I need to move a large number of files from my old OneDrive account to a new one, but I’m not sure what the easiest or fastest method is. Has anyone done this before or can recommend a tool or steps to avoid losing any data? Any help would be appreciated because I don’t want to lose important documents.
Swapping Files Between Two OneDrive Accounts: The Real-World Odyssey
Alright, so here’s the situation a lot of us have run into: you end up with more than one OneDrive account. Maybe school issued you one, work gave you another, and you already had your personal account. Now you’re juggling all these files and, surprise, you need to shift files from one cloud to another like you’re moving apartments.
Classic Moves That (Mostly) Work
Been around the block with this. There are basically two old-school routes everyone tries first:
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Sharing Folders: Right-click a folder, hit “Share,” and punch in the email linked to your second OneDrive. Sounds clean, right? Well, it kinda works. You don’t really get two stand-alone copies, though—you’re just giving your second account access. If you want to actually own the files in both spots, you still have to copy them later. The interface can be a bit clunky, and permissions sometimes get wonky if you start reorganizing stuff too deeply.
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Download, Then Upload: This method is straight outta 2010. You pull everything to your own machine, then put it back up to the other OneDrive. If you have slow internet or folders bursting with massive RAW images, it’s gonna tie up your connection for the rest of the century. Plus, yawn… it’s boring and tedious. Been there, regretted that.
A Shortcut to Avoid The Hassle
Here’s where things get interesting. I stumbled upon an alternative: CloudMounter. Instead of treating your clouds like totally separate islands, this app makes them play nice with each other.
All you have to do is:
- Log each OneDrive account into CloudMounter. The app doesn’t force you pick favorites—it’ll treat every account equally.
- Now, just drag and drop files between the two OneDrives from inside the app. No big downloads to your laptop, no hours wasted waiting on chunky uploads. It basically acts like a bridge: way less time, headache, and risk of tangled-up files.
Worth It? Who’s It For?
Some folks (like my friend who’s obsessed with manual control) say, “Why not just use Windows Explorer and sync everything locally?” For tiny folders, sure. If you’ve got gigs of stuff, though, CloudMounter is a lifesaver. It keeps your traffic in the cloud. Faster, smoother, still under your control.
You don’t have to pay to ferry your gigabytes through your home WiFi. Move gigabytes between clouds without babysitting the process? Yes, please.
TL;DR
You can either fumble your way through OneDrive’s “Share” and “Download/Upload” methods, or you can take a shortcut and get it done with CloudMounter. If you move cloud files often—or just hate waiting—this is one of the laziest, smartest hacks out there.
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Honestly, moving a boatload of files between two OneDrives is one of those headache-inducing chores that makes you question why tech is supposed to make life “easier.” I’ve done this a couple times (company merge, then later after university locked my student account out 3 days before finals, shiny move Microsoft). Everyone jumps to “just download and upload” or “share then copy” like it’s a fresh idea, but like @mikeappsreviewer said, that’s a recipe for lost weekends, especially if you’ve got hundreds of GB.
So real talk, I’ve tried those, plus a few other options worth throwing on the pile:
- Third-Party Cloud Managers: CloudMounter’s getting love in this thread for a reason. It worked decently for me as a bridge, plus it’s nice not to run gigabytes through my home net. There’s also MultCloud or Otixo out there, though some cut you off after a certain data quota unless you subscribe, so just check limits before going all in.
- Automated Workflow Tools: For the more nerdy, Zapier or Power Automate can help automate copying new files from one OneDrive to another, but frankly if you’re doing a one-time big move, the setup time isn’t worth the gain (unless you LIKE building flows for fun).
- Local Sync with Both Accounts: I will throw a slight disagreement here with @mikeappsreviewer on Windows Explorer—if you have a fast SSD and don’t care about local bandwidth hitting its knees, you can in theory sign in with both OneDrive accounts, set them to sync different folders, and copy stuff via Windows. But it pounds your disk and home network and makes you babysit conflicts, so, eh.
Pro-tips to not lose your sanity or data:
- If your organization is about to close your first account, MOVE STUFF EARLY. No mercy once they hit “disable.”
