OneDrive: Moving Folders and Files

With the OneDrive Desktop Application, you can move files between your computer, the cloud, and SharePoint or Microsoft Teams Document Libraries using the same navigation as with File Explorer (Windows & Mac OS). This is the easiest way to move folders or files between locations but requires that you have access or permissions to the folder or file destination. Additionally, if you are moving folders or files to or from a cloud based Document Library, you will need an active internet connection.

To Move Folders or Files: 
  • Ensure the OneDrive Desktop Application is installed on your device
  • Follow the instructions in the OneDrive: File Synchronization to sync the document libraries you want to move folders or files between

Open the OneDrive Desktop Application.

Using the left hand navigation pane, locate the Document Library where the file you wish to move to an alternate location is stored, then, locate the specific file within the selected Document Library. 

Once you have located the correct file, click and drag it on top of the new folder or file destination. This destination can be any existing Document Library or Folder you have permissions to access and you have already synced with your OneDrive. For example, you would use this method to move files from one SharePoint Document Library to another as long as you have access to both of the SharePoint Document Libraries synced to your OneDrive.

**Note: If you are moving the Folder or File to a separate folder either in the current Document Library or to an alternate one, you will need to hold the Folder or File over the new location for a few second for the File Navigator to open up the new location. You may need to repeat this process several times if the destination folder is within several separate folders itself.