How to copy directories with spaces in the name

There's no need to add space before closing quote if path doesn't contain trailing backslash, so following command should work:

robocopy "C:\Source Path" "C:\Destination Path" /option1 /option2...

But, following will not work:

robocopy "C:\Source Path\" "C:\Destination Path\" /option1 /option2...

This is due to the escaping issue that is described here:

The \ escape can cause problems with quoted directory paths that contain a trailing backslash because the closing quote " at the end of the line will be escaped \".


What's with separating My Documents from C:\test-backup? And why the quotes only around My Documents?

I'm assuming it's a typo, try using robocopy C:\Users\Angie "C:\test-backup\My Documents" /B /E /R:0 /CREATE /NP /TEE /XJ /LOG+:"CompleteBackupLog.txt"

[Edit:] Since the syntax the documentation specifies (robocopy <Source> <Destination> [<File>[ ...]]) says File, it might not work with Folders.

You'll have to userobocopy "C:\Users\Angie\My Documents" "C:\test-backup\My Documents" /B /E /R:0 /CREATE /NP /TEE /XJ /LOG+:"CompleteBackupLog.txt"


After some trial and error and observing the results (in other words, I hacked it), I got it to work.

Quotes ARE required to use a path name with spaces. The trick is there MUST be a space after the path names before the closing quote...like this...

robocopy "C:\Source Path " "C:\Destination Path " /option1 /option2...

This almost seems like a bug and certainly not very intuitive.

Todd K.