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How do I move uploaded files to a permanent location on the server using move_uploaded_file()?
How do I move uploaded files to a permanent location on the server using move_uploaded_file()?
Jun 25, 2025 am 12:55 AM
To move an uploaded file in PHP, use move_uploaded_file() after validating the upload and setting the correct target path. First, check if the upload was successful using $_FILES['fileToUpload']['error'] to ensure no errors occurred. Next, define a secure target path by combining a valid directory with a sanitized filename, preferably renamed for security. Finally, call move_uploaded_file($_FILES'fileToUpload', $targetPath) to securely move the file, ensuring proper server permissions and checking for existing files to prevent overwriting.
When you upload a file in PHP, it's stored temporarily on the server. To keep it around permanently, you need to move it using move_uploaded_file(). This function checks that the file is a valid upload (not some sneaky file path) and moves it to your desired location.
Make Sure the Upload Is Valid
Before moving anything, always verify the file was properly uploaded. PHP provides a superglobal called $_FILES which contains all the details about the uploaded file. Check for errors first:
if ($_FILES['fileToUpload']['error'] === UPLOAD_ERR_OK) {
// Proceed with moving the file
}Also, make sure the temporary file actually exists and isn't just claimed to exist. The is_uploaded_file() function can help, but when using move_uploaded_file(), this check is already built in — so no need to double-check unless you're doing something custom.
Set the Target Path Correctly
Choose where you want the file to end up. This should be an absolute path on the server. For example:
$uploadDir = '/var/www/html/uploads/'; $fileName = basename($_FILES['fileToUpload']['name']); $targetPath = $uploadDir . $fileName;
Make sure the directory exists and the web server has write permissions. If you're not sure, you can use mkdir() with 0777 (though better to set proper permissions via server config):
- Use
basename()to avoid paths like../../evil.php - Don’t trust the original filename — consider renaming it to something random if security matters
Move the File with move_uploaded_file()
Now the main step:
if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['fileToUpload']['tmp_name'], $targetPath)) {
echo "File moved successfully.";
} else {
echo "Failed to move file.";
}A few things to note here:
- The first argument is the temporary name (
tmp_name), which is the actual path to the uploaded file. - The second is where you want it to go.
- If the target file already exists, it will be overwritten silently — so you might want to check for that first.
If something goes wrong, check:
- Server permissions on the target folder
- Open_basedir or safe_mode restrictions (rare these days)
- SELinux or AppArmor policies blocking writes
That’s basically how it works. It’s straightforward, but easy to mess up if you skip validation or ignore security concerns.
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