Batch File To Check If File Exists

September 15, 2021 admin

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to check if a specific file exists in a Windows batch file using the IF EXIST condition. This technique is essential for scripting tasks such as automation, deployment, and backup processes where file validation is crucial.

Batch files consist of a series of DOS (Disk Operating System) instructions that automate tasks via the command line.

✅ Example 1: Basic File Existence Check

This example checks whether the file filename.txt exists in the current directory and displays a corresponding message.

@echo off
IF EXIST "filename.txt" (
    echo File EXIST!
) ELSE (
    echo File missing!
)

🧪 Output:

📌 Explanation:

IF EXIST "filename.txt" checks if the file exists.
Displays a message depending on the result.

🚪 Example 2: Exit Script If File Is Missing

This version exits the batch file immediately if the required file is not found.

@echo off
IF NOT EXIST "filename.txt" EXIT /b
echo File Exists!

📌 Explanation:

EXIT /b ends the script execution if filename.txt is missing.
Otherwise, it continues and echoes the existence message.

💡 Tips:

Use full paths for accuracy: IF EXIST "C:\MyFolder\filename.txt" (echo File found)
For multiple files, combine checks or use a FOR loop (see how to check multiple files exist).

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5 thoughts on “Batch File To Check If File Exists”

Tim Gillis

April 10, 2022 at 6:40 pm

Wow, this “tutorial” is so very inadequate. The command checks to see if the file exists. But where? Anywhere on the computer? Only the current drive? Only the current directory? Don’t you think that bit of information would be helpful?
- Dan
  
  May 13, 2022 at 12:26 pm
  
  Yep, we are waiting for your solution then
kaeng

July 26, 2022 at 11:04 pm
just replace filename.txt with drive\folder\subfolder\filename.ext

e.g the file you’re checking for should be something like c:\tmp\folder1\subfolder1\something.txt
then the code would be :-
```
@echo off 
IF EXIST "c:\tmp\folder1\subfolder1\something.txt" (
    echo 'File EXIST!'
) ELSE (
    echo 'File missing!'
)
```
chandru

September 20, 2022 at 7:20 am

Hi,

I have files with names

“windows10.0-kb123456-v2-x64_fa90a4bdc1da0f5758cdfa53c58187d9fc894fa0.msu”
“windows10.0-kb987654-v2-x64_fa90a4bdc1da0f5758cdfa53c58187d9fc894fa0.msu”
“windows10.0-kb167890-v2-x64_fa90a4bdc1da0f5758cdfa53c58187d9fc894fa0.msu”
“windows10.0-kb235684-v2-x64_fa90a4bdc1da0f5758cdfa53c58187d9fc894fa0.msu”
“windows10.0-kb654321-v2-x64_fa90a4bdc1da0f5758cdfa53c58187d9fc894fa0.msu”

I want to filter a file which is having “kb123456” in the above list and want to display it as an output, may I know how to achieve this using batch script
John

October 8, 2022 at 8:38 am

So how do I check if the file name is in a variable to test if the file exists?