The mklink command is used to create a symbolic link through the Windows command line.

Availability

Mklink is an internal command that’s available in the following Microsoft operating systems.

  • Availability

  • Mklink syntax

  • Mklink examples

  • Related information

  • Windows Vista

  • Windows 7

  • Windows 8

  • Windows 10

  • Windows 11

MKLINK [[/D] | [/H] | [/J]] Link Target

mklink /d \Docs \Users\Hope\Documents

The example command above would create a symbolic link called Docs to the \Users\Hope\Documents directory, even if the directory does not exist. If the link is successfully created, you will see a message similar to the one shown below.

The mklink command requires you to be in an elevated command prompt.

Symbolic link created for \Docs «===» \Users\Hope\Documents

Once the symbolic link is created, using the dir command you can see any symbolic link in the directory listing of where it was created. Below is an example of what the previous symbolic link directory, , would look like in the command line.

To get into the symbolic link directory, you would treat it like any other directory and use the cd command. To get into the Docs directory, you would type “cd docs” at the prompt as if it was a directory.

How do I create a junction point?

To create a junction point to a local directory, perform the following command. As seen, we are using the /j switch instead of the /d switch.

A junction point can only link to a local directory.

mklink /j example backup

If created successfully, you will see a message similar to the example shown below.

Junction created for example «===» backup

Once the junction is created, using the dir command you can see any junction in the directory listing of where the junction was created. Below is an example of what the above junction directory would look like in the command line.

If the file or directory you want to link or point to contains a space in its name, it must be surrounded with quotes. In the example below, we are creating a symbolic link to the “c:\program files” directory from the current directory.

mklink /d files “c:\program files”

To delete a symbolic link, treat it like any other directory or file. If you created a symbolic link using the command shown above, move to the root directory since it is “\Docs” and use the rmdir command. If you created a symbolic link () of a file, to delete a symbolic link use the del command.

How do I delete a junction point?

A junction point is only going to be a directory, so you should only need to use the rmdir command to remove it.

No. When you delete a symbolic link or a junction point, it’s only removing the link or pointer and not the file or directory to which it’s pointing. However, if you create a directory symbolic link or junction point and open that link or pointer and delete files in the directory, those files are deleted.

  • See our symbolic link page for further information on this term.
  • See our junction page for further information on this term and information about the differences between a symbolic link and junction point.