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MKLINK command in Windows

The Windows mklink command allows users to create symbolic links and hard links between files and folders. This can help improve file organization, save disk space, and make accessing files easier. By using the mklink command, users can create a symbolic link that points to a target file or folder, allowing them to access the target through the symbolic link. Hard links, on the other hand, create additional references to the target file or folder, saving disk space by eliminating the need for duplicate files. Using the mklink command can be a powerful tool for managing files and folders efficiently in Windows.

Section titled “MKLINK Syntax:”
Terminal window
mklink /D Link Target
mklink /H Link Target
mklink /J Link Target
Section titled “Windows MKLINK Options:”
OptionDescription
/DCreates a directory symbolic link.
/HCreates a hard link.
/JCreates a directory junction.
Section titled “MKLINK Parameters:”
ParameterDescription
LinkSpecifies the name of the symbolic link to be created.
TargetSpecifies the path (relative or absolute) that the new link will refer to.
Section titled “How to use MKLINK command:”
Section titled “Create a Symbolic Link”
Terminal window
mklink /d "C:\myFolderLink" "D:\myFolder"

Creates a symbolic link named “myFolderLink” in the C drive that points to the “myFolder” directory in the D drive.

Section titled “Create a Hard Link”
Terminal window
mklink /h "C:\myFileLink.txt" "D:\myFile.txt"

Creates a hard link named “myFileLink.txt” in the C drive that points to the “myFile.txt” file in the D drive.

Create a Junction

Section titled “Create a Junction”
Terminal window
mklink /j "C:\junctionLink" "D:\myFolder"

Creates a junction named “junctionLink” in the C drive that points to the “myFolder” directory in the D drive.

Section titled “List all Symbolic Links”
Terminal window
mklink

Lists all symbolic links on the system.

Section titled “Determine if a File is a Symbolic Link”
Terminal window
mklink /h

Checks if a file is a symbolic link.

Section titled “Display Detailed Information about Symbolic Link”
Terminal window
mklink /d "C:\myFolderLink"

Displays detailed information about the symbolic link “myFolderLink” in the C drive.

Section titled “Create a Relative Symbolic Link”
Terminal window
mklink /d /j "..\OtherFolderLink" "D:\myOtherFolder"

Creates a symbolic link with a relative path named “OtherFolderLink” in the current directory that points to “myOtherFolder” in the D drive.

Section titled “Create a Symbolic Link with Spaces in Path”
Terminal window
mklink /d "C:\my Link" "D:\my Folder"

Creates a symbolic link with spaces in the name “my Link” in the C drive that points to the “my Folder” directory in the D drive.

Section titled “How do I use mklink in Windows?”

To use the mklink command in Windows, execute the following command:

Terminal window
mklink --option <value>
Section titled “What is the purpose of the mklink command in Windows?”

The mklink command in Windows is used to create a symbolic link or a hard link to a file or a directory.

Terminal window
mklink /D C:\LinkToFolder C:\TargetFolder
Section titled “How can I create a symbolic link with mklink?”

To create a symbolic link using mklink, use the /D flag for directories or the /H flag for files.

Terminal window
mklink /D C:\LinkToFolder C:\TargetFolder
Section titled “Can I create a hard link with mklink in Windows?”

Yes, you can create a hard link using the mklink command by specifying the /H option.

Terminal window
mklink /H C:\LinkToFile.txt C:\TargetFile.txt
Section titled “What is the difference between a symbolic link and a hard link in Windows?”

A symbolic link points to a file or directory by name, while a hard link points to the file’s data on the disk.

Terminal window
mklink /D C:\SymbolicLink C:\TargetFolder
Section titled “How can I check if a symbolic link is valid in Windows?”

You can validate a symbolic link in Windows by using the dir command with the /AL flag.

Terminal window
dir /AL C:\SymbolicLink
Section titled “Is it possible to create a symbolic link for a network folder using mklink?”

Yes, you can create a symbolic link for a network folder with mklink by specifying the network path.

Terminal window
mklink /D C:\NetworkLink \\Server\SharedFolder
Section titled “Can I delete a symbolic link using mklink in Windows CMD?”

Yes, you can delete a symbolic link created with mklink by using the del command followed by the link path.

Terminal window
del C:\SymbolicLink
Section titled “Applications of the MKLINK Command”
  • Creating symbolic links
  • Creating hard links
  • Linking directories
  • Linking files