How to Delete a Folder in CMD
Deleting folders via the Command Prompt (CMD) in Windows is a quick and efficient way to manage your file system, especially when dealing with multiple directories or automating tasks. CMD provides commands that allow you to remove both empty and non-empty folders with ease.
Deleting an Empty Folder with rmdir
The rmdir (Remove Directory) command is used to delete empty folders.
1. Basic Usage of rmdir:
To delete an empty folder, navigate to the directory containing the folder you want to delete or provide the full path:
rmdir "path\to\your\folder"Example:
rmdir "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\OldFolder"
This command deletes the OldFolder directory if it is empty.
Deleting a Non-Empty Folder with rmdir /S
If the folder contains files or other subdirectories, you must use the /S flag to delete the folder and all its contents.
2. Using rmdir /S:
The /S flag is used to remove a directory along with all files and subdirectories it contains:
rmdir /S "path\to\your\folder"Example:
rmdir /S "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\OldProject"
This command deletes the OldProject directory along with all files and folders inside it.
3. Confirming Deletion (Optional):
By default, rmdir /S will ask for confirmation before deleting the directory. If you want to skip the confirmation prompt, use the /Q (Quiet mode) flag:
rmdir /S /Q "path\to\your\folder"Example:
rmdir /S /Q "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\OldProject"
This command deletes the OldProject directory and its contents without asking for confirmation.
Alternative Method: Using the del Command
The del command is primarily used to delete files, but it can also be used in conjunction with rmdir to ensure that all files within a directory are removed before deleting the directory itself.
4. Deleting All Files in a Folder:
First, delete all files in the folder, then remove the folder itself:
del /Q "path\to\your\folder\*.*"
rmdir "path\to\your\folder"Example:
del /Q "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\OldFolder\*.*"
rmdir "C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents\OldFolder"Examples of Deleting Folders in CMD
- Delete an Empty Folder:
rmdir "C:\path\to\your\emptyFolder"- Delete a Folder with All Contents:
rmdir /S "C:\path\to\your\fullFolder"- Delete a Folder Silently Without Confirmation:
rmdir /S /Q "C:\path\to\your\quietFolder"Official References
Jorge García
Fullstack developer