Can only point to files on the same volume. A hard link is essentially a second name for the exact same data on the disk; if you delete the original file name, the data remains accessible via the hard link.
Most applications access a symlink and follow it to the target without knowing they have left the original directory. windows symbolic
Historically, the "Windows symbolic" was most visible during the era of skeuomorphism. In versions like Windows 95 through XP, the interface was laden with tactile cues. Buttons appeared to be raised, begging to be pushed; menu bars looked like brushed metal; the "My Computer" icon looked like a literal computer tower. These symbols were didactic—they taught a generation how to compute by referencing the physical world. However, as users became literate in digital logic, the symbolism evolved. With the advent of Windows 8 and 10, and the "Fluent Design" of Windows 11, the operating system shed its skin. The symbols flattened. The "window" as a frame became ghost-like. This shift signaled a maturation of the symbolic order: the user no longer needed the reference point of the physical world to understand the digital one. The interface became "symbolic" in a purer sense—icons no longer represented physical objects, but represented abstract functions (the "hamburger" menu, the gear for settings). The interface stopped trying to look like a desk and started trying to look like information itself. Can only point to files on the same volume
By default, non-admin users cannot create symlinks unless Developer Mode is enabled in Windows Settings or specific group policies are modified. Historically, the "Windows symbolic" was most visible during
New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink -Path "C:\Link" -Target "C:\Target" Key Characteristics & Limitations