Move Files into a Microsoft Teams Channel

Questions

  • What is the safest way to move files into a Teams channel?
  • How do I move a file from my OneDrive into a Teams channel?
  • How do I move files from Microwave or my computer into a Teams channel?
  • Will moving files into Teams keep their version history?
  • Should I cut and paste, or copy and then delete?
  • What should I check before moving a folder into Teams?
  • Who do I contact to move a whole department folder?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff moving files into a Microsoft Teams channel on Windows 11 or macOS. Files shared in a Teams channel are stored in a connected SharePoint library, so a file you put in a channel becomes available to everyone with access to that channel.

  • You must be a member of the Team, with permission to add files to the channel.
  • The web method needs only a browser.
  • The File Explorer and Finder methods need the channel already connected to your computer. See Choose How Teams and Shared Files Appear on Your Computer in the Related Articles section.
  • In some versions of Teams, a channel's Shared tab is labeled Files. They are the same place.

Resolution

Choose the right method

There are three ways to get files into a Teams channel. Picking the right one matters more than most people expect, because only one of them keeps a file's version history.

What you are moving Use this Why
A file or folder already in OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint The Move to command on the web Keeps version history and does not re-upload the file
A modest number of files from Microwave or your own computer File Explorer or Finder, following the steps below There is no version history to lose yet
A whole department folder, or anything large or archival Contact the Service Desk IT can move it with a migration tool that preserves dates and permissions

Version history: Copying a file through File Explorer or Finder uploads it as a brand new file. Its earlier versions do not come with it, and Bowdoin's record of who created it becomes the person who did the copy. If a file's history matters, move it with Move to on the web instead. For related guidance on renaming and moving files other people rely on, see Best Practices for Renaming and Moving Shared Files in OneDrive and Microsoft Teams in the Related Articles section.

Method 1: Move to, on the web

Use this for anything already living in OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint. It is the preferred method — it keeps version history, it does not depend on syncing, and it cannot leave you with a half-finished upload.

  1. Go to https://office365.bowdoin.edu and sign in with your Bowdoin account, then open OneDrive. If the files are in a Team, open that channel's Shared or Files tab and select Open in SharePoint instead.
  2. Find the file or folder and select the circle or checkbox next to it. You can select several at once.
  3. Select Move to in the toolbar above the file list. If you do not see it, select the ... menu.
  4. Choose the destination Team from Quick access, or select More places to browse.
  5. Browse to the channel folder you want and select Move here.

If the Team is not in the list, you may not be a member of it yet. Ask a Team owner to add you, then try again. You will also need permission to add files to that particular channel.

To copy rather than move — leaving the original where it is — use Copy to instead. Be aware that a copy does not carry the original's version history.

Method 2: File Explorer or Finder

Use these steps for a modest number of files coming from Microwave or from your own computer. For a whole department folder, use Method 3 instead.

Copy first, delete afterward. Do not cut and paste. Cutting removes files from their original location before the upload finishes, so a dropped connection, a sleeping laptop, or a file name Teams will not accept can leave you with no complete copy in either place. Copy the files, confirm they arrived, and only then delete the originals.

Before you start, check the folders you are about to move:

  • Deeply nested folders often exceed the path length Windows and Office can open once they are in Teams. The full path of a file in Teams — site, library, every folder, and the file name — has a character limit, and moving a folder into Teams makes every path inside it longer than it was on the department drive. Shorten long folder and file names and flatten deep chains before you move. Aim for about three levels of folders. See Best Practices and Limitations in Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive in the Related Articles section for the current limit.
  • Some characters are not allowed in file names in Teams, and names cannot end with a period or a space. The same article lists the current set.
  • This is a good moment to delete what nobody needs — the largest and oldest content first. Moving files you were going to throw away costs time and library space. See Manage and Clean Up Department Files Before the Teams Migration and Using the File Review Spreadsheet to Organize Your Department Files in the Related Articles section.
  • Close any files that are open, on your computer and on other people's.
  • Confirm the channel is connected to your computer, either as a shortcut or a sync. For a large batch, syncing tends to be more reliable than a shortcut. See Sync Teams Channels and Shared Folders to Your Computer in the Related Articles section.

On Windows:

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. In the left sidebar, find the Teams folder under Bowdoin College and open the destination channel folder. Keep this window open.
  3. Open a second File Explorer window and go to the files on your computer or on the department drive.
  4. Select the files or folders, then right-click and choose Copy (or press Ctrl+C).
  5. Switch to the Teams folder window, right-click inside it, and choose Paste (or press Ctrl+V).
  6. Wait for the OneDrive icon in the taskbar to show a green checkmark. Large batches can take a long time. Keep the computer on and online, and awake, until it finishes.
  7. Open the channel in Teams and confirm the files are there, that the count looks right, and that a few of them open correctly.
  8. Only then delete the originals.

On macOS:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. In the left sidebar, find the Teams folder under Bowdoin College and open the destination channel folder. Keep this window open.
  3. Open a second Finder window (File > New Finder Window, or ⌘+N) and go to the files on your computer or on the department drive.
  4. Select the files or folders and press ⌘+C to copy.
  5. Switch to the Teams folder window and press ⌘+V to paste.
  6. Wait for the OneDrive icon in the menu bar to show that syncing has finished. Keep the computer on and online, and awake, until it does.
  7. Open the channel in Teams and confirm the files are there, that the count looks right, and that a few of them open correctly.
  8. Only then delete the originals.

macOS note: If your source files are in a Desktop or Documents folder that OneDrive is backing up, and drag and drop is not working, see Cannot Drag and Drop to OneDrive Redirected Folders in macOS Tahoe Finder in the Related Articles section. Copy and paste is unaffected either way, which is another reason to prefer it here.

Method 3: A whole department folder

Do not move a department drive into Teams by hand. IT has migration tools that preserve created and modified dates, folder structure, and permissions, none of which survive a File Explorer copy.

  • Contact the Service Desk to plan the move.
  • Before you do, it helps enormously to have reviewed and cleaned up the folder. See Manage and Clean Up Department Files Before the Teams Migration and Transition Department Files to Microsoft Teams in the Related Articles section.

Confirm the move worked

Before deleting anything from the original location, check all of the following:

  • The file count in the channel matches what you moved.
  • OneDrive is not reporting any errors or skipped files. A file with an unacceptable name will be left behind quietly.
  • Several files, including the largest one, open correctly from Teams.
  • Anyone else who needs the files can see them in the channel.

Keep the originals for a little while. Once you delete them, the copies in Teams are all you have. There is no harm in waiting a week before clearing out the old location.

Troubleshoot

  • Some files did not arrive. The usual cause is a file name with an unacceptable character or a folder path that is too long. Check the OneDrive icon for a warning badge and open it to see what was skipped. See Troubleshoot Microsoft OneDrive Sync Errors in the Related Articles section.
  • The upload seems stuck. Confirm you are still online, and that the computer has not gone to sleep. Very large batches genuinely take hours.
  • Move to is greyed out or missing. You may lack permission to add files to that channel, or the destination may be a private or shared channel you are not in.
  • The files went to the wrong folder. Use Move to on the web to relocate them within Teams. That keeps their history intact.
  • I deleted something by mistake. Check the SharePoint recycle bin for the channel's site. Deleted items are recoverable for a limited time.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

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