To move a file (song.mp3) from the current directory to the home directory, you’d run: mv song.mp3 /home Knowing the basic syntax of the command, we’ll show you the most basic example and most common usage of the mv command. To get a list of all the options and more info for the command, run the command with the help option: mv -help How to move a file from one directory to another in Linux?

There are plenty more options for the mv command, some of which will be explained below. -u (–update) – moves a file only when the source file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing.-b (–backup) – takes a backup of the file you’re moving.-n (–no-clobber) – doesn’t move the file if a file already exists in the destination directory.-i (–interactive) – verifies and prompts before moving or overwriting.-f (–force) – forces a move/overwrite, without verifying or prompting you.The most common options for the mv command are:

The syntax for the mv command is: mv source destination Although you can use other commands, this is one of the most commonly used and easiest to use. What command do you use to move a file in Linux? These instructions also work for other Unix-based systems, like macOS and BSD.Īll of these examples are practical and useful for everyday tasks, with real-world use cases. This tutorial will be for the command-line interface (CLI), or Terminal. If you’re using a GUI, you just need to drag and drop the file with your mouse. Step-by-step, beginner-friendly instructions for the Linux terminal. In this tutorial, we’re going to show you how to move a file in Linux.

Move files linux