5.9 KiB
| external help file | Module Name | online version | schema |
|---|---|---|---|
| NTFSSecurity.dll-Help.xml | NTFSSecurity | https://github.com/raandree/NTFSSecurity/blob/master/Docs/Cmdlets/New-NTFSSymbolicLink.md | 2.0.0 |
New-NTFSSymbolicLink
SYNOPSIS
Creates a symbolic link to an existing file or folder.
SYNTAX
New-NTFSSymbolicLink [[-Path] <String>] [[-Target] <String>] [-PassThru] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The New-NTFSSymbolicLink cmdlet creates a symbolic link that redirects to another file or folder. -Path is the new link that the cmdlet creates, and -Target is the existing item that the link points to. Read the command as "create Path, which points to Target".
The cmdlet inspects the target first and creates a file symbolic link when the target is a file and a directory symbolic link when the target is a folder, so you do not select the link type yourself. -Target must exist when the link is created, and -Path must not exist yet, so the cmdlet never overwrites an existing item.
Relative paths are resolved against the current location before the link is created, which means that the link always stores an absolute target path.
By default the cmdlet produces no output. With -PassThru it returns a file object for the new link, including for a link that points to a folder.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Create a symbolic link to a file
PS C:\> New-NTFSSymbolicLink -Path C:\Data\Report-Current.txt -Target C:\Data\Archive\Report-2026.txt
This command creates the symbolic link Report-Current.txt, which redirects to the existing file Report-2026.txt. Because the target is a file, the cmdlet creates a file symbolic link.
Example 2: Create a symbolic link to a folder
PS C:\> New-NTFSSymbolicLink -Path C:\Data\Current -Target C:\Data\Archive\2026
This command creates the symbolic link C:\Data\Current, which redirects to the existing folder C:\Data\Archive\2026. Because the target is a folder, the cmdlet creates a directory symbolic link, and paths below C:\Data\Current resolve to the corresponding items in the target folder.
Example 3: Create a link and return it
PS C:\> New-NTFSSymbolicLink -Path C:\Data\Current -Target C:\Data\Archive\2026 -PassThru
This command creates the link and returns an object for the new link, which you can use to confirm the result in a script.
Example 4: Verify that the link resolves
PS C:\> Test-Path2 -Path C:\Data\Current\Report.txt -PathType Leaf
This command tests a path that leads through the symbolic link. It returns $true when the link resolves and the file exists in the target folder.
PARAMETERS
-PassThru
Indicates that the cmdlet returns an object for the new link. By default, this cmdlet produces no output. The returned object is a file object even when the link points to a folder.
Type: SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Path
Specifies the path of the new symbolic link that the cmdlet creates. The path must not exist yet. Relative paths are resolved against the current location.
Type: String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: FullName
Required: False
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Target
Specifies the path of the existing file or folder that the new link points to. The target must exist when the link is created and determines whether the cmdlet creates a file symbolic link or a directory symbolic link. Relative paths are resolved against the current location, so the link stores an absolute target path.
Type: String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: 2
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
INPUTS
System.String
You can pass the path of the new link and the path of the target as strings.
OUTPUTS
Alphaleonis.Win32.Filesystem.FileInfo
With -PassThru, the cmdlet writes a file object for the new link. The cmdlet writes that object type for a link to a folder as well. Without -PassThru, the cmdlet writes nothing.
Alphaleonis.Win32.Filesystem.DirectoryInfo
The cmdlet does not write folder objects. A directory symbolic link is also returned as a file object.
NOTES
Creating a symbolic link on Windows requires the "Create symbolic links" user right, SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege, which is granted to the Administrators group by default. Without that right, Windows rejects the operation with error 1314, "A required privilege is not held by the client", so run the cmdlet from an elevated session or grant the right to the account. On a computer that runs in Windows Developer Mode, Windows also allows accounts without that right to create symbolic links.
Unlike a hard link, a symbolic link is a separate file system entry that stores a path, so it can point to an item on another volume and the link and its target can be managed independently. The cmdlet still requires the target to exist at the moment the link is created. If the target is removed later, the link remains and stops resolving.
Deleting a symbolic link removes the link only and leaves the target untouched. Delete a directory symbolic link as a link rather than recursively, so that the content of the target folder is not affected.