How to overwrite existing files in batch?

Question

The following command copies and moves a file but I also need it to overwrite the file it's replacing.

xcopy /s c:\mmyinbox\test.doc C:\myoutbox

According to here https://ss64.com/nt/xcopy.html#:~:text=XCOPY%20is%20similar%20to%20the,source%20and%20destination%20in%20detail.&text=%2FD%3Amm%2Ddd%2D,newer%20than%20the%20destination%20time.XCOPY `xcopy` has been deprecated. Although it's still ships - `robocopy` is the successor. — JGFMK, Feb 28 '22 at 12:07

score 173 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 29 '10 at 11:23

173

Add /Y to the command line

answered Oct 29 '10 at 11:23

Eugene Mayevski 'Callback

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How to submit F = File , D = directory ? – Sep 14 '16 at 14:03
@YumYumYum http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3018289/xcopy-file-rename-suppress-does-xxx-specify-a-file-name-message – ikathegreat Oct 17 '16 at 21:51
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xcopy /s/Y c:\mmyinbox\test.doc C:\myoutbox (Y is a CAPITAL.) – Halfacht Jan 16 '18 at 13:08

score 46 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 15 '15 at 15:22

46

You can use :

copy /b/v/y

See SS64 on COPY.

edited Oct 15 '15 at 15:22

James Bradbury

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answered Oct 29 '10 at 11:23

Benoit

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im new to batch whats b/v/y stand for? – Mal Oct 29 '10 at 11:27
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use `copy /?` to have help! `/b` means binary file, `/v` means check, `/y` is force. http://www.ss64.com is a very good reference otherwise. – Benoit Oct 29 '10 at 11:30
sorry i just realised i have spaces in my foldernames i ussually use underscores, How is this handld properly? – Mal Oct 29 '10 at 11:31
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enclose your arguments inside `"`'s. If you have a `"` inside an argument which is enclosed (which is never the case for filenames) double it. – Benoit Oct 29 '10 at 11:33
@Mal also you can do `dir /X` in folder above to get the directory name with a `~` in it instead. The you don't need the quotes if you use that abridged variant. Source: https://superuser.com/questions/179449/windows-path-without-spaces-with-1 – JGFMK Feb 28 '22 at 12:10

score 34 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 14 '17 at 01:53

34

Add /y to the command line of xcopy:

Example:

xcopy /y c:\mmyinbox\test.doc C:\myoutbox

edited Mar 14 '17 at 01:53

Sam Denty

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answered Aug 20 '13 at 19:30

christopher.wr.schill

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Is there any more information you can add that isn't already in another answer? This doesn't really need to be posted as a new answer otherwise. – Michelle Aug 20 '13 at 19:52
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use a trailing slash for the target path, otherwise it will give error if target folder doesnt exist – Code Name Jack Nov 26 '18 at 08:07
@Michelle the [most upvoted answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/4051313/2076973) is a boomer response that doesn't give the full command that we need to execute. This is a chad answer that you can just copy and paste, the best answer – Bersan Dec 13 '22 at 12:13

score 23 · Answer 4 · answered May 12 '17 at 06:05

23

you need to simply add /Y

xcopy /s c:\mmyinbox\test.doc C:\myoutbox /Y

and if you're using path with spaces, try this

xcopy /s "c:\mmyinbox\test.doc" "C:\myoutbox" /Y

answered May 12 '17 at 06:05

Alok

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Is there any more information you can add that isn't already in another answer? This doesn't really need to be posted as a new answer otherwise – jeb May 12 '17 at 06:12

score 17 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 30 '20 at 09:18

17

For copying one file to another directory overwriting without any prompt i ended up using the simply COPY command:

copy /Y ".\mySourceFile.txt" "..\target\myDestinationFile.txt"

answered Oct 30 '20 at 09:18

Ruwen

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score 14 · Answer 6 · answered May 28 '15 at 07:37

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If the copy command is run from within a batch job you do not need to use the /Y switch: it will overwrite existing files.

answered May 28 '15 at 07:37

Kim Mason

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score 3 · Answer 7 · edited Feb 22 '18 at 16:48

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A command that would copy in any case

xcopy "path\source" "path\destination" /s/h/e/k/f/c/y

edited Feb 22 '18 at 16:48

araknoid

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answered Oct 06 '17 at 07:15

Raj Nandan Sharma

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score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 29 '17 at 09:47

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If destination file is read only use /y/r

xcopy /y/r source.txt dest.txt

answered Mar 29 '17 at 09:47

Proggear

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score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Dec 26 '20 at 03:40

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Here's what worked for me to copy and overwrite a file from B:\ to Z:\ drive in a batch script.

echo F| XCOPY B:\utils\MyFile.txt Z:\Backup\CopyFile.txt /Y

The "/Y" parameter at the end overwrites the destination file, if it exists.

answered Dec 26 '20 at 03:40

GTodorov

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score -2 · Answer 10 · answered Feb 08 '16 at 07:35

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You can refer Windows command prompt help using following command : xcopy /?

answered Feb 08 '16 at 07:35

abanmitra

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How to overwrite existing files in batch?

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