How to Copy a File or Directory via Mac Terminal

You can Copy a File or Directory via Mac Terminal. It’s easy to use, but keep in mind that copying files is a little different from copying directories, which we’ll talk about below. Mac Terminal is a strong programme that lets us use a command line to do important things. There are a lot of reasons to use it, and even if you have used Terminal before, being able to copy files and directories is important.

To fix a problem or get to a file quickly, it’s helpful to know how to find and copy a file path on a Macs. This copies the name of the path to the clipboard so you can use it elsewhere, like in Notes as a reference or in Terminal to do more things. We mentioned below are the ways to Copy a File or Directory via Mac Terminal. You can also go to the official Mac support site for more information about this error.

Ways to Copy a File or Directory via Mac Terminal

Copy File Path via Go to Folder

1. While in Finder, click on the Go option on the taskbar of your Mac.
2. Select the Go to Folder option.
3. You’ll see a new pop-up window named Go to Folder.
4. Now, you need to drag the file or folder you want to copy the full path of and drag it into the input field that says Enter a path.
5. You should now see the full file path in the Go to Folder dialog box.
6. Just press Command + C to copy the path of the file to the clipboard. You can now paste the full path of the file anywhere you want.

Copy File Path from Mac Context Menu

This is probably the easiest way to copy the path to a file or folder on macOS. It is very similar to the Shift+Right-Click keyboard shortcut on Windows. By default, the Copy path option is hidden.

1. Select a file or folder and perform a right-click.
2. When the context menu pops up, press and hold the Option key on the keyboard.
3. Copy “File-name” as Pathname option will appear in the context menu. Just click it to copy the full file path to the clipboard.

Find the Path of a File in Mac Terminal

Most of the time, Mac Terminal is used to run commands, but it can also be used to find the path to a file on macOS. Follow these steps to use the Terminal app on a Mac to find the path to a file. This method is helpful if you need to type the full path to a file in a command line.

• Navigate to Finder > Go > Utilities.
• Launch the Terminal app.
• Now, drag the file or folder you want the find the path of and drop it in the Terminal window.
• It will show you the file’s full path right away. If the file is on the desktop, the desktop path will be shown. Similarly, if the file is in the Downloads folder, it will show the download folder path in the Terminal.
• Just highlight the file path and copy it to the clipboard. The path of the file is ready to be pasted wherever you want.

Find File Path via the Get Info Option

In the context menu on macOS, there is an option called Get info that works the same way as the Properties option on Windows. Using this option, you can see all information related to any file on your Macintosh computer such as file name, file type, file size, location, and so on.

1. Right-click on a file or folder and click the Get info option in the context menu.
2. The infobox will pop up.
3. Check the Where label and you will find the path of the file as shown below. You can highlight the path of the file and copy it.

FAQ

How do I copy a file to a directory in Terminal?

You can copy a file by right-clicking it and choosing “Copy.” Then you can go to a different directory and choose “Paste.” People who like the terminal can also copy and paste files without leaving the terminal. In a terminal that runs Linux, you use the cp command to do this.

How do you copy all files in a folder to another folder in Terminal?

You can move files from one local directory to another using the cp command. The -a option copies files in a recursive way and keeps the timestamp and other attributes of the files. By putting a period (.) at the end of the source path, you can copy all files and folders, even ones that are hidden.