- Watch out for file name length/path issues—OneDrive throws hilarious errors if you hit its old 255-character path restriction.
- Don’t forget shared files: If you “own” a shared folder, grabbing it won’t always grant you access from the new account.
- If you do manual copy/paste, keep everything in one root (“ArchiveFromOldOneDrive” or whatever) to easily spot what’s new.
I’ll be real, nothing is truly seamless, but third-party multi-cloud managers like CloudMounter come pretty darn close to “set it and forget it.” Or, go with the ancient ways and re-live your dial-up past. Your call. Just…bring snacks.
Honestly, I think the handwringing about big “file migrations” is a little overblown. Let’s not pretend moving OneDrive files is a heroic odyssey. But hey, I get it—moving gigs between clouds is annoying, and trying to avoid the “download/upload, rinse & repeat” pain is worthwhile.
Already saw the love for CloudMounter in the thread, and it’s… fine, if you like third-party handholding. (BTW, @mikeappsreviewer and @espritlibre already beat the drum for it, so let’s move along.)
Let’s stir the pot with a different angle: If both accounts are under the same organization or your IT isn’t completely archaic, push for admin-level migration. Microsoft’s own admin console (if you have access to it) can migrate OneDrive content between users/accounts—no third-party apps, no personal bandwidth burned. It’s sort of an “IT’s problem now, not mine” power move.
If that’s not on the table (and it probably isn’t if you have personal + school/work), consider a direct PowerShell script using the OneDrive API—yes, it’s nerd territory, but if you’re technical and want a no-middleman solution, it’s possible. Faster than fat-fingering files through a UI, less risk of hitting 3rd-party service data caps or breaking privacy policies if that’s a concern.
Say you want dead simple? Take one folder at a time, right-click, “Move to” (not copy)—in the OneDrive web client, send files to a shared folder, then transfer ownership if the org allows it. That’s the closest to “native OneDrive way.” But prepare for screaming fits if you like deep folder trees or had any files shared externally—the permissions get messy fast.
If your files are mostly documents, you could use Office’s “Move to” function in Word/Excel’s online interface, saving straight to the destination account (clunky, but avoids multi-GB downloads).
Bottom line: there’s no magic. CloudMounter is solid and simple for cross-account shuffling, but if you like living dangerously (or work for an enterprise), push for the admin-side or API approach—fewer moving parts and way less “did I lose something?” anxiety. And whatever you do, triple-check those shared folder paths afterwards. OneDrive loves to break links just to keep you humble.
Let’s hit this from a troubleshooter’s angle, since there’s already a pile of opinion on sharing, admin, and CloudMounter upthread. Going to disagree a bit—those suggesting direct admin-level tools or PowerShell scripts might be overcomplicating things unless you’re in IT or love risk. Those methods can get messy fast (permissions, throttling, audit logs, API quirks…). Most home or school users don’t get that kind of access, anyway.
CloudMounter is honestly a practical middle ground, but it’s not magic. Pros? Drag-and-drop simplicity, keeps transfers in the cloud, no hogging your own bandwidth, and you don’t need to wrangle command lines or scripts. Docs, images, even big files—it works. Cons: premium features locked behind a paywall after the trial, sometimes glitches with large file/folder moves (especially on flaky WiFi; though it’s still usually faster than download/re-upload), and obviously, you’re trusting a third party with your credentials—so check your comfort level.
Alternatives like MultCloud or odrive have cropped up, and while they play the same game, CloudMounter tends to be a bit lighter and more “native” on macOS. If you’re on Windows only, you might get similar results juggling OneDrive’s own sync client (if you have the disk space and patience), but the setup is more convoluted for two accounts at once.
Bottom line—CloudMounter hits that sweet spot of user-friendly and efficient, but if you’re moving company IP or ultra-sensitive data, double-check compliance and maybe nudge IT instead. Personal files? Go for it, but always, always sanity-check your source vs. destination before deleting from the old account. OneDrive loves to play hide-and-seek with nested folders.