I made one Windows file exist in two folders without creating a second copy

Released Oct 12, 2026, 1:30 PM EDT

Afam’s experience in tech publishing go back to 2018, when he worked for Make Tech Easier. For many years, he has actually constructed a track record for releasing top quality guides, evaluations, suggestions, and explainer short articles, covering Windows, Linux, and open source tools. His work has actually been included on the top sites, consisting of Technical Ustad, Windows Report, Guiding Tech, Alphr, and Next of Windows.

He holds a very first degree in Computer Science and is a strong supporter for information personal privacy and security, with numerous suggestions, videos, and tutorials on the subject released on the Fuzo Tech YouTube channel.

When he is not working, he enjoys to hang around with his household, biking, or tending to his garden.

If you ask practically anybody where a file is on Windows, they’ll call a folder, and I would typically concur. After making a single text file live in 2 various folders, with no copies included, I began looking at things in a different way. There’s an integrated system on Windows for this, and all you require is a single command.

I evaluated it by attempting to break things; I modified, erased, moved it in between drives, and got outcomes I didn’t anticipate.

One file, 2 folders

I inspected whether Windows had actually saved another gigabyte

To begin, I developed a plain text file called original.txt, and positioned it in a folder called Projects. I opened the Command Prompt and ran this command:

mklink /H C:TestArchivesecond-name.txt C:TestProjectsoriginal.txt

The command developed a difficult link, offering the very same file information a 2nd name: second-name. txt. It pointed straight to the exact same file’s information I had actually produced. I got verification of my difficult link when Windows printed both courses under the exact same file after I ran the command:

fsutil hardlink list C:TestProjectsoriginal.txt

While it informed me both names were linked, absolutely nothing had actually been copied. Beside both file names, File Explorer noted 1GiB, however this wasn’t much assistance. I required more context, so I produced a 1GiB dummy file and saw the totally free area on my C: drive visited about 1GiB. I hard-linked it to the 2nd folder and this time the complimentary area dropped by just 671,744 bytes (about 656 KiB), not a whole gigabyte.

I still could not represent the additional bytes, however the hard-link list verified that Windows had not developed another copy of the file’s information. It included a 2nd name for that very same file.

Modify one, modification both

The catch is how your app conserves the file

I added a line to the 2nd name utilizing this command:

echo Added through the second name>> C:TestArchivesecond-name.txt

I opened original.txt which line was currently there. No syncing or copying took place; I had actually modified just one file.

Adding is the simple case due to the fact that it composes straight into the existing file. The path the majority of people would rather take is to open an app, modify the file, and wait. I attempted it. I opened second-name. txt with Notepad, and after making an edit, I waited. I headed back to the Command Prompt and ran fsutil hardlink list

When once again, I might see both courses noted with original.txt revealing the modifications.

I just evaluated utilizing Notepad, so this might not be the very same experience with every program. Other programs can break the link by conserving to a brand-new momentary file and changing the initial, leaving the 2 names connected to various files.

If you utilize a various app, run the fsutil hardlink list command and validate that both courses still appear.

Erase a name, keep the information

I erased the file I called”initial “and lost absolutely nothing

Here was the point I believed I may break it. I erased the very first file I developed, original.txt. When I opened second-name. txt, absolutely nothing had actually altered. Even my newest edits were still shown.

When I erased second-name. txt, both file names were now gone. This was shown in my 1GiB test: the readily available area on my C: drive hardly altered after I erased the given name, however I returned about 1GiB after erasing the surname. As long as the name indicated it, the information stayed offered on my computer system.

Filenames on Windows are directory site entries for particular files, and the information exists independently. When you erase one tough link, you have actually just gotten rid of the label, however the shared information stays available through the staying link.

Every file on your computer system has a name which is currently one directory site entry for its information. Utilizing the mklink /H command enables you to include a 2nd name. Despite the fact that I called one file original.txt, it actually does not matter since neither name was ever more initial than the other.

I brought out 2 useful awareness. As long as a difficult link exists, you do not recover any area that the information holds by erasing a name that indicates it. Just getting rid of the last link will maximize area. A tough link ought to not be misinterpreted for a backup; both names gain access to the very same information. Any modification made through one name appears through the other.

My C: to D: effort, and what to utilize when you require to cross drives

I wasn’t done simply. I attempted to connect a file throughout drives, and Windows outright declined the operation: “The system can stagnate the file to a various hard disk drive.” It’s likewise difficult to hard-link a folder or produce a tough link throughout drives. For folders or files on various drives, I ‘d think about 2 other alternatives:

A tough link is the method to go on the very same drive if you desire a genuine 2nd name for a file. When connecting throughout drives or to folders, utilize a symbolic link.