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os.path.exists() method-Python - GeeksforGeeks

Last Updated : 01 Jul, 2025

os.path.exists() method in Python check whether a specified path exists or not. This method can be also used to check whether the given path refers to an open file descriptor or not. Example:

import os

print(os.path.exists('/home/User/Desktop/file.txt'))   
print(os.path.exists('/home/User/Desktop/'))           
print(os.path.exists('nonexistent.txt'))              

Output

True
True
False

Explanation:

• The first two statements return True assuming the file and directory exist at the given paths.
• The third returns False because 'nonexistent.txt' does not exist in the current directory.

os.path.exists(path)

Parameter: path is a path-like object representing a file system location. This can be a str, bytes or object implementing __fspath__().

Return Type: bool returns True if the path exists, False otherwise.

Example 1: Using with relative paths

import os

print(os.path.exists('example.txt'))
print(os.path.exists('./no_such_dir'))

Output

True
False

Explanation:

• 'example.txt' is checked relative to the current working directory. If it exists there, it returns True.
• './no_such_dir' refers to a subdirectory that does not exist, so it returns False.

Example 2: Checking an empty path

import os

path = ''
print(os.path.exists(path))

Output

False

Explanation: An empty string is not a valid path, so os.path.exists() returns False.

Related articles

• os.path.isfile()
• os.path.isdir()
• os module

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