To make a folder at a new location appear to contain data from an old location: mklink /D "C:\Path\To\NewLink" "D:\Original\Data" Use code with caution. /D creates a directory symbolic link.
Moving a large "Games" or "Users" folder to a secondary SSD while keeping the system convinced it's still on the C: drive.
On Windows 10 and 11, creating symbolic links usually requires Administrator rights by default. Creating Directory Junctions ( /J ) often does not require Admin rights. create symbolic link windows
Symbolic links, or , are a powerful yet often underutilized feature in Windows that allow you to create "virtual" files or folders that point to a physical location elsewhere on your computer or network. While a standard Windows shortcut ( .lnk file) simply opens a file, a symlink is transparent to the operating system and applications—Windows treats the link as if the file or folder actually exists in that location.
| Feature | Symbolic Link | Shortcut (.lnk) | Hard Link | |--------------------------|---------------|----------------|----------------| | Works at file system level | Yes | No | Yes | | Apps see original target | Yes | No (opens separately) | Yes | | Works across volumes | Yes | Yes | No | | Points to directories | Yes (with /D) | Yes | No | | Persists after target moves | No | No (may break) | Yes (same inode) | To make a folder at a new location
By default, mklink uses absolute paths. If you are moving both the link and the target together, you may want to use relative paths, but this is advanced usage.
New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "C:\Path\To\Link" -Target "D:\Original\Data" Use code with caution. Method 3: Using a GUI Tool (Link Shell Extension) On Windows 10 and 11, creating symbolic links
del "LinkPath" (for file symlinks) rmdir "LinkPath" (for directory symlinks)
If you prefer PowerShell, the command is slightly different but achieves the same result.
Creating twin files; if the target is deleted, data remains. Prerequisites: Running as Administrator
The mklink command is a "power user" feature that bridges the gap between physical file storage and logical organization. By mastering symlinks, you can manage your storage more flexibly, bypass application path limitations, and keep your file system clean without moving massive amounts of data back and forth.
To make a folder at a new location appear to contain data from an old location: mklink /D "C:\Path\To\NewLink" "D:\Original\Data" Use code with caution. /D creates a directory symbolic link.
Moving a large "Games" or "Users" folder to a secondary SSD while keeping the system convinced it's still on the C: drive.
On Windows 10 and 11, creating symbolic links usually requires Administrator rights by default. Creating Directory Junctions ( /J ) often does not require Admin rights.
Symbolic links, or , are a powerful yet often underutilized feature in Windows that allow you to create "virtual" files or folders that point to a physical location elsewhere on your computer or network. While a standard Windows shortcut ( .lnk file) simply opens a file, a symlink is transparent to the operating system and applications—Windows treats the link as if the file or folder actually exists in that location.
| Feature | Symbolic Link | Shortcut (.lnk) | Hard Link | |--------------------------|---------------|----------------|----------------| | Works at file system level | Yes | No | Yes | | Apps see original target | Yes | No (opens separately) | Yes | | Works across volumes | Yes | Yes | No | | Points to directories | Yes (with /D) | Yes | No | | Persists after target moves | No | No (may break) | Yes (same inode) |
By default, mklink uses absolute paths. If you are moving both the link and the target together, you may want to use relative paths, but this is advanced usage.
New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "C:\Path\To\Link" -Target "D:\Original\Data" Use code with caution. Method 3: Using a GUI Tool (Link Shell Extension)
del "LinkPath" (for file symlinks) rmdir "LinkPath" (for directory symlinks)
If you prefer PowerShell, the command is slightly different but achieves the same result.
Creating twin files; if the target is deleted, data remains. Prerequisites: Running as Administrator
The mklink command is a "power user" feature that bridges the gap between physical file storage and logical organization. By mastering symlinks, you can manage your storage more flexibly, bypass application path limitations, and keep your file system clean without moving massive amounts of data back and forth.