Fix Destination Path Too Long Error
Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong.
Fix Destination Path Too Long Error Method 1: Temporarily rename the file extension to text Method 2: Shorten the parent folder name Method 3: Delete folder using the freeware app: DeleteLongPath Method 4: Using the xcopy command in the elevated Command Prompt Method 5: Enable Long Path Support (Windows 10 built 1607 or higher)
Method 1: Temporarily rename the file extension to text
If you are trying to move some file that is a single file such as a .rar file or .zip file or .iso file, you can temporarily try to rename the file extension and revert it once you have moved the file. To do this the steps are –
Right-click on the .zip or .rar archive and choose Rename. Then, modify the extension to “txt”.
If you can’t see the extension types by default, access the View tab of File Explorer and check the box associated with File name extensions.
Move the file to where you want it to be, then right-click on it again, choose Rename and modify the extension back to what it was initially.
Method 2: Shorten the parent folder name
Another easy approach to avoid such error is to shorten the parent folder’s name. But, this method may not seem fruitful if many files are exceeding the length’s limit & restriction. This is possible if you have a limited or countable number of files and folders displaying such issue when you are moving, deleting or copying a file.
After you rename the file, you can easily Fix Destination Path Too Long Error, but if you’re still facing the above error message, continue with the next method.
Method 3: Delete folder using the freeware app: DeleteLongPath
You might encounter a situation where you want to delete multiple folders and sub-folders in which the character limit exceeds 260 characters. To help yourself, you can rely on a freeware name: “DeleteLongPath” to get around with such a problem. This lightweight program can automatically delete the folder structure and internally stored sub-folders and files. To do this the steps are –
Go to this link and download the application.
Extract the zip file and double-click on “DeleteLongPath” executable.
Click the Browse button & navigate to the folder which you cannot delete.
Now hit the “Delete” button & get rid of the files or folder which earlier you weren’t able to delete.
Press Yes, when you the final warning appears & wait to let the app delete the structure.
Method 4: Using the xcopy command in the elevated Command Prompt
Open Command Prompt. The user can perform this step by searching for ‘cmd’ and then press Enter.
Now, paste the following command in the command prompt & press Enter:
Note that in place of the path to source files & * destination path* you have to replace it with your folder’s exact paths.
Method 5: Enable Long Path Support (Windows 10 built 1607 or higher)
In case you are Windows 10 user & you’ve upgraded to Anniversary Update (1607), you are eligible to disable the MAX_PATH limit. This will permanently fix destination path too long error, and the steps to do this are –
Press Windows Key + R then type regedit and hit Enter to open Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following registry key:
Make sure to select FileSystem from the right window pane double-click on the “LongPathsEnabled”.
Set its Value data to 1 and click Ok to make changes.
Now, close the registry editor and try moving those long named folders. Recommended:
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I hope this article was helpful and now you can easily Fix Destination Path Too Long Error in Windows 10, but if you still have any questions regarding this guide then feel free to ask them in the comment’s section.
