Transfer of files from personal to professional One drive

Georgios Ierodiakonou 0 Reputation points
2026-09-07T20:31:40.6866667+00:00

i was trying to move the information stored in my computer and my personal one drive to my professional one drive which i have just installed on the PC. however, it wouldnt let me sync with the new account. when i tried to stop synchronization with my personal account, i opted to copy everything on the PC. but currently cant see the all the files either on the PC or my previous one drive. can you help me recover and transfer to the professional one. its urgent

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For business | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-07T20:31:58.41+00:00

    To recover and transfer the files, use the local OneDrive folders on the PC first.

    1. Check whether both OneDrive accounts are available on the PC.
      • Open File Explorer.
      • Look for a personal OneDrive folder and a work or school OneDrive folder.
      • If the work account is not added yet, open the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area → Help & Settings → Settings → Account → Add an account.
      • Sign in with the professional account.
    2. Recover files from the personal OneDrive location on the PC.
      • In File Explorer, open the personal OneDrive folder.
      • If the needed files are there, select them and use Copy.
      • Then open the professional OneDrive folder and use Paste.
      • Copy/paste is recommended instead of drag/drop because it is less prone to mistakes.
    3. If files are missing from the PC, check the personal OneDrive online.
      • The files and folders visible in OneDrive online are the files available to move to another device.
      • If they are present there, make sure the personal OneDrive is set up on the PC so those files can sync down locally.
    4. After the files appear locally, copy them into the professional OneDrive folder.
      • Files moved from personal OneDrive to work or school OneDrive are treated as new files.
      • Metadata such as Date created or Modified By is not retained.
      • If any files were previously shared, they must be shared again after copying.
    5. If the personal account was removed from sync, add it back temporarily if needed.
      • Open OneDrive settings → Account → Add an account.
      • Sign in to the personal account again so its OneDrive folder is available in File Explorer.
      • Then copy the files from the personal folder to the professional folder.
    6. Check storage before copying large amounts of data.
      • Make sure the professional OneDrive has enough space for the copied files.

    Important cautions:

    • Only copy personal files. Files containing employer or school confidential information or intellectual property must not be copied unless permitted by policy or law.
    • There is no supported automatic “undo” described here for reversing a move; recovery depends on whether the files are still in the local OneDrive folder or visible in OneDrive online.

    References:

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

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  2. Georgios Ierodiakonou 0 Reputation points
    2026-09-07T20:36:03.07+00:00

    i am missing files/ i will need someone to back up my personal one drive from the past and then transder. i dont know how to do that

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  3. Hendrix 970 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-07T22:10:21.3333333+00:00

    Hi Georgios,

    For your concern, the safest approach in this situation is to locate and recover the files first, then create a separate backup to transfer them to your professional OneDrive.

    1/ Check your personal OneDrive online

    • Open an InPrivate/Incognito browser window and sign into OneDrive on the web with the personal Microsoft account
    • Select My files and search for your missing filenames. You can also check other folders like Recent, Recycle bin, etc.
    • If you find your lost items, select them and choose Restore. Normally, for personal OneDrive, deleted files are kept in Recycle Bin for 30 days until they're automatically removed.

    2/ Create a recovery backup outside OneDrive

    • Download the files from the OneDrive from the web to your local device
    • After locating the files in Download, use Copy and Paste to copy them into a new folder that is not inside either business or personal OneDrive, for example C:\Recovered_OneDrive_Backup

    3/ Transfer into the professional OneDrive

    • Start OneDrive from the Windows Start menu and sign in with your professional work or school account.
    • Confirm that File Explorer displays OneDrive - <YourOrganizationName> or something similar
    • Copy the files in C:\Recovered_OneDrive_Backup into the professional OneDrive folder.
    • Wait until the files show successful synchronization.
    • Sign into OneDrive on the web with your work account to confirm the files are visible online.

    Hope this information should be helpful. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to share them in the comment below. I'm very happy to help.

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