How to fix CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long in MySQL

MySQLBEGINNERLOWUpdated Dec 22, 2025· 102 views

This client-side error occurs when a file path supplied to MySQL file operations exceeds operating system limits. Fix it by shortening file paths or restructuring directory hierarchies.

Quick fix

Fixes CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long

# On Linux/macOS - count characters in path
echo -n "/your/very/long/path/to/file.csv" | wc -c

# Or use this to check the full absolute path
realpath /your/path/file.csv | wc -c
  1. Verify the actual path length
  2. Move file to shorter path location
  3. Use relative paths from a shorter working directory
  4. Create symbolic link to shorten path
mysql — error
# On Linux/macOS - count characters in path
echo -n "/your/very/long/path/to/file.csv" | wc -c
# Or use this to check the full absolute path
realpath /your/path/file.csv | wc -c
CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long

What this error means

CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG is a client-side error introduced in MySQL 8.0.1 that occurs when you attempt to use file operations with paths that exceed your operating system's length restrictions. Unlike server errors, this is caught by the MySQL client library before any server communication happens. The error most commonly appears during LOAD DATA INFILE, LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE, or SELECT ... INTO OUTFILE operations where the full path to the input or output file is too long. Operating systems enforce strict limits on both individual file name components and total path lengths. Most Unix-based systems allow 255 bytes per path component (directory or file name) and up to 4,096 bytes for the entire absolute path. Windows typically limits paths to 260 characters (MAX_PATH). When these limits are exceeded, the MySQL client returns error 2063 immediately without attempting to contact the database server.

Typical symptoms

  • MySQL client operations fail with error code 2063 before connecting to server
  • LOAD DATA INFILE or SELECT INTO OUTFILE statements fail immediately
  • Error occurs consistently with deeply nested directory structures
  • Same query works when file is moved to shorter path location
  • No corresponding error appears in MySQL server logs

Common causes

  1. File path exceeds operating system maximum path length (typically 255 bytes per component, 4,096 bytes total on Unix)
  2. Deeply nested directory structure creates excessively long absolute paths
  3. File names include long UUIDs, timestamps, or generated identifiers
  4. Application generates paths programmatically without validating length
  5. Working directory is located deep in filesystem hierarchy
  6. Symbolic links or mount points resolved to very long actual paths

How to fix "CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long"

1Verify the actual path length

Check how long your file path actually is using shell commands:

bash
# On Linux/macOS - count characters in path
echo -n "/your/very/long/path/to/file.csv" | wc -c

# Or use this to check the full absolute path
realpath /your/path/file.csv | wc -c

Most Unix systems have a limit of 4,096 bytes for the full path. If your path is approaching or exceeding this limit, you've confirmed the issue.

2Move file to shorter path location

The simplest fix is relocating your data file to a directory closer to the filesystem root:

bash
# Create a short path directory
sudo mkdir -p /srv/mysql_data

# Move your file
sudo mv /very/long/nested/directory/structure/data/files/export.csv /srv/mysql_data/

# Update your MySQL query
# Before:
# SELECT * INTO OUTFILE '/very/long/nested/directory/structure/data/files/export.csv' FROM users;

# After:
SELECT * INTO OUTFILE '/srv/mysql_data/export.csv' FROM users;

This immediately reduces path length and avoids the error.

3Use relative paths from a shorter working directory

If you cannot move files, change your working directory before running MySQL commands:

bash
# Navigate to the data directory
cd /long/nested/path/to/data/directory

# Now use relative path in MySQL
mysql -u user -p database -e "LOAD DATA INFILE './file.csv' INTO TABLE users"

Relative paths are resolved from the current directory, potentially creating much shorter effective paths.

4Create symbolic link to shorten path

Use symbolic links to create short aliases for deeply nested directories:

bash
# Create symlink from short path to long directory
sudo ln -s /very/long/nested/directory/structure/data /data

# Now use the short symlink in MySQL
SELECT * INTO OUTFILE '/data/export.csv' FROM users;

The symlink provides a shortcut without moving files or changing your directory structure.

5Shorten file and directory names

If you control the directory structure, simplify naming conventions:

bash
# Before: deeply nested with long names
/var/application/production/mysql_exports/2024_01_15_user_data_export/full_backup_with_timestamps/

# After: flattened with concise names
/var/mysql_out/2024-01-15/

# Avoid embedding UUIDs or long identifiers in paths
# Before: backup_a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890_final.csv
# After: backup_20240115.csv

Shorter component names accumulate significant savings in nested structures.

6Configure application to use shorter paths

If the path is generated by application code, update configuration or path building logic:

javascript
// Before: deep nesting with verbose names
const exportPath = `${process.env.APP_ROOT}/data/exports/${year}/${month}/${day}/${userId}/${timestamp}/export.csv`;

// After: flatter structure with concise names
const exportPath = `/srv/mysql_out/${date}/${userId}.csv`;

Configure your application to write files to a dedicated short path directory.

Advanced notes

Why 2063 is client-side only: This error code was added in MySQL 8.0.1 and is enforced by the MySQL client library, not the server. The client checks path length against OS limits before sending any network request. This means the error appears instantly and never reaches server logs.

Platform-specific limits: Unix systems typically support 255 bytes per path component and 4,096 bytes total path length. Windows has a default MAX_PATH limit of 260 characters, though this can be extended to 32,767 characters with long path support enabled (requires Windows 10 version 1607 or later and application manifest changes).

Character encoding considerations: Path length limits are typically measured in bytes, not characters. Multi-byte UTF-8 characters count as multiple bytes, so paths with international characters may hit limits sooner than expected. For example, a file name with 200 Chinese characters could exceed the 255-byte component limit.

Temporary file workarounds: Some applications work around this by writing to a temporary short path first, then moving the file to its final destination after the MySQL operation completes. This keeps MySQL operations in compliant paths while allowing your application to maintain its directory structure.

Docker and container environments: Containers may introduce additional path nesting (e.g., /var/lib/docker/volumes/...). When mounting volumes, prefer bind mounts to short host paths rather than named volumes that create deep hierarchies.

No configuration override: Unlike some MySQL limits that can be adjusted with server variables, path length restrictions are pure OS constraints with no MySQL-level override. The only solution is to shorten paths at the filesystem level.

Frequently asked questions

What does "CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long" mean?
1 that occurs when you attempt to use file operations with paths that exceed your operating system's length restrictions. Unlike server errors, this is caught by the MySQL client library before any server communication happens. The error most commonly appears during LOAD DATA INFILE, LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE, or SELECT ...
How do I fix "CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long"?
This client-side error occurs when a file path supplied to MySQL file operations exceeds operating system limits. Fix it by shortening file paths or restructuring directory hierarchies.
What causes "CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long"?
File path exceeds operating system maximum path length (typically 255 bytes per component, 4,096 bytes total on Unix) Deeply nested directory structure creates excessively long absolute paths File names include long UUIDs, timestamps, or generated identifiers
Is the "CR_FILE_NAME_TOO_LONG (2063): File name is too long" error serious?
It is a low-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading