How to Move Files or Folders from OneDrive to Teams Files

Questions

  • How do I move a file from OneDrive to a Teams channel?
  • How do I move a folder from my personal OneDrive into Teams?
  • Can I drag and drop files from OneDrive into Teams?
  • How do I move files from OneDrive to Teams on a Mac?
  • How do I move files from OneDrive to Teams on Windows?
  • Why can't I find my file after I moved it to Teams?
  • Will moving a file from OneDrive to Teams change who can see it?
  • How do I move multiple files at once from OneDrive to a Teams channel?
  • What is the difference between copying and moving a file into Teams?

Environment

This article applies to all Bowdoin College students, faculty, and staff who use Microsoft OneDrive and Microsoft Teams as part of their Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account.

  • Applies to: Bowdoin-issued MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Neo, iMac, Mac Mini, Dell Laptop, Dell Desktop, iPad mini, and iPad Pro, as well as personal devices on a best-effort basis
  • Operating systems in scope: macOS Sequoia (15.x) or Tahoe (26.x) and newer, Windows 11, and the current version of iPadOS
  • Applications in scope: OneDrive (web and desktop sync client), Microsoft Teams (desktop app and web app)
  • Not in scope: setting up OneDrive sync for the first time, sharing files externally, or managing SharePoint site permissions

Tap or click a section below to jump directly to it:

Move Files Using OneDrive on the Web Move Files Using File Explorer on Windows Move Files Using Finder on macOS

Resolution

Note: A Teams channel's "Shared" tab is actually a folder in a SharePoint document library that belongs to the whole team. Moving a file there makes it visible to everyone in that channel, not just to you.

Move Files Using OneDrive on the Web

  1. Open a web browser and go to https://bowdoin-my.sharepoint.com, then sign in with your Bowdoin email address and password if prompted.
  2. Browse My files to locate the file or folder you want to move and select the circle next to its name to check the box.
  3. Select Move to from the toolbar at the top of the page.
  4. In the "Move items" panel that opens, look in the Quick access section and choose the name of the Microsoft Team that contains the channel you want to move the file into.  Click More places... if you don't see the Microsoft Team you are looking for.
  5. Browse into the correct channel folder. Most Teams store files under a folder that matches the channel name, such as "General".
  6. Select Move here to complete the move.
Important: If the Team you are looking for does not appear in the "Quick access" list, you may not be a member of that Team yet. Ask the Team owner to add you before trying again.

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Move Files Using File Explorer on Windows 11

This method works if both your personal OneDrive and the Teams channel's document library are already set up to sync to your Windows 11 computer.

  1. Select the File Explorer icon in the taskbar to open File Explorer.
  2. In the left-hand navigation pane, select the folder labeled with your name under "OneDrive - Bowdoin College" to open your personal OneDrive folder.
  3. Locate the file or folder you want to move.
  4. In the left-hand navigation pane, find the synced folder for the Team, which appears under a heading that matches the Team's name.
  5. Drag the file or folder from your OneDrive folder into the Team's synced folder. You can also cut the file with Control + X and paste it into the destination folder with Control + V.
  6. Wait for the OneDrive sync icon in the taskbar to show a green checkmark, confirming the file has synced to the channel's document library.
Note: If you do not see a synced folder for the Team you need, open the channel's "Files" tab in Microsoft Teams and select Sync to add it to File Explorer.

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Move Files Using Finder on macOS

This method works if both your personal OneDrive and the Teams channel's document library are already set up to sync to your Mac.

  1. Open Finder from the Dock.
  2. In the Finder sidebar, select OneDrive - Bowdoin College to open your personal OneDrive folder.
  3. Locate the file or folder you want to move.
  4. In the Finder sidebar, find the synced folder for the Team, which appears under a heading that matches the Team's name.
  5. Hold Command and drag the file or folder from your OneDrive folder into the Team's synced folder to move it. If you drag without holding Command, macOS may copy the file instead of moving it, depending on the source and destination.
  6. Wait for the OneDrive menu bar icon to show a solid cloud or checkmark, confirming the file has synced to the channel's document library.
Note: If the Team's folder does not appear in Finder, open the channel's "Files" tab in Microsoft Teams and select Sync to add it to your Mac.

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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

 

 

AI-assisted content: This article was created with AI. It was verified and edited by a human.
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