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RenameDirectory["dir1","dir2"]

renames the directory dir1 to dir2.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
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RenameDirectory

RenameDirectory["dir1","dir2"]

renames the directory dir1 to dir2.

Details

  • dir1 must already exist; dir2 must not.
  • RenameDirectory sets the modification date for dir2 to be the same as for dir1.
  • RenameDirectory returns the full new directory name, or $Failed if the directory cannot be renamed.
  • RenameDirectory works on cloud objects, changing their cloud file names but not their UUIDs.
  • File["dir"] may be used to specify a directory name.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

Copy a directory:

Wolfram Language code: dir = $InstallationDirectory <> "/SystemFiles/Kernel/TextResources/English";
Wolfram Language code: cdir1 = FileNameJoin[{$TemporaryDirectory, "test1"}];
Wolfram Language code: CopyDirectory[dir, cdir1]

List of files in the directory:

Wolfram Language code: FileNames["*", cdir1]

Rename the directory:

Wolfram Language code: cdir2 = FileNameJoin[{$TemporaryDirectory, "test2"}];
Wolfram Language code: RenameDirectory[cdir1, cdir2]
Wolfram Language code: FileNames["*", cdir1]
Wolfram Language code: FileNames["*", cdir2]

Delete the directory:

Wolfram Language code: DeleteDirectory[cdir2, DeleteContents -> True]

Scope  (2)

Rename a directory specified by the File object:

Wolfram Language code: dir = File[CreateDirectory[]]
Wolfram Language code: newdir = File[FileNameJoin[{$TemporaryDirectory, CreateUUID[]}]];
Wolfram Language code: RenameDirectory[dir, newdir]

Create a CloudObject directory and put two files in the directory:

Wolfram Language code: CreateDirectory[CloudObject["dir"]]; CloudPut[10!, CloudObject["dir/file1"]]; CloudPut[20!, CloudObject["dir/file2"]];

Rename the directory:

Wolfram Language code: RenameDirectory[CloudObject["dir"], CloudObject["dirNew"]]

List all cloud objects under renamed cloud directory:

Wolfram Language code: CloudObjects["dirNew"]

Delete the directory:

Wolfram Language code: DeleteDirectory[CloudObject["dirNew"], DeleteContents -> True]
Wolfram Research (1991), RenameDirectory, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/RenameDirectory.html (updated 2016).

Text

Wolfram Research (1991), RenameDirectory, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/RenameDirectory.html (updated 2016).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1991. "RenameDirectory." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2016. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/RenameDirectory.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1991). RenameDirectory. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/RenameDirectory.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_renamedirectory, author="Wolfram Research", title="{RenameDirectory}", year="2016", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/RenameDirectory.html}", note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_renamedirectory, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={RenameDirectory}, year={2016}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/RenameDirectory.html}, note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}