How to check if File and Folders exists using PowerShell

The most common things an automated job would have to do are manage files and directories, which you can do with PowerShell. You can perform a lot of tasks using PowerShell. For instance, you can verify if files or folders exist within your computer. This way, many files and folders can be easily checked.

How can I, using PowerShell, check if a file or folder exists?

You can test if the path exists or not with the built-in cmdlet Test-Path in PowerShell. It accepts a path containing a file or folder and depending upon the existence of the path, the cmdlet returns either a $true or $false value.

Checking if a file exists

Following is some simple code that checks if a file exists using if and else statements:

if file path "F:wp-config.php" is equal to test value The program outputs "The file exists." "The file does not exist." is printed by using a write statement.

Update the code with the correct location and name of the folder

Checking if a folder exists

To check if a folder exists you need to update the path so that it points to where it is located.

The above Write-Output instructions will return "F:Backup" if test-path "The folder exists." otherwise, write "The folder does not exist."

Check whether some files and folders exist with PowerShell.

Apart from checking one by one, you can check the existence of several files and folders in one step. The process is as follows :

$paths = @( "C:Usersfile.webp", "C:UsersReport.docx", "C:UsersProfilePic.png", "C:Usersfavorites", "C:UsersVacation" ) foreach ($path in $paths) {$results = @() If the variable $path is a Test-Path, then print "$path exists." Otherwise, print "$path does not exist." {$results | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }

This script will test the existence of your files and folders and then output each path's result accordingly.

Implementing Wildcards into Test-Path

Using Wildcards, Test-Path allows you also to check if a certain file exists within a directory.

not in the test path "C:path o ewfolder" The command "New-Item -Path "C:path o ewfolder" -ItemType Directory Write-Output "Folder created." > instead of doing nothing, print "Folder already exists."

 Creating a new folder in an existing one

Alternatively it is possible to create a new folder in an existing directory if it does not exist.

not in the test path "C:path o ewfolder" "New-Item -Path "C:path o ewfolder" -ItemType Directory Write-Output "Folder created." > instead print "Folder already exists."

One can confirm the availability of files and folders in a specific directory. This can be very useful when you need to create multiple folders, check on several files, or just about anything in between. I say give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.