how do i move documents from one drive to local drive

Teresa, Patra Elliott, Murdock 0 Reputation points
2026-09-15T23:20:03.8233333+00:00

how do i move documents from one drive to local drive

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
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  1. Marcin Policht 108.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-15T23:40:54.9433333+00:00

    First make sure the files are fully downloaded to your computer, then turn off automatic syncing, and finally cut and paste the files into a local folder outside of OneDrive

    Step 1

    Open File Explorer and go to your OneDrive folder. Check the icons next to your files. A solid green circle with a white checkmark means the file is stored on your PC. A cloud icon means the file is stored only online. Right-click the folders or documents you want to move and select Always keep on this device to download any cloud-only files. Wait until the files show the solid green checkmark before continuing.

    Step 2

    Click the blue or white OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray at the bottom right of your screen. Click the Gear icon, select Settings, go to the Sync and backup tab, and click Manage backup. Turn off the toggles for Documents, Pictures, and Desktop so Windows stops sending new items in those folders to OneDrive.

    Step 3

    Open File Explorer and go to your OneDrive folder. Select the documents or folders you want to move, then press Ctrl + X or right-click and select Cut. Navigate to a local folder on your computer that is outside of OneDrive, such as C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents or a separate local drive. Press Ctrl + V or right-click and select Paste to move the files to the local drive.

    If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

    hth

    Marcin

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-15T23:20:17.7466667+00:00
    1. Open File Explorer and go to the OneDrive folder.
    2. Find the Documents folder or the files to move.
    3. If files show a cloud icon, download them first so they exist locally:
      • Right-click the file or folder.
      • Select Always keep on this device.
      • Wait until the icon changes to a green check mark.
    4. Go to the local folder where the files should live, such as This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > your user folder > Documents.
    5. Copy or move the files from OneDrive\Documents to the local Documents folder.
      • Copy/paste is the safer option because it is less prone to errors than drag-and-drop.
    6. If Windows is still backing up Documents to OneDrive, turn that off in OneDrive before treating the local folder as the main location:
      • Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area.
      • Select Help and Settings > Settings.
      • Use Manage Backup and turn off folder backup for Documents.

    If the goal is to move the entire OneDrive folder to another local drive or external drive, the supported method is:

    1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon.
    2. Go to Help and Settings > Settings > Account.
    3. Select Unlink this PC.
    4. Move the OneDrive folder in File Explorer.
    5. Start OneDrive setup again.
    6. When prompted for the folder location, select Change Location and choose the new local drive or folder.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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