Copy-Item

SYNOPSIS

Copies an item from one location to another.

SYNTAX

Path (Default)

Copy-Item [-Path] <String[]> [[-Destination] <String>] [-Container] [-Force] [-Filter <String>]
 [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Recurse] [-PassThru] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-WhatIf]
 [-Confirm] [-FromSession <PSSession>] [-ToSession <PSSession>] [<CommonParameters>]

LiteralPath

Copy-Item -LiteralPath <String[]> [[-Destination] <String>] [-Container] [-Force] [-Filter <String>]
 [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Recurse] [-PassThru] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-WhatIf]
 [-Confirm] [-FromSession <PSSession>] [-ToSession <PSSession>] [<CommonParameters>]

DESCRIPTION

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

This cmdlet doesn't cut or delete the items being copied. The particular items that the cmdlet can copy depend on the PowerShell provider that exposes the item. For instance, it can copy files and directories in a file system drive and registry keys and entries in the registry drive.

This cmdlet 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 and not copy it, use the `Rename-Item` cmdlet.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Copy a file to the specified directory

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

Example 2: Copy directory contents to an existing directory

Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logfiles\*" -Destination "C:\Drawings" -Recurse

> [!NOTE] > If you need to include the `Logfiles` directory in the copy, remove the `\ ` from the Path *. > For example: > > `Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logfiles" -Destination "C:\Drawings" -Recurse`

Example 3: Copy directory and contents to a new directory

Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logfiles" -Destination "C:\Drawings\Logs" -Recurse

> [!NOTE] > If the Path includes ``, all the directory's file contents, including the subdirectory > trees, are copied to the new destination directory. For example: > > `Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logfiles" -Destination "C:\Drawings\Logs" -Recurse`

Example 4: Copy a file to the specified directory and rename the file

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

Example 5: Copy a file to a remote computer

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server01" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "D:\Folder001\test.log" -Destination "C:\Folder001_Copy\" -ToSession $Session

Example 6: Copy a folder to a remote computer

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server02" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "D:\Folder002\" -Destination "C:\Folder002_Copy\" -ToSession $Session

Example 7: Recursively copy the entire contents of a folder to a remote computer

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server04" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "D:\Folder003\" -Destination "C:\Folder003_Copy\" -ToSession $Session -Recurse

Example 8: Copy a file to a remote computer and then rename the file

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server04" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "D:\Folder004\scriptingexample.ps1" -Destination "C:\Folder004_Copy\scriptingexample_copy.ps1" -ToSession $Session

Example 9: Copy a remote file to the local computer

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server01" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "C:\MyRemoteData\test.log" -Destination "D:\MyLocalData\" -FromSession $Session

Example 10: Copy the entire contents of a remote folder to the local computer

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server01" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "C:\MyRemoteData\scripts" -Destination "D:\MyLocalData\" -FromSession $Session

Example 11: Recursively copy the entire contents of a remote folder to the local computer

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "Server01" -Credential "Contoso\User01"
Copy-Item "C:\MyRemoteData\scripts" -Destination "D:\MyLocalData\scripts" -FromSession $Session -Recurse

Example 12: Recursively copy files from a folder tree into the current folder

PS C:\temp\test> (Get-ChildItem C:\temp\tree -Recurse).FullName
C:\temp\tree\subfolder
C:\temp\tree\file1.txt
C:\temp\tree\file2.txt
C:\temp\tree\file3.txt
C:\temp\tree\subfolder\file3.txt
C:\temp\tree\subfolder\file4.txt
C:\temp\tree\subfolder\file5.txt

PS C:\temp\test> Get-Content C:\temp\tree\file3.txt
This is file3.txt in the root folder

PS C:\temp\test> Get-Content C:\temp\tree\subfolder\file3.txt
This is file3.txt in the subfolder

PS C:\temp\test> Copy-Item -Path C:\temp\tree -Filter *.txt -Recurse -Container:$false
PS C:\temp\test> (Get-ChildItem . -Recurse).FullName
C:\temp\test\subfolder
C:\temp\test\file1.txt
C:\temp\test\file2.txt
C:\temp\test\file3.txt
C:\temp\test\file4.txt
C:\temp\test\file5.txt

PS C:\temp\test> Get-Content .\file3.txt
This is file3.txt in the subfolder

The `Copy-Item` cmdlet has the Container parameter set to `$false`. This causes the contents of the source folder to be copied but does not preserve the folder structure. Notice that files with the same name are overwritten in the destination folder.

PARAMETERS

-Container

Indicates that this cmdlet preserves container objects during the copy operation. By default, the Container parameter is set to True .

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: True
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Credential

> [!NOTE] > This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with PowerShell. > To impersonate another user, or elevate your credentials when running this cmdlet, > use Invoke-Command (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/Invoke-Command.md).

Type: System.Management.Automation.PSCredential
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Current user
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Destination

Specifies the path to the new location. The default is the current directory.

To rename the item being copied, specify a new name in the value of the Destination parameter.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: 1
Default value: Current directory
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Exclude

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet excludes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as ` .txt`. Wildcard characters are permitted. The Exclude * parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as `C:\Windows*`, where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the `C:\Windows` directory.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Filter

Specifies a filter to qualify the Path parameter. The FileSystem (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_FileSystem_Provider.md)provider is the only installed PowerShell provider that supports the use of filters. You can find the syntax for the FileSystem filter language in about_Wildcards (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Wildcards.md). Filters are more efficient than other parameters, because the provider applies them when the cmdlet gets the objects rather than having PowerShell filter the objects after they're retrieved.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Force

Indicates that this cmdlet copies items that can't otherwise be changed, such as copying over a read-only file or alias.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-FromSession

Specifies the PSSession object from which a remote file is being copied. When you use this parameter, the Path and LiteralPath parameters refer to the local path on the remote machine.

Type: System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSession
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Include

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet includes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as `" .txt"`. Wildcard characters are permitted. The Include * parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as `C:\Windows*`, where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the `C:\Windows` directory.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-LiteralPath

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

For more information, see about_Quoting_Rules (../Microsoft.Powershell.Core/About/about_Quoting_Rules.md).

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: LiteralPath
Aliases: PSPath, LP

Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-PassThru

Returns an object that represents the item with which you're working. By default, this cmdlet doesn't generate any output.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Path

Specifies, as a string array, the path to the items to copy. Wildcard characters are permitted.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Path
Aliases:

Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Recurse

Indicates that this cmdlet does a recursive copy.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-ToSession

Specifies the PSSession object to which a remote file is being copied. When you use this parameter, the Destination parameter refers to the local path on the remote machine.

Type: System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSession
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: cf

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 isn't run.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: wi

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

CommonParameters

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

INPUTS

System.String

You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.

OUTPUTS

None or an object representing the copied item

When you use the PassThru parameter, this cmdlet returns an object that represents the copied item. Otherwise, this cmdlet doesn't generate any output.

NOTES

This 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 (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Providers.md).