# phpman > man > TOUCH(1)

> **TLDR:** Create files and set access/modification times.
>
- Create specific files or update their timestamps if they already exist:
  `touch {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`
- Set the file [a]ccess or [m]odification times to the current one and don't create file if it doesn't exist:
  `touch {{-c|--no-create}} {{a|-m}} {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`
- Set the file [t]ime to a specific value and don't create file if it doesn't exist:
  `touch {{-c|--no-create}} -t {{YYYYMMDDHHMM.SS}} {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`
- Set the files' timestamp to the reference file's timestamp, and do not create the file if it does not exist:
  `touch {{-c|--no-create}} {{-r|--reference}} {{path/to/reference_file}} {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`
- Set the timestamp by parsing a string:
  `touch {{-d|--date}} "{{last year|5 hours|next thursday|nov 14|...}}" {{path/to/file}}`
- Create multiple files with an increasing number:
  `touch {{path/to/file{1..10}}}`
- Create multiple files with a letter range:
  `touch {{path/to/file{a..z}}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

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## NAME
       touch - change file timestamps

## SYNOPSIS
       **touch** [_OPTION_]... _FILE_...

## DESCRIPTION
       Update the access and modification times of each FILE to the current time.

       A FILE argument that does not exist is created empty, unless **-c** or **-h** is supplied.

       A  FILE argument string of - is handled specially and causes touch to change the times of the
       file associated with standard output.

       Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

### -a

### -c --no-create
              do not create any files

### -d --date
              parse STRING and use it instead of current time

### -f     (ignored)

### -h --no-dereference
              affect each symbolic link instead of any referenced file (useful only on systems  that
              can change the timestamps of a symlink)

### -m

### -r --reference
              use this file's times instead of current time

### -t
              use [[CC]YY]MMDDhhmm[.ss] instead of current time

       **--time**=_WORD_
              change  the  specified  time:  WORD is access, atime, or use: equivalent to **-a** WORD is
              modify or mtime: equivalent to **-m**

       **--help** display this help and exit

### --version
              output version information and exit

       Note that the **-d** and **-t** options accept different time-date formats.

## DATE STRING
       The --date=STRING is a mostly free format human readable date string such  as  "Sun,  29  Feb
       2004  16:21:42  -0800"  or  "2004-02-29 16:21:42" or even "next Thursday".  A date string may
       contain items indicating calendar date, time of day, time zone, day of week,  relative  time,
       relative  date,  and  numbers.  An empty string indicates the beginning of the day.  The date
       string format is more complex than is easily documented here but is fully  described  in  the
       info documentation.

## AUTHOR
       Written by Paul Rubin, Arnold Robbins, Jim Kingdon, David MacKenzie, and Randy Smith.

## REPORTING BUGS
       GNU coreutils online help: <<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>>
       Report any translation bugs to <<https://translationproject.org/team/>>

## COPYRIGHT
       Copyright  ©  2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later
       <<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>>.
       This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY,  to
       the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO
       Full documentation <<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/touch>>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) touch invocation'



GNU coreutils 8.32                          January 2026                                    [TOUCH(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/TOUCH/1/markdown)