How to Exclude Files and Folders While Copying

When backing up a project or syncing a folder, you rarely want every file. Temporary files, build caches, thumbnails, and downloaded dependencies bloat the transfer and slow things down without adding any value. TeraCopy lets you define ignore rules so those files are skipped automatically before copying starts.

Exclude files using built-in ignore lists

TeraCopy includes ready-made ignore filters for the most common file types:

1. Open TeraCopy and add the source folder.
2. Click Filter → Ignore.
3. Select a preset - for example, Temp files - to skip files like .tmp, Thumbs.db, ehthumbs.db, and similar clutter.
4. Start the transfer. Matching files are excluded from the operation entirely.

Download ignore lists from gitignore.io

For project-specific exclusions - such as skipping node_modules, build output, or IDE metadata - you can download community-maintained .gitignore files and use them directly in TeraCopy:

1. Click Filter → Ignore → Download.
2. TeraCopy opens both gitignore.io and the %APPDATA%\TeraCopy\Ignore folder. Choose your language, framework, or tool on the website (e.g. Node, Python, Visual Studio).
3. Save the generated file as .txt into the opened Ignore folder.
4. The new ignore list will appear in Filter → Ignore automatically on next launch.

Apply an ignore list automatically (Pro)

With TeraCopy Pro, you can set a default ignore list that is applied automatically to every transfer - no need to select it each time. This is especially useful for recurring backups where you always want the same files excluded.

When is this useful?

• Project backups - exclude node_modules, .git, build output, and cache folders to keep archives small.
• Photo and media libraries - skip Thumbs.db and other thumbnail caches generated by Windows or third-party tools.
• System folder copies - filter out hidden and system files that are irrelevant to the destination.
• Syncing to a remote drive - reduce transfer size by leaving behind temporary and log files.

Frequently asked questions

What file types does the built-in "Temp files" preset skip?

It covers common Windows clutter: .tmp, Thumbs.db, and similar files generated automatically by the OS or applications.

Can I edit these lists?

Yes. Select the list you want to modify, then click Filter → Ignore → Edit to open it in a text editor. Add or remove patterns as needed and save the file - changes take effect on the next transfer.

Can I create my own ignore list?

Yes. You can write a custom .gitignore-style file with the patterns you need and load it via Filter → Ignore. Standard glob patterns like *.log, build/, or node_modules/ are supported.

Will excluded files appear in the file list?

Yes. Excluded files remain visible in the file list but are shown dimmed, with no checksum and no copy result. This makes it easy to confirm which files were skipped without them affecting the transfer.