FileExistsQ—Wolfram Documentation

FileExistsQ["name"]

gives True if the file with the specified name exists, and gives False otherwise.

Details

In FileExistsQ["name"], name is interpreted relative to your current directory.
FileExistsQ does not search $Path.
FileExistsQ tests for files, directories, or any other filesystem objects.
FileExistsQ also works with cloud objects.
FileExistsQ[File["file"]] is also supported

Examples

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Basic Examples (2)

Check if a file exists:

Create a file:

Check if the file exists:

Delete the file:

Scope (2)

Check if the file specified by the File object exists:

Create a reference to a new anonymous cloud object:

The cloud object does not yet exist in the Wolfram Cloud:

Create the cloud object by putting an expression in it:

Now the cloud object exists in the Wolfram Cloud:

Delete the object:

The cloud object no longer exists:

Wolfram Research (2008), FileExistsQ, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileExistsQ.html (updated 2016).

Text

Wolfram Research (2008), FileExistsQ, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileExistsQ.html (updated 2016).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2008. "FileExistsQ." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2016. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileExistsQ.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2008). FileExistsQ. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileExistsQ.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_fileexistsq, author="Wolfram Research", title="{FileExistsQ}", year="2016", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileExistsQ.html}", note=[Accessed: 22-February-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_fileexistsq, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={FileExistsQ}, year={2016}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileExistsQ.html}, note=[Accessed: 22-February-2026]}