Create Symlink, Junction, and Hard Link in Windows

What is a Link?

A link is a reference to a file or directory. It saves disk space by pointing to the original instead of copying.

Three Types of Links

| Type | Works With | Cross-Drive | Admin | Command | | :------------ | :-------------- | :---------- | :---- | :---------------------- | | Symlink | Files & Folders | Yes | Yes | mklink /D or mklink | | Junction | Folders only | Yes | No | mklink /J | | Hard Link | Files only | No | No | mklink /H |

Symbolic Link (Symlink)

For Folders

mklink /D "link_path" "target_path"

Example:

mklink /D "C:\Desktop\MyFolder" "D:\Projects\MyFolder"

For Files

mklink "link_path" "target_path"

Example:

mklink "C:\Desktop\config.ini" "C:\AppData\config.ini"

Note: Requires Administrator privileges

Junction

For Folders Only

mklink /J "link_path" "target_path"

Example:

mklink /J "C:\Desktop\MyFolder" "D:\Projects\MyFolder"

Note: No admin required

Hard Link

For Files Only

mklink /H "link_path" "target_path"

Example:

mklink /H "C:\Desktop\config.ini" "C:\AppData\config.ini"

Note: Both files must be on the same drive

How to Use

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (for symlink only)

   • Press Win + R
   • Type cmd
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter

2. Run the command

   mklink /D "C:\Desktop\MyFolder" "D:\Projects\MyFolder"
   

3. Verify

   dir C:\Desktop
   

Remove a Link

rmdir "link_path"

Or:

del "link_path"

Warning: Only deletes the link, not the target

Common Errors

| Error | Cause | Solution | | :------------- | :-------------------- | :----------------------- | | Access Denied | Not admin | Run as Administrator | | Path not found | Wrong path | Check target path exists | | Already exists | Link exists | Delete it first | | Different disk | Hard link cross-drive | Use symlink instead |

When to Use

• Symlink: Need to link files or folders across drives
• Junction: Link folders without admin rights
• Hard Link: Link files on the same drive