Xcopy is a more robust version of the copy command with additional features. It can move files, directories, and drives from one location to another.

Availability

Xcopy is an external command available for the following Microsoft operating systems as xcopy.exe.

Users running recent versions of Windows should consider using robocopy instead of xcopy.

  • Availability

  • Xcopy syntax

  • Xcopy examples

  • Xcopy questions and answers

  • MS-DOS 3.3x and above

  • Windows 95

  • Windows 98

  • Windows ME

  • Windows NT

  • Windows 2000

  • Windows XP

  • Windows Vista

  • Windows 7

  • Windows 8

  • Windows 10

  • Windows 11

Xcopy syntax

Windows 10 and 11 syntax and switches

XCOPY source [destination] [/A | /M] [/D[:date]] [/P] [/S [/E]] [/V] [/W] [/C] [/I] [/Q] [/F] [/L] [/G] [/H] [/R] [/T] [/U] [/K] [/N] [/O] [/X] [/Y] [/-Y] [/Z] [/B] [/J] [/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]…] [/COMPRESS]

The switch /Y may be preset in the COPYCMD environment variable. This switch may be overridden with /-Y on the command line.

  • Windows 10 and 11 syntax and switches.
  • Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, and 8 syntax and switches.
  • Windows 98 and older syntax and switches.

Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, and 8 syntax and switches

XCOPY source [destination] [/A | /M] [/D[:date]] [/P] [/S [/E]] [/V] [/W] [/C] [/I] [/Q] [/F] [/L] [/H] [/R] [/T] [/U] [/K] [/N] [/O] [/X] [/Y] [/-Y] [/Z] [/B] [/J] [/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]…]

The switch /Y may be preset in the COPYCMD environment variable that can be overridden with /-Y on the command line.

Only Windows Vista and later includes the [/B] and [/J] options.

Windows 98 and older syntax and switches

Copies files and directory trees.

XCOPY source [destination] [/A | /M] [/D[:date]] [/P] [/S [/E]] [/W] [/C] [/I] [/Q] [/F] [/L] [/H] [/R] [/T] [/U] [/K] [/N]

Xcopy examples

xcopy . /h hope

In the example above, the xcopy command copies all the files (including hidden ones) in the current directory into the hope directory.

xcopy c:\temp /e

In the example above, is the basic xcopy command to copy the files, directories, and subdirectories in the temp directory to the current directory.

xcopy “c:\documents and settings\hope” /e

In the example above, the xcopy command would copy all files and directories in the user “hope” directory to the current directory.

xcopy hope example /e

In the example above, the xcopy command copies all directories (even empty directories) and files from the hope directory into the example directory.

xcopy h:*.* /a /e /k

The command above copies everything on the H drive to the current directory.

Xcopy questions and answers

Getting Invalid number of parameters error

This error occurs when the command you’re entering has spaces in it. When typing a directory with spaces in MS-DOS, make sure to surround the path with quotes. For example, instead of typing: c:\documents and settings type “c:\documents and settings” at the prompt.

Cannot perform a cyclic copy

This error occurs when you’re trying to copy directories that contain the destination directory. If this command were to be allowed, it would get into a loop and would never stop copying. When using the xcopy command, if you copy all directories and subdirectories, the destination must be a completely separate directory or drive.

Parse error

This error occurs when the command you’re typing in has invalid syntax. For example, if you’re surrounding your path in quotes, leave out the ending quotes.

I attempted to use the above xcopy command and was not able to copy all files within my favorites folder

After further examination, Computer Hope also encountered this issue. However, we could copy most of all favorites using the command below. Also, consider using robocopy.

xcopy c:\windows\favorites*.* /e /k /i /c

We are under the impression this issue is generated because of the way that Internet Explorer saves the URL (favorite) using long file names with extended characters.

What is xcopy32?

Xcopy32 was a command available with Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98. Although it can be run by itself, it is executed automatically when xcopy is used on a 32-bit file system like FAT32. For early 16-bit file systems that had both xcopy and xcopy32, the xcopy command is used. If you’re trying to decide to run xcopy or xcopy32, always use xcopy.

  • How to copy files.
  • How to copy a directory or folder.
  • See our copy definition for further information and related links on this term.