OS Manuals

/usr/bin/mv

GNU core utilities

From coreutils 9.12-r7 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running mv --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/bin/mv [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
  or:  /usr/bin/mv [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
  or:  /usr/bin/mv [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
Rename SOURCE to DEST, or move SOURCE(s) to DIRECTORY.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
      --backup[=CONTROL]
         make a backup of each existing destination file
  -b
         like --backup but does not accept an argument
      --debug
         explain how a file is copied.  Implies -v
      --exchange
         exchange source and destination
  -f, --force
         do not prompt before overwriting
  -i, --interactive
         prompt before overwrite
  -n, --no-clobber
         (deprecated) silently skip existing files.  See also --update
If you specify more than one of -i, -f, -n, only the final one takes effect.
      --no-copy
         do not copy if renaming fails
      --strip-trailing-slashes
         remove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE argument
  -S, --suffix=SUFFIX
         override the usual backup suffix
  -t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
         move all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY
  -T, --no-target-directory
         treat DEST as a normal file
      --update[=UPDATE]
         control which existing files are updated;
         UPDATE={all,none,none-fail,older(default)}
  -u
         equivalent to --update[=older].  See below
  -v, --verbose
         explain what is being done
  -Z, --context
         set SELinux security context of destination file to default type
      --help
         display this help and exit
      --version
         output version information and exit

UPDATE controls which existing files in the destination are replaced.
'all' is the default operation when an --update option is not specified,
and results in all existing files in the destination being replaced.
'none' is like the --no-clobber option, in that no files in the
destination are replaced, and skipped files do not induce a failure.
'none-fail' also ensures no files are replaced in the destination,
but any skipped files are diagnosed and induce a failure.
'older' is the default operation when --update is specified, and results
in files being replaced if they're older than the corresponding source file.

The backup suffix is '~', unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.
The version control method may be selected via the --backup option or through
the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable.  Here are the values:

  none, off       never make backups (even if --backup is given)
  numbered, t     make numbered backups
  existing, nil   numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
  simple, never   always make simple backups

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/mv>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) mv invocation'
Options (18)
OptionDescriptionSource
--backup CONTROLmake a backup of each existing destination filehelp
-blike --backup but does not accept an argumenthelp + man
--debugexplain how a file is copied.help + man
--exchangeexchange source and destinationhelp + man
-f, --forcedo not prompt before overwritinghelp + man
-i, --interactiveprompt before overwritehelp + man
-n, --no-clobber(deprecated) silently skip existing files.help + man
--no-copydo not copy if renaming failshelp + man
--strip-trailing-slashesremove any trailing slashes from each SOURCE argumenthelp + man
-S, --suffix SUFFIXoverride the usual backup suffixhelp + man
-t, --target-directory DIRECTORYmove all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORYhelp + man
-T, --no-target-directorytreat DEST as a normal filehelp + man
--update UPDATEcontrol which existing files are updated;help
-uequivalent to --update[=older].help + man
-v, --verboseexplain what is being donehelp + man
-Z, --contextset SELinux security context of destination file to default typehelp + man
--helpdisplay this help and exithelp + man
--versionoutput version information and exithelp + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.