Move-Item

Move an item from one location to another.

Syntax
      Move-Item { [-path] string[] | [-literalPath] string[] }
         [[-destination] string] 
            [-include string[]] [-exclude string[]]
               [-filter string] [-force] [-credential PSCredential] [-PassThru] 
                  [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [-UseTransaction] [CommonParameters]

Key
   -path string
       The path(s) to the items. Wildcards are permitted.
       Use a dot (.) to specify the current location. The default is the current directory.
       Use the wildcard (*) to specify all items in the current location.

   -literalPath string
       Like Path above, only the value is used exactly as typed.
       No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes any
       escape characters then enclose the path in single quotation marks.

   -destination 
       The path to the location where the items are to be moved.
       (default = current directory)
       Wildcards are permitted, but the result must specify a single location.
       To rename the item being moved, specify a new name in the value of Destination.
  
   -include string
       Include only the specified items from the Path. e.g. "May*"
       this only works when the path includes a wildcard character.

   -exclude string
       Omit the specified items from the Path e.g. "*SS64*"
       this only works when the path includes a wildcard character.

   -filter string
       A filter in the provider's format or language. 
       The exact syntax of the filter (wildcard support etc) depends on the provider.
       Filters are more efficient than -include/-exclude, because the provider
       applies the filter when retrieving the objects, rather than having 
       PowerShell filter the objects after they are retrieved.

   -force
       Override restrictions that prevent the command from succeeding, apart
       from security settings. e.g. Force will create file path directories 
       or override a files read-only attribute, but will not change file permissions.

   -passThru
       Pass the object created by this cmdlet through the pipeline.

   -credential PSCredential
       Use a credential to validate access to the file. Credential represents
       a user-name, such as "User01" or "Domain01\User64", or a PSCredential
       object, such as the one retrieved by using the Get-Credential cmdlet.
       If you type a user name, you will be prompted for a password.
       This parameter is not supported by any PowerShell core cmdlets or providers.

   -confirm
       Prompt for confirmation before executing the command.

   -whatIf
       Describe the command without actually executing it.

   -UseTransaction
       Include the command in the active transaction.

   CommonParameters:
       -Verbose, -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -WarningAction, -WarningVariable,
       -OutBuffer -OutVariable.

Standard Aliases for Move-Item: move, mv, mi

Examples

Move and rename a file:

PS C:\> Move-Item -path C:\SS64.txt -destination E:\work\tst.txt

Move a directory, and all of its subdirectories and files:

PS C:\> Move-Item -path C:\Temp -destination C:\Logs

Move all the .TXT files in the current directory, represented by a dot (.)

PS C:\> Move-Item -path .\*.txt -destination C:\Logs

Use Get-Childitem to retrieve all .doc files from the current directory (.) and all subdirectories and move them to a single directory:

PS C:\> Get-Childitem . -recurse -include *.doc | move-item -dest C:\mydocs

If any of the files being moved share the same name, Move-Item will display an error and continue, but will move only one file with each name, the other files remain in their original directories.
By default, Get-Childitem will not select hidden files unless you specify -Force

Move registry keys and values:

PS C:\> Move-Item hklm:\software\SS64\* hklm:\software\TEST

The wildcard (*) indicates that the contents of the SS64 key should be moved, but not the key itself.

Move a directory name that includes bracket characters:

PS C:\> Move-Item -literalpath 'C:\folder_with[reserved`chars]' -destination C:\myDocs

“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it, and if it stops moving, subsidize it” ~ Ronald Reagan

Related PowerShell Cmdlets:

Clear-item - Remove content from a variable or an alias.
Copy-Item - Copy an item from a namespace location.
Get-item - Return an object that represents an item in a namespace.
Invoke-item - Invoke an executable or open a file (START).
New-item - Create a new item in a namespace.
Set-item - Set the value of a provider pathname.
Remove-item - Remove an item.
Rename-item - Change the name of an existing item.