Copy files

The copy API duplicates an existing file to a designated path and returns an object {path: 'destPath'} upon successful completion.

copy can copy an object up to 5 GB in a single operation.

To copy a file, you need to provide the existing path in source and the destination path in destination.

import { copy } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
const copyFile = async () => {
    const response = await copy({
      source: {
        path: 'public/album/2024/1.jpg',
        // Alternatively, path: ({identityId}) => `protected/${identityId}/album/1.jpg`
      destination: {
        path: 'public/shared/2024/1.jpg',
        // Alternatively, path: ({identityId}) => `protected/${identityId}/shared/1.jpg`
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error', err);

import { copy } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
const copyFile = async () => {
    const response = await copy({
      source: {
        key: 'srcKey',
        accessLevel: 'protected' // optional 'guest', 'private', or 'protected'. Defaults to 'guest'.
        targetIdentityId: 'targetIdentityId' // optional, set it to other user's identity ID if copy from other user
      destination: {
        key: 'destKey',
        accessLevel: 'protected' // optional 'guest', 'private', or 'protected'. Defaults to 'guest'.
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error', err);

Copy files within the same access levels

You can copy a file from the specified path to another path within the same File Access Level.

import { copy, list } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
// Copies 'existing/srcPath' to 'copied/destPath' within 'public/'
const copied = await copy({
  source: { path: 'public/existing/srcPath' },
  destination: { path: 'public/copied/destPath' }
// There should now be a new file 'copied/destPath' in 'public/'
console.log((await list({ path: 'public/copied/' })).items); // [ { ..., path: 'public/copied/destPath' } ]
console.log(copied); // { path: 'public/copied/destPath' }

import { copy, list } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
// Copies 'existing/srcKey' to 'copied/destKey' within 'public/'
const copied = await copy({
  source: { key: 'existing/srcKey' },
  destination: { key: 'copied/destKey' }
// There should now be a new file with key 'copied/destKey'
console.log((await list({ prefix: 'copied/' })).items); // [ { ..., key: 'copied/destKey' } ]
console.log(copied); // { key: 'copied/destKey' }

Copy files across access levels

To copy a file to or from an access level, you'll need to explicitly provide the access level in path parameter.

import { copy, list } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
// Copies 'existing/srcPath' to 'copied/destPath' from 'guest' to 'private'
const copied = await copy({
  source: {
    path: 'public/existing/srcPath'
  destination: {
    path: ({identityId}) => `private/${identityId}/copied/destPath`
// There should now be a new file 'copied/destPath' in 'private/'
console.log(
  (await list({ path: 'private/copied/'})).items
); // [ { ..., path: 'private/XXXXX/copied/destPath' } ]
console.log(copied); // { path: 'private/XXXXX/copied/destPath' }

import { copy, list } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
// Copies 'existing/srcKey' to 'copied/destKey' from 'guest' to 'private'
const copied = await copy({
  source: {
    key: 'existing/srcKey'
  destination: {
    key: 'copied/destKey',
    accessLevel: 'private'
// There should now be a new file with key 'copied/destKey' in the 'private' level
console.log(
  (await list({ prefix: 'copied/', options: { accessLevel: 'private' } })).items
); // [ { ..., key: 'copied/destKey' } ]
console.log(copied); // { key: 'copied/destKey' }

Copy protected files from another user

You can also copy a protected file from another user by providing their identity id

import { copy, list } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
// Copies 'existing/srcPath' to 'copied/destPath' from 'protected' of another user to 'protected' of the current authenticated user
const copied = await copy({
  source: {
    path: `protected/${targetUserId}/existing/srcPath`,
  destination: {
    path: ({identityId}) => `protected/${identityId}/copied/destPath`,
// There should now be a new file 'copied/destPath'
console.log(
  (await list({ path: ({identityId}) => `protected/${identityId}/copied/`})).items
); // [..., path: 'protected/XXXXX/copied/destPath']
console.log(copied); // { path: 'protected/XXXXX/copied/destPath' }

import { copy, list } from 'aws-amplify/storage';
// Copies 'existing/srcKey' to 'copied/destKey' from 'protected' of another user to 'private' of the current authenticated user
const copied = await copy({
  source: {
    key: 'existing/srcKey',
    accessLevel: 'protected',
    targetIdentityId: 'identityId'
  destination: {
    key: 'copied/destKey',
    accessLevel: 'private'
// There should now be a new file with key 'copied/destKey'
console.log(
  (await list({ prefix: 'copied/', options: { accessLevel: 'private' } })).items
); // [..., key: 'copied/destKey']
console.log(copied); // { key: 'copied/destKey' }

Cross identity ID copying is only allowed if the source object's access level is set to 'protected'.

List files

Remove files