How To Move Files Between Different Drives in OneDrive?

Moving files from one drive to another in OneDrive is easy for individual users, but for organizations, especially large ones, it’s a bit complicated. Whether it’s sorting files by department or planning a OneDrive tenant to tenant migration between two organizations, getting it right is key.

Now let’s take a look at the best ways to move files between different drives in OneDrive.

1. Move Files Between Different Drives in OneDrive Using the Web Interface (For Small-Scale Transfers)

If you are transferring files within the same Microsoft 365 environment, using the web interface is the easiest method. For small-scale transfers, you can:

1. First, open OneDrive in your browser.
2. Next, select the files and folders you want to move.
3. Then click “Move to” and choose the drive or SharePoint document library you want to move them to.
4. Finally, you’re done.

Advantages:

• Easy and fast
• No technical configuration required

Disadvantages:

• Not suitable for large data sets
• Possibility of broken sharing links
• Transfer of permissions may not always be as expected
• Lack of audit-level validation

This process is ideal for personal OneDrive cross-account file transfer. However, it may not be suitable for IT-assisted, bulk OneDrive file transfer for thousands of files.

2. How to Move Files Between Different Drives Using the OneDrive Desktop App

Using the sync client:

1. Both source and destination drives need to be synced locally.
2. Open the synced drives using the OneDrive desktop app.
3. Drag and drop files from source to destination folders.
4. Wait for the upload sync to finish.
5. Check for completion of the sync process.

This method is pretty straightforward, but it does rely on having a decent internet connection and sufficient system resources to handle the transfer.

And, as with the web interface method, it can cause problems if you’re transferring a large number of files, including sync conflicts or partial transfers. It’s not the best method for big-scale OneDrive to OneDrive file transfers.

3. PowerShell or Admin-Level Transfers

IT admins can use Microsoft PowerShell scripts to transfer files between document libraries or user accounts.

Pros:

• More control
• Automation capabilities

Cons:

• Scripting knowledge is required
• Error handling is complex
• Lacks native intelligence for permission mapping
• Higher chances of accidental overwrite

In cases where governance is a concern for the organization, script-based transfers could raise compliance issues.

4. The Robust Enterprise Migration Tool for Large Businesses

When dealing with massive drive-to-drive transfers, especially 100+ TB or even petabyte (PB)-scale datasets, using a proper enterprise-grade cloud migration tool like CloudFuze Migrate is the best option.

At CloudFuze, we’re here to help large organizations make a OneDrive to OneDrive migration process a breeze, giving them full control and keeping everything smooth & transparent for them. Our tool is designed specifically for high-growth companies that require accuracy, scalability, and compliance.

Our OneDrive migration solution for enterprise is built with the following features, all supported and ready to roll out:

Whether you’re looking to shift files between OneDrive accounts, do a bulk OneDrive tenant to tenant files transfer with permissions intact, at CloudFuze, we make sure the whole process is safe, seamless, and ready for the enterprise.

Gartner Review on CloudFuze OneDrive Migration

Here’s what a Gartner reviewer had to say about their OneDrive migration with CloudFuze.

When Should You Use an Enterprise Cloud Migration Solution?

If you are looking to:

• Transfer files from one OneDrive account to another at a large scale
• Carry out a OneDrive tenant to tenant migration
• Retain sharing links and version history
• Minimize user disruption
• Migrate terabytes/petabytes of data

Then, an automated and certified cloud migration solution like CloudFuze Migrate is the most optimal and secure way to move files between different OneDrive.

What are the Limitations of Moving Files Between Drives in OneDrive?

There are a number of limitations that you should be aware of:

• File size restrictions (dependent on tenant settings)
• Microsoft 365 throttling
• Unsupported file types in specific libraries
• Shared links becoming broken after cross-drive transfers
• Version history restrictions in certain manual processes

For large data sets, throttling and API restrictions can cause significant delays in carrying out bulk transfers.

Key Considerations Before Moving Files Between OneDrive

1. Permissions & Access Control: Incorrect permission mapping can either expose too much data or deny authorized access.
2. Shared Links: Transferring files can invalidate shared links unless the transfer process allows link remapping.
3. File Versions: Businesses need file version history for compliance and auditing.
4. Large File Limits: Make sure your transfer process allows large file sizes without throttling failures.

Best Practices for Efficient Drive-to-Drive Transfers

1. Prepare and audit data before transferring
2. Remove redundant or obsolete files
3. Check permissions before and after the transfer
4. Use incremental transfer for large data sets
5. Generate post-transfer reports for compliance

Efficiency is more than just speed; it’s also about preserving data integrity, governance, and continuity.

Planning a Large-scale OneDrive to OneDrive migration?

Manual processes can cause data loss, permission mismatch, and compliance issues. Our OneDrive to OneDrive migration tool, CloudFuze Migrate, makes secure, automated, and fully permission-preserving transfers with complete metadata integrity and zero end-user impact.

Contact us to simplify your OneDrive tenant migration. It’s easy!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are common pitfalls in OneDrive to OneDrive transfers?

Some common pitfalls include:

1. Sync conflicts
2. Permission mismatches
3. Creation of duplicate files
4. Loss of version history
5. External sharing links
6. Partial transfers due to throttling

These issues are more likely to occur in OneDrive cross-account file migrations or large-scale departmental restructuring initiatives.

2. What are some common problems that may arise when migrating a large number of files in OneDrive?

Common problems include throttling restrictions, failed sharing links, permission mismatches, sync errors, and lost file versions. Large amounts of data can also result in slow transfers and partial migrations if not managed carefully.

3. Can I migrate OneDrive files without downloading them first?

Yes. Files can be migrated directly from the OneDrive web interface, Microsoft 365 admin consoles, or third-party migration tools such as CloudFuze Migrate. Downloading and re-uploading files is not necessary in most cases for internal migrations.

4. What are the best third-party options for bulk OneDrive migrations?

There are a number of third-party options available for bulk OneDrive tenant migrations, but CloudFuze is one of the most feature-rich and enterprise-ready options available. Our solution simplifies large-scale OneDrive for Business tenant migrations with features such as bulk user mapping, automated migration, fast data transfer, and no end-user disruption.