Select the product you need help with

Error Message: Filename is Invalid or Cannot Contain Any of the Following Characters

Article ID: 177506 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q177506

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to create, save, or rename a file, folder, or shortcut, you may receive one of the following error messages:

A filename cannot contain any of the following characters:

\ / : * ? " < > |

path\filename
This filename is not valid.

path\filename
The above file name is invalid.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

CAUSE

The characters listed in the first error message in the Symptoms section cannot be used in file, folder, or shortcut names.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

RESOLUTION

To create, save, or rename a file, folder, or shortcut, use a valid character that is not listed in the first error message listed in the Symptoms section of this article.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

You can rename the system desktop icons (such as My Computer, My Documents, Internet Explorer, and Network Neighborhood) using the invalid characters. The icons are system objects and do not follow the same naming convention as files, folders, and shortcuts.

The TAB key is accepted in the names of these system icons, but the tab is displayed as a space.

Characters that are valid for naming files, folders, or shortcuts include any combination of letters (A-Z) and numbers (0-9), plus the following special characters:

   ^   Accent circumflex (caret)
   &   Ampersand
   '   Apostrophe (single quotation mark)
   @   At sign
   {   Brace left
   }   Brace right
   [   Bracket opening
   ]   Bracket closing
   ,   Comma
   $   Dollar sign
   =   Equal sign
   !   Exclamation point
   -   Hyphen
   #   Number sign
   (   Parenthesis opening
   )   Parenthesis closing
   %   Percent
   .   Period
   +   Plus
   ~   Tilde
   _   Underscore

Back to the top | Give Feedback