I'm having trouble because I need to transfer files from one OneDrive account to another

Campbell Nora 0 Reputation points
2026-08-14T02:19:35.5766667+00:00

I need to move my files from one OneDrive account to another, but I am concerned about losing data during the transfer process. I have already lost one file today and cannot risk losing any more important documents. What is the safest way to transfer all my files from one OneDrive account to another while ensuring that nothing is lost?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For education | Other
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  1. BabybooHN 3,040 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-14T03:03:35.34+00:00

    Dear @Campbell Nora

    I completely understand your concern about losing data, especially after already losing a file today. To ensure complete safety and prevent any data loss during the transfer between your two OneDrive school accounts, the safest method is using the OneDrive Desktop App with a Copy-and-Paste approach (rather than moving or cutting files).

    Here is the step-by-step process to safely transfer your files:

    Step 1: Sync Both Accounts to Your Computer

    1. Open the OneDrive app on your computer.
    2. Sign in with your old school account and finish setting up the folder sync.
    3. Add your new school account:
      • Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar/menu bar > Settings (gear icon) > Account > Add an account.
      • Sign in with your new school credentials.
    4. You will now see two distinct OneDrive folders in your File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).

    Step 2: Copy (Do Not Move) Your Files

    • Open both OneDrive folders side by side.
    • Select the files/folders from your old OneDrive folder.
    • Copy them (Ctrl + C or Cmd + C) and Paste them (Ctrl + V or Cmd + V) into your new OneDrive folder.

    Important: Always Copy, never Cut or Move. Keeping the original files untouched in your source account ensures you retain a full backup if an error occurs mid-transfer.

    Step 3: Verify Sync Status Before Unlinking

    • Allow the OneDrive desktop app to fully upload all files to your new account.
    • Ensure every file in your new OneDrive folder displays a green checkmark icon (indicating it is fully synced to the cloud).
    • Log in to OneDrive on the Web using your new school account to double-check that all your files and subfolders are intact online.

    Key safety tips

    • Check your Recycle Bin immediately: For the file you lost earlier, please check both your local computer Recycle Bin/Trash and your old OneDrive web Recycle Bin (accessible via OneDrive on the web > Recycle bin in the left menu). School accounts often retain deleted files in the cloud Recycle Bin for up to 93 days.
    • Keep the old account active: Do not delete any files from your old OneDrive account or close the account until you have verified every file in your new OneDrive account.

    Please refer to this document: Copy files from another person's work or school OneDrive

    Please let me know if you run into any issues during the process.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-14T02:19:52.5133333+00:00

    The safest supported method is to copy the files first, confirm they have fully synced in the destination account, and only then delete anything from the source account if needed.

    Recommended approach:

    1. Set up both OneDrive accounts on the same PC or Mac if possible.
    2. Open File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac.
    3. Go to the source OneDrive folder and select the files or folders to transfer.
    4. Select Copy.
      • Copy/paste is recommended instead of drag/drop because it is less prone to mistakes.
      • Make sure the destination account has enough available storage before starting.
    5. Go to the destination OneDrive folder.
    6. Select Paste.
    7. Let OneDrive finish syncing the copied files to the destination account.
    8. Verify the files are present and accessible in the destination account before removing anything from the original account.

    Important things to expect:

    • Files copied from one OneDrive account to another are treated as new files.
    • Metadata such as Date created and Modified By is not retained.
    • If files were previously shared, sharing does not carry over automatically and must be set up again.

    If moving between OneDrive accounts on OneDrive.com, that is not the supported path for account-to-account transfer. For files between different OneDrive accounts, the supported method is to sync to the PC or Mac and then use File Explorer or Finder.

    If both accounts cannot be added in the desktop app at the same time, a fallback method is to download files from the source account and then upload or place them into the destination OneDrive folder. This is less convenient, but still a manual transfer option.

    For the lowest risk of data loss:

    • Transfer in smaller batches instead of everything at once.
    • Use copy, not move, until validation is complete.
    • Confirm sync has completed in the destination account.
    • Keep the originals until every important document has been checked.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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