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I often want to copy all the file names with full path and extensions in a folder to a ".txt" document but can't. Is there an easy way to do this? How? Is there a simple batch file that will do it? Freeware might work, but I would rather have a simple batch.bat or .exe file that works.

7 Answers 7

47
  1. Open up a command prompt

  2. Navigate to the directory you want with cd "Documents"

  3. dir /B > filelist.txt

  4. Open filelist.txt or move it where you want.

My output:

C:\Users\Tom\Documents>dir /B
all.css
BFBC2
Disc Images
Fax
Fiddler2
gegl-0.0
Network Monitor 3
Scanned Documents
SQL Server Management Studio
SweetScape
Virtual Machines
Visual Studio 2010

You can limit to just files with dir /B /A-D. /AD meaning only directories, /A-D means not directories.

5
  • Great answer. Is it possible to cover subfolders as well I mean recursively?
    – VVB
    Feb 5, 2019 at 15:55
  • NOT working for me!!! where am I wrong? shift+rightClick in the directory and open powershell. Trying dir /B > fileList.txt gives me error that Cannot find path 'D:\b' because it does not exist. @VVB Sep 24, 2020 at 8:18
  • @VVB dir /b /s > filelist.txt. Or, try dir /? for the help page. Sep 25, 2020 at 13:53
  • @JustCurious DIR /B won't work in PowerShell, you need to use Command Prompt (cmd.exe).
    – aphoria
    Sep 25, 2020 at 13:54
  • Navigate to the folder using windows explorer. Write "cmd" in the address bar and press enter. Write the command "dir /s /b | clip" at the command prompt to list all files as filenames only and copy to the windows clipboard. Also fun "tree /f".
    – Arne S
    Apr 5, 2022 at 17:24
32

Which version of Windows? In Windows 7 at least (ought to work in Win8 as well), you can select the files, press Shift and right-click. Now you'll see a new Copy as path option that you can click on, and then paste the paths in Notepad.

2
  • 4
    thats just a lot easier than @tom and yeas works in win 8.1
    – Jon
    Jul 28, 2014 at 14:21
  • 1
    Great solution works on windows7 tooo. Save my lots of time
    – MaxPayne
    Aug 14, 2015 at 6:31
7

Open a Notepad and type the below lines.

dir /a /b /-p /o:gen >names.txt

Save this file with .bat as extension. Move the .bat file to which folder you want to get list of file names. Double click the bat file. One file named names.txt will be created, which has list of file names.

5

Select all files in folder, Shift+Right-Click, copy as path, paste to doc/excel/text/email

3
  • "copy as path" isn't a default option in Windows. You have to provide in specific detail how to add that option. This answer is incomplete.
    – Ramhound
    Feb 19, 2016 at 18:37
  • 4
    @Ramhound It is, actually, but it only appears if you hold Shift while right-clicking. This is actually a reasonable answer. I'm voting Looks OK. - From Review
    – Ben N
    Feb 20, 2016 at 0:36
  • 2
    This is a correct answer, but Karan already gave it, 3½ years before. Aug 31, 2018 at 0:29
5

In Windows 7 and later, it's so easy!

(You don't need special tools or even the command prompt.)

  1. Using Windows Explorer, select whichever files you want
  2. Shift+Right-Click (will make "Copy as path" available in the context menu)
  3. Click "Copy as path"
  4. Paste to Notepad (or wherever else you want)

enter image description here

Thanks to https://www.buildsometech.com/2020/03/copy-file-names-into-excel-from-folder.html

1

(for %F in (*) do @echo %~dpnxF)|sort >filelist.txt will produce sorted list of files (with full paths) in current directory in file called filelist.txt. Change * to whatever directory\path pattern you wish. Be aware that it will include filelist.txt itself if you enumerate current directory so it's better to run from parent dir instead.

1

Download xplorer² lite, select all files in a folder and copy all the file names with full path and extensions to clipboard, notepad, Word or Excel using shortcut Alt+C or click in Edit and then Copy names. It works very nice and easy.

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