The above example copies the folder hierarchy/structure (including empty folders) of the user’s Music folder and creates it in the external drive’s “Music” folder.Īnother option is the Robocopy command which allows multiple repeat actions and lets you add only new folders if desired. Xcopy “C:\users\my_username_here\Music” “F:\Music” /t /e Your complete command line should look something like this:.Type the destination folder where you’ll copy the source’s folder structure, then add a space after it.Type the source directory within quotation marks and add a space after it.Type or copy/paste the following command (include the space at the end) without pressing the “Enter” key:.Type “ cmd” and click on “ OK” to launch the Command Prompt.Tap “ Windows R” to open the Run dialogue.The system will scan structures containing empty folders and replicate them in their entirety. Since this function doesn’t register empty folders, the command line will also include the “ /e” switch. The “ /t” switch signals to the system that it should replicate all folders without the files. The “ xcopy” command replicates folders, and you can modify it using switches that determine which aspects will be copied or excluded. Fortunately, you can use command lines to recreate folder structures with ease.Ĭommand lines act as pseudo-code and are typically used with the Command Prompt to execute various tasks. Recreating this structure takes a lot of patience and energy. If you’re working on intricate personal or professional projects, your folders are probably packed with subfolders. Windows File Explorer is useful for manually creating folders for your files, but it has no feature that lets Windows 10 users create copies of folder structures and directories. The “ /xf *” switch tells the command to exclude files.Ĭopy Folder Structure Without Copying Files in Windows 10 The “ /e” switch allows the system to copy empty folders in the directory structure. Hit the “Enter” key to activate the command.Robocopy “C:\users\my_username_here\Documents\Archived\Work” “D:\Backups\Documents\Work” /e /xf * Copy the following switches and paste them at the end of the command:.Type the destination folder structure with quotations and a space after it.Type the source folder structure in quotations with a space after it.When the Command Prompt window appears, type the following command line:.Hold down “Ctrl Shift Enter” to enable the “Run as administrator” option.Press “Windows R” to launch the Run dialog.The feature takes the hassle of copying complicated file directories by typing a relatively short command line. Robocopy lets you rerun the command multiple times, and you can use it to add new folders without recopying everything. Microsoft intended for Robocopy to serve as a more functional version of “ xcopy,” providing users with more options to manipulate and organize files and folders. You can also use the Command Prompt with a Robocopy command to copy folder directories, hierarchies, and structures. The “/t” switch creates the folder structure in the destination directory. Tap “Enter” on the keyboard to activate the command to copy the folder structure. The example command above copies the archived work folder structure and pastes it into a new/active work directory. Xcopy “C:\users\my_username_here\Documents\Archived\Work” “D:\Backups\Documents\Work” /t /e Your completed command should look something like this:.Ensure there is a space after the destination directory. Ensure there is a space after the source directory. Type the destination path where you want to store the copied hierarchy.Enter the path that stores the folder structure you want to duplicate.In the Command Prompt window, type the following without pressing enter:.Type “ cmd” in the dialog window and click on the “OK” button to launch the Command Prompt.Hold “Windows R” to open the Run dialog.Here’s how to use “ xcopy” in the Command Prompt: Combining the two helps the Command Prompt to identify empty folders and copy their organization model. The issue is that the duplicating switch cannot detect empty folders, so it’s necessary to modify it and add the “ /e” switch. The command line uses the “ /t” switch to do so. “ Xcopy” is short for “extended copy” and this command allows you to transfer folder structures to a new storage location without duplicating the files. The first way involves using the Command Prompt. Luckily for Windows 11 users there are still two other methods to copy folder structures without transferring files. Going through folder hierarchies and replicating them is tedious and requires time and effort. Windows File Explorer offers no built-in option of automatically replicating complex folder structures. Copy Folder Structure Without Copying Files in Windows 11
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