5 Best Free Symlink Creator Software For Windows

Here is a list of best free symlink creator software for Windows. Through these software, you can create symlinks as well as hard links of a file or folder. Symlink or Symbolic link is basically a shortcut of a file or folder placed in some other location in PC. When you open any short link of a file or folder, you actually access original content without going to their actual file location. A hard link is also similar to a symlink link file, but instead of creating a shortcut of a file, it creates a copy of the original file in the destination folder. The processes of creating a symlink and hard link are almost identical. In all of these software, you need to enter some basic parameters like file type, path of source file or folder, path of output folder, etc.

You can create a symlink through Windows command prompt too, by using command with following syntax: MKLINK “<destination location for symlink>” “<path of the source file or folder>”. For example:

MKLINK "E:\Test 2\sf" "E:\11 Video Files\Editor[27].mp4"

But, using these software are definitely easier than writing the command on command prompt.

My Favorite Symlink Creator Software For Windows:

Symlink Creator is my favorite software because it lets you create both symlink and hard link of both files and folders. Plus, it is the only software that provides symlink creation command on its interface.

You can also check out lists of best free Broken Link Checker and Broken Shortcut Fixer software for Windows.

Symlink Creator

Symlink Creator is a free symlink creator software for Windows. It lets you create symbolic links (shortcuts) of various types of files like image files, video files, documents, etc. Plus, shortcuts of installed or portable software can also be made through this software. Using it, you can make two types of symlink named file symbolic link (for files) and directory symbolic link (for folders).

In this software, you can also create a hard link of a file or folder. Hard links are slightly different than the symlink as symlinks create a shortcut of a file, while hard link creates a copy of file or folder in the destination folder. Similar to symlinks, you can create two types of hard links named file hard link (for files) and directory hard links (for folders).

The process of creating a symlink is pretty simple as you just need to select the type of link, source folder, and destination folder from the interface. After that, click the create button to create symlink of input file or folder. If you want to create symlink through command prompt, then you can copy the command from its interface after selecting parameters (file type, source, and destination folder) and paste it to command prompt.

Overall, Symlink Creator is just a GUI of a MLINK command of the Windows.

Windows Symbolic Link Maker

Windows Symbolic Link Maker is another free symlink creator software for Windows. Besides symlink, you can also make hard link through this software. There is one limitation with hard link that it can only create hard links of files and not of folders. However, symlinks of both files and folders can be created.

To create symlinks, first, select file link (for files) or directory (for folders) from link type menu. After that, select the source file or folder from Link target option and output location from link file. Lastly, press the make link button to make a symlink. A symlink or shortcut file of few kilobytes will appear on destination folder, through which you can access the output file or folder.

Similar to symlinks, you can create a hard link of a file by ticking the hardline checkbox and selecting the source and destination folder. In case of hard links, you will actually get a copy of source file to the destination folder.

Symlink Manager

Symlink Manager is a free and portable symlink creator software for Windows. Using it, you can create a symlink of a file (movies, songs, documents, etc.) as well as a folder. Not just symlinks, it can also be used to create hard links for both files and folders.

The process of creating symlinks is pretty simple. You need to select file or directory symbolic link option from symlink type menu. File symbolic link option is used to create a symlink of a file, whereas directory symbolic link option is used to create symlink of a folder.

Now, to create hard link of a file or a folder, select hard link or directory hard link option from the symlink type menu, respectively. After selecting the appropriate options, press the create symlink button to create a hard link of a file/folder.

WinbolicLink

WinbolicLink is a completely free and simple symlink creator software for Windows. It is capable of creating both symbolic links as well as hard links. This software has one let down that it can not create symlinks and hard links of files. Still, it can create a symlink of a folder. This software uses Windows inbuilt functionality to create both symlinks and hard links.

This freeware comes with two inbuilt file explorers, one is to select a folder to place the symlink and other is to select a folder to create its symlink. After selecting folders, name the symlink folder and press shell link button to create a symlink and NTFS junction button to create a hard link.

In case of symlink, a shortcut of a folder is created inside the destination folder; whereas in hard link, an actual copy of the folder is created inside the destination folder.

Portable Symbolic Link Creator

Portable Symbolic Link Creator, as the name suggests, is another free and portable symlink creator software for Windows. With the help of this software, you can create symlinks, hard links, and directory links of both files and folders. It uses Windows built-in functions which are normally accessible through the command line to create symlinks. Basically, it is just a graphical interface for the Windows inbuilt functions for those users who don’t want to create symlinks through the command line.

To create symlink, first, select symlink type (files/folder) and then type of link (symbolic link, hard link, and directory junction) from the interface. After that, provide the path of output folder (where you want to create the shortcut) in link file input box. Now, enter the path of a file or folder whose symlink you want to create in destination file input box. Lastly, press the create link button to create the selected link type.