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[Explore Stack Internal](https://stackoverflow.co/internal/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=askubuntu-community&utm_campaign=side-bar&utm_content=explore-teams-compact-popover) # [How to copy files via terminal?](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal) [Ask Question](https://askubuntu.com/questions/ask) Asked 13 years, 5 months ago Modified [9 years, 9 months ago](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal?lastactivity "2016-06-23 18:06:47Z") Viewed 1.9m times This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear 189 Save this question. Show activity on this post. I have read about copying files with terminal but these examples will help me a lot. So here is what I want to do: Examples: 1. I have a file in `/home/levan/kdenlive untitelds.mpg` and I want to copy this file to `/media/sda3/SkyDrive` and do not want to delete any thing in SkyDrive directory. 2. I have a file in `/media/sda3/SkyDrive untitelds.mpg` and I want to copy this file to `/home/levan/kdenlive` and do not want to delete any thing in kdenlive directory 3. I want to copy a folder from home directory to `sda3` and do not want to delete any thing on `sda3` directory and opposite 4. I want to cut a folder/file and copy to other place without deleting files in that directory I cut it into. - [command-line](https://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/command-line "show questions tagged 'command-line'") - [bash](https://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/bash "show questions tagged 'bash'") [Share](https://askubuntu.com/q/195983 "Short permalink to this question") Share a link to this question Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this question](https://askubuntu.com/posts/195983/edit) Follow Follow this question to receive notifications [edited Jan 26, 2014 at 20:49](https://askubuntu.com/posts/195983/revisions "show all edits to this post") [](https://askubuntu.com/users/169736/braiam) [Braiam](https://askubuntu.com/users/169736/braiam) 69\.5k3333 gold badges182182 silver badges281281 bronze badges asked Oct 3, 2012 at 15:17 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/42591/levan) [Levan](https://askubuntu.com/users/42591/levan) 11\.1k2323 gold badges7171 silver badges9595 bronze badges 1 - 2 Simply with `cp -a file.txt newname.txt`. Avatar – [Avatar](https://askubuntu.com/users/238253/avatar "107 reputation") 2022-05-30 19:52:56 +00:00 [Commented May 30, 2022 at 19:52](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment2452997_195983) [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid answering questions in comments.") \| ## 6 Answers 6 Sorted by: [Reset to default](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal?answertab=scoredesc#tab-top) This answer is useful 245 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. **1\)** By using `-i` for interactive you will be asked if you would like to replace the file: ``` cp -i /home/levan/kdenlive/untitelds.mpg /media/sda3/SkyDrive/ ``` or you can use `-b` to create a backup of your file: ``` cp -b /home/levan/kdenlive/untitelds.mpg /media/sda3/SkyDrive ``` *** **2\)** Same as the above: ``` cp (-i or -b) /media/sda3/SkyDrive/untitelds.mpg /home/levan/kdenlive ``` *** **3\)** Use `-R` for recursive and `-i` for interactive: ``` cp -Ri ~/MyFolder /sda3/ ``` *** **4\)** This last one can be done via the `mv` command, move is like cutting: ``` mv -i ~/MyFile ~/OtherFolder/MyFile ``` if you want to move a directory, use: ``` mv -Ri ~/MyDirectory ~/OtherDirectory/ ``` [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/195990 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/195990/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Dec 3, 2015 at 22:55](https://askubuntu.com/posts/195990/revisions "show all edits to this post") [](https://askubuntu.com/users/475757/honey) [Honey](https://askubuntu.com/users/475757/honey) 11155 bronze badges answered Oct 3, 2012 at 15:38 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/92745/evandro-silva) [Evandro Silva](https://askubuntu.com/users/92745/evandro-silva) 9,97266 gold badges3838 silver badges4444 bronze badges 8 - Neat syntax highlighting! Not sure how you triggered that. Knowledge Cube – [Knowledge Cube](https://askubuntu.com/users/18612/knowledge-cube "14,971 reputation") 2012-10-03 16:05:48 +00:00 [Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 16:05](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment243786_195990) - @WarriorIng64 you can use four spaces identation for code blocks, or you can surround small pieces of code with \`s. Evandro Silva – [Evandro Silva](https://askubuntu.com/users/92745/evandro-silva "9,972 reputation") 2012-10-03 16:11:50 +00:00 [Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 16:11](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment243791_195990) - @EvandroSilva I know. I was referring to the fact that some of your code is shown in blue. Knowledge Cube – [Knowledge Cube](https://askubuntu.com/users/18612/knowledge-cube "14,971 reputation") 2012-10-03 16:12:43 +00:00 [Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 16:12](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment243792_195990) - 4 @WarriorIng64 That is triggered by the `bash` tag in the question. highlighting will be enabled by default by the system. If you answer a question with `bash` tag, the hightlighting will follow bash style and so on. Anwar – [Anwar](https://askubuntu.com/users/61218/anwar "78,159 reputation") 2012-10-03 16:19:06 +00:00 [Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 16:19](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment243797_195990) - 2 @Anwar I was just partway through making a [Meta post](http://meta.askubuntu.com/q/4180/18612) on this when I saw your comment. Of course, I credited you in the answer. :) Knowledge Cube – [Knowledge Cube](https://askubuntu.com/users/18612/knowledge-cube "14,971 reputation") 2012-10-03 16:24:54 +00:00 [Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 16:24](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment243800_195990) \| [Show **3** more comments](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Expand to show all comments on this post") This answer is useful 20 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. When `~/Dropbox/RECENT/` is your current directory: ``` cp input.txt SORT/ ``` > And I want to copy `input.txt` with another name in my current directory. Again with `~/Dropbox/RECENT/` as current directory: ``` cp input.txt newname.txt ``` Existing filenames can be auto-completed using `TAB`. Long version of the same copy command (when you are not in `~/Dropbox/RECENT/`): ``` cp /home/$USER/Dropbox/RECENT/input.txt /home/$USER/Dropbox/RECENT/SORT/ ``` I put a `/` behind every directory. If `SORT` does NOT exist a `cp` will also create a file named `SORT` making you think something went wrong. Adding the `/` will have `cp` error out and not copy the file. [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/745094 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/745094/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Mar 12, 2016 at 16:53](https://askubuntu.com/posts/745094/revisions "show all edits to this post") [](https://askubuntu.com/users/158442/muru) [muru](https://askubuntu.com/users/158442/muru)♦ 209k5858 gold badges520520 silver badges794794 bronze badges answered Mar 12, 2016 at 13:59 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/15811/rinzwind) [Rinzwind](https://askubuntu.com/users/15811/rinzwind) 312k4444 gold badges597597 silver badges747747 bronze badges [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid comments like “+1” or “thanks”.") \| This answer is useful 4 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. Use the `cp` command. Copying a file `something.txt` to file `folder`: use `cp something.txt folder/` Copying a file `something.txt` to the current directory as `something2.txt`: use `cp something.txt something2.txt` ``` ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l total 8 drwxrwxr-x 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Mar 12 21:53 Folder1 -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:52 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l Folder1/ total 4 -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:53 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l total 8 drwxrwxr-x 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Mar 12 21:54 folder -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:52 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l folder/ total 0 ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ cp something.txt folder/ ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l folder/ total 4 -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:55 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ cp something.txt something2.