File Sharing Problems

How to Fix Cannot Copy a Shared OneDrive Folder to Another Account

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is attempting to copy a shared OneDrive folder containing subfolders and files to a colleague's account, but the Copy option is completely disabled despite having both link-sharing and specific-people permissions enabled.

Product: Microsoft OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Transferring or copying a shared folder from one OneDrive account to another.
Observed behavior: The Copy option is greyed out or missing when the user selects the shared folder in the OneDrive interface.

Before you start

Ensure you are logged into the correct Microsoft account and that your web browser is fully updated before troubleshooting folder permissions.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Edit Permissions and Account Sign-In

Confirm that the recipient has the necessary edit permissions, as view-only access often restricts the ability to copy folders.

OneDrive's sharing permissions dictate what actions a user can perform. Even if a link is shared, the specific permission level must be set to allow editing for the copy function to work seamlessly across accounts. Additionally, this is a known issue within OneDrive that sometimes persists despite correct settings.

Check access permissions

Ask the folder owner to right-click the folder, select 'Manage access', and ensure the recipient's account is explicitly granted 'Can edit' permissions.

Re-authenticate the account

Have the recipient sign out of their OneDrive account completely, clear their browser cache, and sign back in to refresh their session credentials.

Attempt to copy again

Select the shared folder in the 'Shared' tab of OneDrive and check if the 'Copy to' button is now enabled in the top toolbar.

Report to support

If the button remains disabled after verifying permissions, use the 'Help' icon in OneDrive to report the ongoing issue directly to Microsoft Support, as it may be a backend service bug.

Known Microsoft Issue: Multiple users have reported this as a persistent bug in OneDrive. If standard permission checks fail, the issue may require intervention from Microsoft.

Solution 2

Use the OneDrive Desktop Sync App as a Workaround

Bypass web interface restrictions by syncing the shared folder locally and using your computer's File Explorer to copy the files.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Copy to' option missing in my OneDrive?

The option is typically missing if the folder owner has restricted your permissions to 'View Only', if the folder is stored in an unsupported location, or due to a temporary backend service glitch on Microsoft's end.

Can I copy a folder if I only have view permissions?

Generally, no. Microsoft OneDrive requires you to have 'Edit' permissions to select a shared folder and use the native 'Copy to' function to duplicate it to your own account.

How can I copy large shared folders without the web interface crashing?

For large folders, the web interface may time out or disable the copy function. It is highly recommended to use the 'Add shortcut to My files' feature and perform the copy-paste action using your local desktop File Explorer.

Document & File Issues