# When you attach files to a note are they copied there?

**URL:** <https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/when-you-attach-files-to-a-note-are-they-copied-there/9962>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [9 July 2020 11:12 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/when-you-attach-files-to-a-note-are-they-copied-there/9962 "2020-07-09T11:12:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 18

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**Author:** ![subie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@subie](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/subie)\
**Post date:** [17 July 2020 13:36 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/when-you-attach-files-to-a-note-are-they-copied-there/9962/18 "2020-07-17T13:36:41Z")

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> [@p2635](#):
>
> Is this what you do? Do you manage your files outside? That sounds good because we can keep the original file name instead of a generated ID.

I have some embedded files mostly pictures, and other files I manage outside using organized folders. You can also use apps with uri support like Zotero but you need to use scripts to open these for now  
[Open local files using autohotkey](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/open-local-file-using-autohotkey/9180)

> [@p2635](#):
>
> There is a downside to doing that though. Let’s say you reinstall your OS then all the file paths may be relative and no longer valid. You will need to spend time correcting all the links to the new paths. I wonder if anyone has thought about this.

That is one problem but you can solve it using the same folder structure. Another solution is using uri example zotero://someidhere, only problem with Zotero is it does not support adding folders so you have to add each file of a folder. I would like to see an app like Zotero with uri that support folders in WIndows

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