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l total 12 drwxrwxr-x 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Mar 12 21:55 folder -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:55 something2.txt -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:52 something.txt ``` [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/745093 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/745093/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications answered Mar 12, 2016 at 13:59 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/481256/the-holy-see) [The Holy See](https://askubuntu.com/users/481256/the-holy-see) 48444 gold badges77 silver badges1717 bronze badges [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid comments like “+1” or “thanks”.") \| This answer is useful 4 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. you will better add the option **\-a** to **cp** command to preserve file-datetime, file-stats, etc.: ``` cp -a input.txt ./SORT cp -a input.txt newname.txt ``` [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/745147 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/745147/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications answered Mar 12, 2016 at 16:49 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/517880/cmks) [cmks](https://askubuntu.com/users/517880/cmks) 1,94411 gold badge1313 silver badges1717 bronze badges [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid comments like “+1” or “thanks”.") \| This answer is useful 1 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. ``` rsync -aAXhv /home/levan/kdenlive/untitelds.mpg /media/sda3/SkyDrive/ ``` This will copy the `untitelds.mpg` file in the SkyDrive directory without deleting anything [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/667030 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/667030/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications [edited Sep 6, 2015 at 5:22](https://askubuntu.com/posts/667030/revisions "show all edits to this post") [](https://askubuntu.com/users/53508/sparhawk) [Sparhawk](https://askubuntu.com/users/53508/sparhawk) 6,99777 gold badges5050 silver badges7979 bronze badges answered Aug 29, 2015 at 6:43 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/143132/billv) [BillV](https://askubuntu.com/users/143132/billv) 6155 bronze badges 2 - I'm not sure why my comment shows up in bold... wasn't intended to. BillV – [BillV](https://askubuntu.com/users/143132/billv "61 reputation") 2015-08-29 06:44:38 +00:00 [Commented Aug 29, 2015 at 6:44](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment963463_667030) - Read the formatting help by clicking the `?` just above the answer field, on the top right. Sparhawk – [Sparhawk](https://askubuntu.com/users/53508/sparhawk "6,997 reputation") 2015-09-06 05:23:27 +00:00 [Commented Sep 6, 2015 at 5:23](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal#comment969022_667030) [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid comments like “+1” or “thanks”.") \| This answer is useful 0 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. use `cp` command. Type `man cp` from the terminal for more info. [Share](https://askubuntu.com/a/745092 "Short permalink to this answer") Share a link to this answer Copy link [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ "The current license for this post: CC BY-SA 3.0") [Improve this answer](https://askubuntu.com/posts/745092/edit) Follow Follow this answer to receive notifications answered Mar 12, 2016 at 13:54 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/228100/vishnu-n-k) [Vishnu N K](https://askubuntu.com/users/228100/vishnu-n-k) 61566 silver badges2222 bronze badges [Add a comment](https://askubuntu.com/questions/195983/how-to-copy-files-via-terminal "Use comments to ask for more information or suggest improvements. Avoid comments like “+1” or “thanks”.") \| ## You must [log in](https://askubuntu.com/users/login?ssrc=question_page&returnurl=https%3A%2F%2Faskubuntu.com%2Fquestions%2F195983) to answer this question. **[Protected question](https://askubuntu.com/help/privileges/protect-questions)**. 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This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear 189 Save this question. Show activity on this post. I have read about copying files with terminal but these examples will help me a lot. So here is what I want to do: Examples: 1. I have a file in `/home/levan/kdenlive untitelds.mpg` and I want to copy this file to `/media/sda3/SkyDrive` and do not want to delete any thing in SkyDrive directory. 2. I have a file in `/media/sda3/SkyDrive untitelds.mpg` and I want to copy this file to `/home/levan/kdenlive` and do not want to delete any thing in kdenlive directory 3. I want to copy a folder from home directory to `sda3` and do not want to delete any thing on `sda3` directory and opposite 4. I want to cut a folder/file and copy to other place without deleting files in that directory I cut it into. [](https://askubuntu.com/users/169736/braiam) [Braiam](https://askubuntu.com/users/169736/braiam) 69\.5k33 gold badges182 silver badges281 bronze badges asked Oct 3, 2012 at 15:17 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/42591/levan) 1 This answer is useful 245 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. **1\)** By using `-i` for interactive you will be asked