Move-Item
Moves an item from one location to another.
Syntax
Move-Item
[-Path] <String[]>
[[-Destination] <String>]
[-Force]
[-Filter <String>]
[-Include <String[]>]
[-Exclude <String[]>]
[-PassThru]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Move-Item
-LiteralPath <String[]>
[[-Destination] <String>]
[-Force]
[-Filter <String>]
[-Include <String[]>]
[-Exclude <String[]>]
[-PassThru]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Move-Item
cmdlet moves an item, including its properties, contents, and child items, from one
location to another location. The locations must be supported by the same provider.
For example, it can move a file or subdirectory from one directory to another or move a registry subkey from one key to another. When you move an item, it is added to the new location and deleted from its original location.
Examples
Example 1: Move a file to another directory and rename it
This command moves the Test.txt
file from the C:
drive to the E:\Temp
directory and renames it
from test.txt
to tst.txt
.
Move-Item -Path C:\test.txt -Destination E:\Temp\tst.txt
Example 2: Move a directory and its contents to another directory
This command moves the C:\Temp
directory and its contents to the C:\Logs
directory.
The Temp
directory, and all of its subdirectories and files, then appear in the Logs
directory.
Move-Item -Path C:\Temp -Destination C:\Logs
Example 3: Move all files of a specified extension from the current directory to another directory
This command moves all of the text files (*.txt
) in the current directory (represented by a dot
(.
)) to the C:\Logs
directory.
Move-Item -Path .\*.txt -Destination C:\Logs
Example 4: Recursively move all files of a specified extension from the current directory to another directory
This command moves all of the text files from the current directory and all subdirectories,
recursively, to the C:\TextFiles
directory.
Get-ChildItem -Path ".\*.txt" -Recurse | Move-Item -Destination "C:\TextFiles"
The command uses the Get-ChildItem
cmdlet to get all of the child items in the current directory
(represented by the dot (.
)) and its subdirectories that have a *.txt
file name extension. It
uses the Recurse parameter to make the retrieval recursive and the Include parameter to
limit the retrieval to *.txt
files.
The pipeline operator (|
) sends the results of this command to Move-Item
, which moves the text
files to the TextFiles
directory.
If files that are to be moved to C:\Textfiles
have the same name, Move-Item
displays an error
and continues, but it moves only one file with each name to C:\Textfiles
. The other files remain
in their original directories.
If the Textfiles
directory (or any other element of the destination path) does not exist, the
command fails. The missing directory is not created for you, even if you use the Force
parameter. Move-Item
moves the first item to a file called Textfiles
and then displays an error
explaining that the file already exists.
Also, by default, Get-ChildItem
does not move hidden files. To move hidden files, use the
Force parameter with Get-ChildItem
.
Note
In Windows PowerShell 2.0, when using the Recurse parameter of the Get-ChildItem
cmdlet, the
value of the Path parameter must be a container. Use the Include parameter to specify the
*.txt
file name extension filter
(Get-ChildItem -Path .\* -Include *.txt -Recurse | Move-Item -Destination C:\TextFiles
).
Example 5: Move registry keys and values to another key
This command moves the registry keys and values within the MyCompany
registry key in
HKLM\Software
to the MyNewCompany
key. The wildcard character (*
) indicates that the contents
of the MyCompany
key should be moved, not the key itself. In this command, the optional Path
and Destination parameter names are omitted.
Move-Item "HKLM:\software\mycompany\*" "HKLM:\software\mynewcompany"
Example 6: Move a directory and its contents to a subdirectory of the specified directory
This command moves the Logs[Sept`06]
directory (and its contents) into the Logs[2006]
directory.
Move-Item -LiteralPath 'Logs[Sept`06]' -Destination 'Logs[2006]'
The LiteralPath parameter is used instead of Path, because the original directory name
includes left bracket and right bracket characters ([
and ]
). The path is also enclosed in
single quotation marks ('
), so that the backtick symbol (`
) is not misinterpreted.
The Destination parameter must also be enclosed in single quotation marks because it includes brackets that can be misinterpreted.
Parameters
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | cf |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
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.
Type: | PSCredential |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | Current user |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Destination
Specifies the path to the location where the items are being moved. The default is the current directory. Wildcards are permitted, but the result must resolve to a single location.
To rename the item being moved, specify a new name in the value of the Destination parameter.
Type: | String |
Position: | 1 |
Default value: | Current directory |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-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: | String[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Filter
Specifies a filter to qualify the Path parameter. The FileSystem 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. 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 are retrieved.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Force
Forces the command to run without asking for user confirmation. Implementation varies from provider to provider. For more information, see about_Providers.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
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: | String[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-LiteralPath
Specifies the path to the current location of the items. The value of LiteralPath 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 PowerShell not
to interpret any characters as escape sequences.
For more information, see about_Quoting_Rules.
Type: | String[] |
Aliases: | PSPath |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-PassThru
Returns an object representing the moved item. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Path
Specifies the path to the current location of the items. The default is the current directory. Wildcard characters are permitted.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | Current directory |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-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.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | usetx |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | wi |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.
Outputs
None
By default, this cmdlet returns no output.
When you use the PassThru parameter, this cmdlet returns an object representing the moved item.
Notes
Windows PowerShell includes the following aliases for Move-Item
:
mi
move
mv
This cmdlet will move files between drives that are supported by the same provider, but it will move directories only within the same drive.
Because a
Move-Item
command moves the properties, contents, and child items of an item, all moves are recursive by default.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.
Related Links
PowerShell