Fix: The File Name Would Be Too Long for the Destination Folder (Windows)

Windows refuses to copy or move a file and shows “The file name(s) would be too long for the destination folder.”

Why: Windows limits a full path — drive letter, every folder name, the file name and its extension — to 260 characters (the MAX_PATH limit). Deeply nested folders or long names push the total over the limit, so the destination path won’t fit. The fastest fixes shorten the path; a registry/policy switch lifts the limit for apps that support it.

Fix 1: Shorten the path (works every time)

1. Move the source folder higher up. Drag the parent folder to the root of a drive, e.g. C:\Temp. A short starting path leaves more room.
2. Rename long folders and files to something shorter before copying.
3. Zip the folder first: right-click it and choose Compress to ZIP file, copy the single ZIP, then extract it at the destination (right-click > Extract All).

This avoids the limit entirely with no system changes.

Fix 2: Copy with Robocopy

The built-in robocopy command handles long paths better than drag-and-drop:

1. Press Start, type cmd, and open Command Prompt.
2. Run, replacing the paths with yours:

   robocopy "C:\source folder" "D:\destination folder" /E

3. /E copies all subfolders, including empty ones. Robocopy reaches paths that File Explorer can’t.

Fix 3: Enable long paths system-wide

Starting with Windows 10 version 1607, you can lift the 260-character limit. This only helps apps that support long paths (File Explorer still enforces the old limit), so use Fix 1 or Fix 2 for everyday copying.

1. Press Start, type PowerShell, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run:

   New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "LongPathsEnabled" -Value 1 -PropertyType DWORD -Force

3. Restart the PC so all programs pick up the change.

On Windows Pro you can do the same via Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem > Enable Win32 long paths, set it to Enabled.

FAQ

I enabled long paths but File Explorer still blocks me — why? File Explorer doesn’t use the long-path setting. Stick with Fix 1 (shorten or zip) or Fix 2 (Robocopy) for copies that File Explorer refuses.

What exactly counts toward the 260 characters? The complete path: drive letter, colon, every folder name, all the backslashes, the file name and its extension. A deep folder tree eats the budget fast.

Will enabling long paths break anything? No. It only changes behaviour for programs built to support it; everything else keeps working as before.

Sources: Microsoft Learn — Maximum Path Length Limitation