Move or Copy files in SharePoint

Description: Users are able to move or copy several documents at once between SharePoint sites.  

Purpose: 

This is an instructional article that will assist the target audience in understanding how to efficiently move documents in SharePoint as well as limitations.

Target Audience: 

• End Users: All, Essentials, Professional, Enterprise

Before we Start: The methods detailed in this article are accessing SharePoint through the web browser.  You can also manage documents and folders via your file explorer if you sync SharePoint. To learn how to sync your SharePoint to your file explorer, read this article.

Note: If you don't see other sites listed when attempting to move or copy files, you may not have access to that site.

Instructions/Process:

     1. Navigate to the Document Library with the applicable file/folder.

     2. Select files or folders in the Document Library

     3. On the Command Bar, click either Move to or Copy to

     4. On the Move or Copy panel, choose a destination in the current library, OneDrive, or another SharePoint site. 

     5. On the Move or Copy panel, select a folder in the current library and select Move here or Copy here. If you want to move or copy your files to a new folder, select New folder to add a new folder. Enter a name for the folder, select the checkmark, and then select Move here or Copy here.

Notes:

• When you use Move to, the history of the document is copied to the new destination. When you use Copy to with documents that have version history, only the latest version is copied. To copy earlier versions, you need to restore and copy each one.
• Files that are moved will be deleted in the source Document Library.  The file will remain in the Source site recycling bin after the move is complete and is subject to the normal recycle schedule.
• Move to and Copy to work best within the SharePoint Online limits.