---
name: "podman-cp"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "podman"
version: "6.1.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/podman-cp"
---

# podman-cp(1)

Copy files/folders between a container and the local filesystem

## NAME

podman-cp - Copy files/folders between a container and the local filesystem

## SYNOPSIS

**podman cp** \[*options*\] \[*container*:\]*src\_path* \[*container*:\]*dest\_path*

**podman container cp** \[*options*\] \[*container*:\]*src\_path* \[*container*:\]*dest\_path*

## DESCRIPTION

**podman cp** allows copying the contents of **src\_path** to the **dest\_path**. Files can be copied from a container to the local machine and vice versa or between two containers. If **-** is specified for either the **SRC\_PATH** or **DEST\_PATH**, one can also stream a tar archive from **STDIN** or to **STDOUT**.

The containers can be either running or stopped and the *src\_path* or *dest\_path* can be a file or directory.

\*IMPORTANT: The **podman cp** command assumes container paths are relative to the container's root directory (**/**), which means supplying the initial forward slash is optional and therefore sees **compassionate\_darwin:/tmp/foo/myfile.txt** and **compassionate\_darwin:tmp/foo/myfile.txt** as identical.\*

Local machine paths can be an absolute or relative value. The command interprets a local machine's relative paths as relative to the current working directory where **podman cp** is run.

Assuming a path separator of **/**, a first argument of **src\_path** and second argument of **dest\_path**, the behavior is as follows:

**src\_path** specifies a file:\
   \- **dest\_path** does not exist\
     \- the file is saved to a file created at **dest\_path** (note that parent directory must exist).\
   \- **dest\_path** exists and is a file\
     \- the destination is overwritten with the source file's contents.\
   \- **dest\_path** exists and is a directory\
     \- the file is copied into this directory using the base name from **src\_path**.

**src\_path** specifies a directory:\
   \- **dest\_path** does not exist\
     \- **dest\_path** is created as a directory and the contents of the source directory are copied into this directory.\
   \- **dest\_path** exists and is a file\
     \- Error condition: cannot copy a directory to a file.\
   \- **dest\_path** exists and is a directory\
     \- **src\_path** ends with **/**\
       \- the source directory is copied into this directory.\
     \- **src\_path** ends with **/.** (i.e., slash followed by dot)\
       \- the content of the source directory is copied into this directory.

The command requires **src\_path** and **dest\_path** to exist according to the above rules.

If **src\_path** is local and is a symbolic link, the symbolic target, is copied by default.

A *colon* ( : ) is used as a delimiter between a container and its path, it can also be used when specifying paths to a **src\_path** or **dest\_path** on a local machine, for example, **file:name.txt**.

\*IMPORTANT: while using a *colon* ( : ) in a local machine path, one must be explicit with a relative or absolute path, for example: **/path/to/file:name.txt** or **./file:name.txt**\*

Using **-** as the **src\_path** streams the contents of **STDIN** as a tar archive. The command extracts the content of the tar to the **DEST\_PATH** in the container. In this case, **dest\_path** must specify a directory. Using **-** as the **dest\_path** streams the contents of the resource (can be a directory) as a tar archive to **STDOUT**.

Note that **podman cp** ignores permission errors when copying from a running rootless container.  The TTY devices inside a rootless container are owned by the host's root user and hence cannot be read inside the container's user namespace.

Further note that **podman cp** does not support globbing (e.g., **cp dir/\*.txt**).  To copy multiple files from the host to the container use [xargs(1)](/xargs/1.md) or [find(1)](/find/1.md) (or similar tools for chaining commands) in conjunction with **podman cp**.  To copy multiple files from the container to the host, use **podman mount CONTAINER** and operate on the returned mount point instead (see ALTERNATIVES below).

## OPTIONS

### --archive, -a

Archive mode (copy all UID/GID information). When set to true, files copied to a container have changed ownership to the primary UID/GID of the container. When set to false, maintain UID/GID from archive sources instead of changing them to the primary UID/GID of the destination container. The default is **true**.

### --overwrite

Allow directories to be overwritten with non-directories and vice versa.  By default, **podman cp** errors out when attempting to overwrite, for instance, a regular file with a directory.

## ALTERNATIVES

Podman has much stronger capabilities than just **podman cp** to achieve copying files between the host and containers.

Using standard **[podman-mount(1)](/podman-mount/1.md)** and **[podman-unmount(1)](/podman-unmount/1.md)** takes advantage of the entire Linux tool chain, rather than just **cp**.

Copying contents out of a container or into a container can be achieved with a few simple commands. For example:

To copy the **/etc/foobar** directory out of a container and onto **/tmp** on the host, the following commands can be executed:

```
mnt=$(podman mount CONTAINERID)
cp -R ${mnt}/etc/foobar /tmp
podman umount CONTAINERID
```

To untar a tar ball into a container, following commands can be executed:

```
mnt=$(podman mount CONTAINERID)
tar xf content.tgz -C ${mnt}
podman umount CONTAINERID
```

To install a package into a container that does not have dnf installed, following commands can be executed:

```
mnt=$(podman mount CONTAINERID)
dnf install --installroot=${mnt} httpd
chroot ${mnt} rm -rf /var/log/dnf /var/cache/dnf
podman umount CONTAINERID
```

By using **podman mount** and **podman unmount**, one can use all of the standard Linux tools for moving files into and out of containers, not just the **cp** command.

## EXAMPLES

Copy a file from the host to a container:

```
podman cp /myapp/app.conf containerID:/myapp/app.conf
```

Copy a file from a container to a directory on another container:

```
podman cp containerID1:/myfile.txt containerID2:/tmp
```

Copy a directory on a container to a directory on the host:

```
podman cp containerID:/myapp/ /myapp/
```

Copy the contents of a directory on a container to a directory on the host:

```
podman cp containerID:/home/myuser/. /home/myuser/
```

Copy a directory on a container into a directory on another:

```
podman cp containerA:/myapp containerB:/newapp
```

Stream a tar archive from **STDIN** to a container:

```
podman cp - containerID:/myfiles.tar.gz < myfiles.tar.gz
```

## SEE ALSO

**[podman(1)](/podman/1.md)**, **[podman-mount(1)](/podman-mount/1.md)**, **[podman-unmount(1)](/podman-unmount/1.md)**