How can I more easily migrate or copy files from a Teams channel I created to another user's Teams channel?

Price Evelyn 0 Reputation points
2026-08-12T06:51:55.3533333+00:00

Hello,

I'd like to ask how to more easily migrate or copy files from a Teams channel I created to a Teams channel created by another user.

For example, you can transfer the contents of folder A in an existing Team channel to a Team channel created by another person, or copy it to their Team channel, using a certain authorization method.

Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Teams for business | Teams and channels | Manage a team or channel
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-08-12T06:52:12.7333333+00:00

    The practical way to do this in Microsoft Teams is to move or copy the files, not the channel itself.

    If the files are in a Teams channel, they are stored in the channel’s SharePoint-backed file library. That means the easiest supported options are:

    1. In Teams, open OneDrive > My files.
    2. Locate the source file or files.
      • To find files from a specific channel, find the channel under Quick access or More places....
      • Or open the channel and go to the Shared tab.
    3. Hover over the file and select More options > Move to or Copy to.
    4. Select the destination folder for the other channel.
    5. Select Move here.

    For multiple files:

    • Select the check mark next to each file.
    • Select More options next to one of them.
    • Choose Move to or Copy to.

    If needed, the channel files can also be accessed from the channel itself:

    1. Select Teams.
    2. Open the source channel.
    3. Select Shared at the top.

    If the destination is another user’s channel, the required condition is access to that destination channel or its underlying SharePoint location. Without access, the files cannot be copied there from Teams.

    If a direct move/copy in Teams is not convenient, another supported approach is:

    1. Open the source channel.
    2. Select Shared > More commands > Open in SharePoint.
    3. Use SharePoint to work with the channel folder.

    For larger migrations, Microsoft documentation also notes broader migration options through Microsoft 365 file migration tools such as Migration Manager or the SharePoint Migration Tool.

    Also, if the goal is only to let the other channel use the same file, copying is not always necessary. A supported alternative is to share a link to the file instead of duplicating it.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. Liora 1,630 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-12T07:30:04.95+00:00

    Dear @Price Evelyn,

    I hope you’re having a good day. 

    If your goal is to transfer files or folders from a channel you manage to a channel owned by another user, the easiest method is often to use the built-in Copy to or Move to options available from the channel's Files (or Shared) tab, as shown in your screenshot. Microsoft supports moving and copying files directly within Teams without having to download and re-upload them manually.

    If both channels are in the same Team

    1. Open the source channel.
    2. Go to the Files or Shared tab.
    3. Select the file or folder.
    4. Click ... (More options)
    5. Choose Copy to or Move to.

    User's image

    1. Browse to the destination channel folder and complete the operation.

    User's image

    If the destination channel belongs to a different Team

    You can still try using Copy to or Move to, provided that:

    • You have access to both Teams.
    • Your organization allows cross-site copy/move operations.
    • You have sufficient permissions in the destination Team.

    After selecting Copy to or Move to, check whether the destination Team appears in the available locations. If it does, you can transfer the content directly.

    If you don't see the destination Team

    I recommend selecting: Files > Open in SharePoint and then performing the Copy to or Move to operation from SharePoint. SharePoint typically provides a more complete file management experience and may expose additional destinations that are not immediately visible within Teams.

    I hope this information helps point you in the right direction. If you run into any issues while trying the steps, or if something still doesn’t feel quite right, please don’t hesitate to reach out again. I’ll do my best to support you however I can.   

    Looking forward to hearing back from you with any updates or additional details.  

    Warm regards,  

    If the answer is helpful, please select "Yes" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

    Note: Please follow the steps in the forum documentation to enable email notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.  

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.