-Item cmdlet to copy the Get-Widget.ps1 script from the \\Server01\Share directory to the \\Server12\ScriptArchive directory. As part of the copy operation, the command also changes the item name from Get-Widget.ps1 to Get-Widget.ps1.txt, so it can be attached to email messages.

PowerShell

PS C:\> Copy-Item \\Server01\Share\Get-Widget.ps1 -Destination \\Server12\ScriptArchive\Get-Widget.ps1.txt

Community Additions

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Copy-Item

Copy-Item

Aliases

Syntax

Detailed Description

Parameters

-Container

-Credential<PSCredential>

-Destination<String>

-Exclude<String[]>

-Filter<String>

-Force

-Include<String[]>

-LiteralPath<String[]>

-PassThru

-Path<String[]>

-Recurse

-Confirm

-WhatIf

-UseTransaction

<CommonParameters>

Inputs

Outputs

Notes

Examples

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

Related topics

Community Additions