if you would like to replace the file: ``` cp -i /home/levan/kdenlive/untitelds.mpg /media/sda3/SkyDrive/ ``` or you can use `-b` to create a backup of your file: ``` cp -b /home/levan/kdenlive/untitelds.mpg /media/sda3/SkyDrive ``` *** **2\)** Same as the above: ``` cp (-i or -b) /media/sda3/SkyDrive/untitelds.mpg /home/levan/kdenlive ``` *** **3\)** Use `-R` for recursive and `-i` for interactive: ``` cp -Ri ~/MyFolder /sda3/ ``` *** **4\)** This last one can be done via the `mv` command, move is like cutting: ``` mv -i ~/MyFile ~/OtherFolder/MyFile ``` if you want to move a directory, use: ``` mv -Ri ~/MyDirectory ~/OtherDirectory/ ``` [](https://askubuntu.com/users/475757/honey) answered Oct 3, 2012 at 15:38 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/92745/evandro-silva) 8 This answer is useful 20 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. When `~/Dropbox/RECENT/` is your current directory: ``` cp input.txt SORT/ ``` > And I want to copy `input.txt` with another name in my current directory. Again with `~/Dropbox/RECENT/` as current directory: ``` cp input.txt newname.txt ``` Existing filenames can be auto-completed using `TAB`. Long version of the same copy command (when you are not in `~/Dropbox/RECENT/`): ``` cp /home/$USER/Dropbox/RECENT/input.txt /home/$USER/Dropbox/RECENT/SORT/ ``` I put a `/` behind every directory. If `SORT` does NOT exist a `cp` will also create a file named `SORT` making you think something went wrong. Adding the `/` will have `cp` error out and not copy the file. [](https://askubuntu.com/users/158442/muru) [muru](https://askubuntu.com/users/158442/muru)♦ 209k58 gold badges520 silver badges794 bronze badges answered Mar 12, 2016 at 13:59 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/15811/rinzwind) This answer is useful 4 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. Use the `cp` command. Copying a file `something.txt` to file `folder`: use `cp something.txt folder/` Copying a file `something.txt` to the current directory as `something2.txt`: use `cp something.txt something2.txt` ``` ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l total 8 drwxrwxr-x 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Mar 12 21:53 Folder1 -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:52 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l Folder1/ total 4 -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:53 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l total 8 drwxrwxr-x 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Mar 12 21:54 folder -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:52 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l folder/ total 0 ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ cp something.txt folder/ ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l folder/ total 4 -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:55 something.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ cp something.txt something2.txt ubuntu@ubuntu-T100TA:~/TestFolder$ ls -l total 12 drwxrwxr-x 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Mar 12 21:55 folder -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:55 something2.txt -rw-rw-r-- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 14 Mar 12 21:52 something.txt ``` answered Mar 12, 2016 at 13:59 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/481256/the-holy-see) This answer is useful 4 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. you will better add the option **\-a** to **cp** command to preserve file-datetime, file-stats, etc.: ``` cp -a input.txt ./SORT cp -a input.txt newname.txt ``` answered Mar 12, 2016 at 16:49 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/517880/cmks) This answer is useful 1 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. ``` rsync -aAXhv /home/levan/kdenlive/untitelds.mpg /media/sda3/SkyDrive/ ``` This will copy the `untitelds.mpg` file in the SkyDrive directory without deleting anything [](https://askubuntu.com/users/53508/sparhawk) [Sparhawk](https://askubuntu.com/users/53508/sparhawk) 6,9977 gold badges50 silver badges79 bronze badges answered Aug 29, 2015 at 6:43 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/143132/billv) 2 This answer is useful 0 Save this answer. Show activity on this post. use `cp` command. Type `man cp` from the terminal for more info. answered Mar 12, 2016 at 13:54 [](https://askubuntu.com/users/228100/vishnu-n-k) ## You must [log in](https://askubuntu.com/users/login?ssrc=question_page&returnurl=https%3A%2F%2Faskubuntu.com%2Fquestions%2F195983) to answer this question. Start asking to get answers Find the answer to your question by asking. [Ask question](https://askubuntu.com/questions/ask) Explore related questions See similar questions with these tags.