>

Copy files with metadata preserved using cp -p and -a

A plain cp gives every copy a fresh timestamp and the invoking user's permissions; -p and -a are the forgotten flags that keep the originals faithful.

macOSmetadatatimestampscpLow risk
Run `cp -p file.txt dest/` to preserve timestamps and permissions, or `cp -a folder dest/` for an archive-style copy that also recurses and preserves ownership.

01Command

Command
$ cp -p report.txt ~/Archive/report.txt
cp -a ~/Projects ~/Backup/Projects

02What it does

-p preserves mode, ownership (when permitted), access and modification times, while -a is shorthand for -pR plus extra fidelity, making it the right choice for backups. Without these flags, a copy's mtime becomes the copy moment, which silently breaks incremental backup tools and make-based builds that rely on timestamps.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
!Warning: Preserving ownership as a non-root user silently fails for files you don't own; run as root or expect owner changes on restored backups.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • cp — copy files (macOS)
    SS64 · technical · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Documents -p (preserve mode, ownership, timestamps) and -a (archive mode including recursion).

Last verified: 2026-09-17 · Category: Files & Folders

06Related solutions

Query Spotlight's Raw Syntax with mdfind
macOSmetadatasearchmdfind

Use kMDItem attributes to search file metadata the Spotlight UI can't express, faster than find ever will.

Low risk ✓ 2026-09-17
Read a File's Spotlight Metadata with mdls
macOSmetadatamdlsphotos

Dump every indexed attribute of any file: EXIF, dimensions, duration, authors, content types.

Low risk ✓ 2026-09-17