Forum Discussion
Move files from Account A to Account B 165 GB data
I’ve been using Microsoft Office 365 Family for several years, sharing it with my family members.
We have 6 accounts, each with 1 TB of storage.
One of my accounts has now reached 985 GB, so I need to transfer files from Account A (my account) to Account B (my wife’s account). These files mainly consist of photos and videos — over 200,000 files in total.
I tried transferring a 6 GB wedding shoot (.ISO format), but it took more than an hour.
Re-downloading and uploading all the data isn’t feasible as my internet connectivity is limited to 100 mbps only.
I’m looking for the best and most efficient way to move these files directly between OneDrive accounts.
1 Reply
Share → “Add to my OneDrive” → Copy
- In Account A: Share a top‑folder (containing your 165 GB) with Account B (give edit permissions).
- In Account B: Log into OneDrive web, go to Shared → find the folder from Account A → choose “Add to my OneDrive” (so it appears under Account B’s OneDrive).
- Then from the B side: Copy the folder (within B’s OneDrive) into the correct location (so it becomes files owned by B).
- Once confirmed, you can delete the folder/contents from A, freeing up space.
Pros:
- Minimises upload from your local machine (because much of the transfer happens server‑side).
- Uses existing OneDrive sharing and copy features.
Cons:
- With many files / large files this can still be slow or unreliable (users report issues).
- Some metadata (like exact “modified by”) may not preserve perfectly.
- You’ll want to check thoroughly that all 200k files and folder structure copied correctly before deleting.
Use a third‑party cloud‑to‑cloud migration tool
How: Use a tool such as MultCloud or CBackup or similar, which connect both OneDrive accounts and move files server‑to‑server.
- Example: CBackup supports “Sync Public Cloud to Public Cloud” for OneDrive → OneDrive. cbackup.com
- Example: MultCloud supports “Cloud Transfer” between two OneDrive accounts. app.multcloud.com
Pros:
- Minimal local bandwidth usage (the data flows between cloud accounts).
- Often more controllable (can schedule, monitor transfers, resume/catch errors).
- You keep your machine free during the bulk transfer.
Cons:
- Some tools may cost money (or have free‐tier limitations).
- You must trust a third‑party with access to both accounts (check their security/privacy).
- Still may run into API limits or throttling by OneDrive if many files/large files are moved.
- Check whether they preserve all metadata or just the files.
Choose first (Share → Add to My OneDrive → Copy) because it uses mostly cloud transfer and avoids your upload bottleneck.
Before you delete anything from Account A:
- Verify the file count, folder structure, and total GB size in Account B equals what was in A.
- Spot‑check large video files to ensure they open OK.
If you encounter reliability issues (lots of errors, incomplete copy, very slow): switch to Method 2 — pick a reputable cloud‑migration service.
Once confirmed solidly, delete from Account A to free up space.
Important things to watch
- Ensure Account B has sufficient free space (≥ 165 GB) before starting.
- Large files (e.g., ISOs/videos) can be tricky in one go. Consider doing them in chunks (e.g., move videos folder first, then photos).
- Metadata: If you care about “Modified date” or version history, check the tool/method preserves them — many consumer migrations lose version history.
- Deletion: After transfer, you may need to empty the Recycle Bin in Account A to truly free up space.
- Time: Even cloud‑to‑cloud may take multiple hours, maybe a day or two depending on number of files and API throughput.
- Backup: Until you’re sure everything is transferred, keep the original safely in Account A (don’t delete prematurely).
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
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