File Pathname character limitations in Windows

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When you copy files from one location to other in Windows, you might have seen the errors like “File name too long to copy” with those wonderful useless options SKIP or CANCEL.

This is because of the limit on the number of characters on a File Path and the Filename togethor. So, the bad news is there is no direct fix for this.

The workaround to this to organise the File and Directory structure so you end up with this error as it can be irritating which file was the culprit right in the middle of a large file transfer.

If you are copying from Network shares, you can assign drive letters to the network path and initiate file copies. This should help.

The following is the File Path + Name limit in various Windows operating system versions:

Windows Vista / Windows 7 /Windows Server 2008

Path limit is 248 characters.
Path+Filename limit is 260 characters

Windows xp /2003

Path+Filename limit is 255 characters

Windows 2000

Path+Filename limit is 254 Characters

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Topics: Windows 2000, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows XP SP3, Windows-Server-2003

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