---
title: Move or copy a file
type: how-to
section: drive
summary: Move and Copy to open a folder picker scoped to where the item already lives. You cannot move items between managed folders, and folders cannot be copied.
sources:
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/content-platform-move-dialog.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/content-platform-move-folder-list.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/content-platform/content-platform-shell-v2-client.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/app/i18n/locales/en/content-platform.json
verified:
  at: 2026-09-04
  env: code
  by: content-lane-drive
ttl_days: 45
related: [drive/create-a-folder, drive/archive-an-item, drive/permission-levels]
---

Open the item's actions and choose **Move**, or **Copy to** for a copy. Pick the destination folder in the dialog and choose **Move here** or **Copy here**. The picker only offers folders in the place the item already lives.

## Move an item

1. Open the item's actions menu and choose **Move**. The dialog title names the item.
2. Read the line under it. It says which place you are choosing inside.
3. Choose a folder from **Folders** to go into it, or **Back** to go up. The path shows in **Destination path**, starting at the home icon.
4. Choose **New folder** if the destination does not exist yet, name it, and choose **Create**.
5. Check the destination beside **Move to:** and choose **Move here**. It reads **Moving…** while it works, and confirms with **Item moved.**

Checking several rows first moves them together, and the dialog title counts them. The confirmation reports how many moved.

## Copy an item

**Copy to** works the same way, with **Copy here** as the confirm and **Item copied.** as the confirmation. The original stays where it is.

Folders cannot be copied. Drive says **Folders can't be copied.** and does not open the dialog.

## What the picker will and will not offer

- Only folders inside the same place the item lives. A file in **My Drive** cannot be moved into a managed folder from here, and a file in one managed folder cannot be moved into another.
- Never a folder you are moving. Moving a folder into itself is not offered.
- A destination with no children says **No subfolders here. Move into this location.** Choosing the confirm puts the item at that level.

Selecting items from two different places at once is refused up front: **You can only move items that live in the same place.** or **You can only copy items that live in the same place.**

## What you cannot move or copy

Items shared with you belong to someone else. Drive says **Items shared with you cannot be moved.** or **Items shared with you cannot be copied.** and leaves them alone. The same applies to any item you hold read-only.

## If it did not work

- **Couldn't move that item.** and **Couldn't copy that item.** mean nothing changed. Try again.
- **Couldn't load folders.** inside the dialog means the destination list failed. Close it and reopen.
- Moving needs write access on both the item and the destination. Check [Can view, Can comment and Can edit](/help/drive/permission-levels).
- To get a file from one managed folder into another, download it and upload it to the destination.