Windows Symlink ❲Official❳

At its core, a symbolic link is a special type of file or directory that acts as a transparent reference, or "pointer," to another file or directory on the filesystem. When an application or user accesses the symlink, the operating system's file system driver automatically redirects the operation to the target path. To the user and most software, the symlink appears indistinguishable from the original file or folder itself. For example, a user could create a symlink named CurrentProject that points to D:\Projects\2024-ClientAlpha-v3 . Opening CurrentProject would instantly reveal the contents of the much longer, more cumbersome target path.

A second name for an existing file on the same volume. Unlike symlinks, a hard link points directly to the data on the disk. If the original filename is deleted, the data remains accessible through the hard link. windows symlink

If you have a file located at D:\Data\config.txt but a program needs it at C:\Program Files\App\config.txt : At its core, a symbolic link is a

The primary tool for creating symlinks in Windows is the command-line utility mklink , run within Command Prompt (as administrator, depending on configuration). Its syntax is straightforward: For example, a user could create a symlink

The basic command structure is:

Depending on what you are linking, you might need different flags:

:If you want a link on your desktop called Notes.txt that points to a file in your Documents folder: mklink "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\Notes.txt" "C:\Users\YourName\Documents\Real_Notes.txt" . Key Options for mklink