How to Check if a File Exists Without Exception in Python

In this tutorial we will learn how to check if a file exists without exception

You’re checking is so you can do something like if file_exists: open_it(), it’s safer to use a try around the attempt to open it. Checking and then opening risks the file being deleted or moved or something between when you check and when you try to open it.

If you’re not planning to open the file immediately, you can use os.path.isfile

import os.path
os.path.isfile(fname) 

if you need to be sure it’s a file.

from pathlib import Path

my_file = Path("/path/to/file")
if my_file.is_file():
    ## file exists

To check a directory, do:

if my_file.is_dir():
    ## directory exists

To check whether a Path object exists independently of whether is it a file or directory, use exists():

if my_file.exists():
    ## path exists

You can also use resolve(strict=True) in a try block:

try:
    my_abs_path = my_file.resolve(strict=True)
except FileNotFoundError:
    ## doesn't exist
else:
    ## exists

#python