SharePoint Document Issues

How to Preserve Original File Dates When Uploading to SharePoint

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to retain the original Windows File Explorer creation and modification timestamps when migrating or uploading files to SharePoint.

How to Preserve Original File Dates When Uploading to SharePoint

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating local documents or syncing files to a SharePoint document library.
Observed behavior: SharePoint overwrites the original file timestamps with the time of the cloud upload or synchronization in its default Created and Modified columns.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions in your SharePoint site to create new metadata columns and run migration scripts or automation flows.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Custom Columns to Store Original Dates

Create custom metadata columns in SharePoint to store the original Windows timestamps, bypassing the default system-assigned dates.

SharePoint's default 'Created' and 'Modified' columns are system-controlled and reflect when a file was uploaded or changed in the cloud environment. To keep historical accuracy for auditing or archiving, you must map the original dates to custom columns during your migration process.

Create Custom Date Columns

Navigate to your SharePoint Document Library. Click on 'Add column' at the end of the header row and select 'Date and time'. Create two columns named 'Original Date Created' and 'Original Date Modified'.

Extract Local File Metadata

Before uploading, export your local file directories and their original timestamps (CreationTime and LastWriteTime) into a CSV file using a simple Windows PowerShell script.

Upload and Populate Data

Upload your files to SharePoint. Use a PowerShell PnP script or a Microsoft Power Automate flow to read your generated CSV file and automatically populate the 'Original Date Created' and 'Original Date Modified' custom columns for each uploaded file.

Use Custom Columns to Store Original Dates

Migration Tools Alternative: If you are migrating a large volume of files, the official Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) or third-party migration software can automatically preserve and map original timestamps without requiring manual CSV exports or custom scripts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint change my file creation dates upon upload?

SharePoint treats any uploaded file as a newly created item in its database. Therefore, the default 'Created' and 'Modified' columns reflect the exact time the file was added to the cloud environment, rather than the historical data from your local hard drive.

Can I overwrite the default Created and Modified columns in SharePoint?

Yes, but it cannot be done through the standard web interface. You must use specialized migration tools (like the SharePoint Migration Tool) or administrative PowerShell scripts using the SharePoint PnP module to explicitly overwrite these system fields during the upload.

Does dragging and dropping files into the browser preserve original dates?

No. When you drag and drop files directly into a SharePoint document library via a web browser, SharePoint immediately assigns the current upload time as the 'Created' date and sets you as the 'Created By' user.

How do I extract original file dates before migrating to SharePoint?

You can use Windows PowerShell to retrieve original dates. Running a command like 'Get-ChildItem | Select-Object Name, CreationTime, LastWriteTime | Export-Csv files.csv' will generate a spreadsheet of your local files and their historical timestamps for reference.

Document & File Issues