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Key Takeaways

To copy the full path of a file or folder on Windows 10, hold Shift and right-click the file or folder, then select "Copy as Path" from the context menu. Press Ctrl+V (or use the context menu) to paste the path to the file. You may also select a file then click "Copy Path" in the File Explorer toolbar.

Sometimes, it's handy to copy the full path of a file or folder in Windows 10 to the clipboard. That way, you can paste the path into an open or upload dialog quickly without having to browse for it the file. Luckily, there's an easy way to do it. Here's how.

Copy a File or Folder's Path with the Right-Click Context Menu

Find the file or folder whose path you'd like to copy in File Explorer. Hold down Shift on your keyboard and right-click on it. In the context menu that pops up, select "Copy As Path."

(The location of "Copy As Path" in the context menu list will vary, depending on your system setup and the type of file you are right-clicking on.)

The Shift+Right-Click context menu with "Copy as Path" highlighted.

This will copy the full path of the file's location onto the Windows clipboard. For example, the path may look something like this: "C:\Users\redwolf\Desktop\Example Images\Picture.jpg."

You can then paste the path wherever you like, such as a file upload dialog in a web browser.

The file path pasted in a new File Explorer window.

Copy a File or Folder Path with the File Explorer Toolbar

If you don't want to use the right-click menu, you have a few other options. You can also just click and select the file, then hit "Copy Path" on the toolbar at the top.

Select the file, then click "Copy Path" at the top.

Copy a Folder's Path with the File Explorer Address Bar

To copy a folder's complete path, just right-click the address bar in File Explorer and select "Copy Address."

This will not grab the full address of any files you have selected, only the folder that contains them. It is still handy, though.

Right-click the File Explorer address bar, then select "Copy Address" to get the folder path.

These tip also helps when you're hacking the registry to add any application your desktop context menu, running commands in the Command Prompt or PowerShell, and doing anything else that requires the full path of a file. There's no need to type it out, and you won't be left scratching your head when a typo makes Command Prompt complain that no such file or directory exists.