SharePoint Document Issues

How to Preserve SharePoint Metadata When Moving Files and Folders

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to move files and folders across SharePoint locations without losing associated metadata, properties, or custom columns.

How to Preserve SharePoint Metadata When Moving Files and Folders

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Moving documents or entire folders between different SharePoint document libraries or site collections.
Observed behavior: SharePoint displays a warning that file or folder properties will be lost during the move because the destination lacks the source's metadata structure.

Before you start

Verify that you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions in both the source and destination SharePoint sites to create custom columns and manage content types.

Solution 1Recommended

Match Content Types and Site Columns Manually

Use this method for moving individual files or smaller folders to a new library by replicating the metadata structure before the transfer.

When moving files, SharePoint only transfers the actual file content, not the underlying metadata framework. If the destination library doesn't match the source exactly, custom properties and metadata are dropped during the move.

Identify source metadata

Go to the source SharePoint library settings and take note of all active content types, site columns, and required fields.

Create content types in the destination site

Navigate to the Site Settings of your destination site and create the exact required content types to match the structure of the source site.

Add content types to the destination library

Open the destination document library settings, enable the management of content types, and add the newly created content types to the library.

Test the migration

Move a few representative files to the destination library and compare their properties to ensure the metadata is successfully preserved.

Match Content Types and Site Columns Manually

Important: Both column names and column types must match exactly between the source and destination for the metadata to map correctly without generating warnings.

Solution 2

Save the Document Library as a Template

This is the most efficient method when you need to move an entire document library to a new site collection while keeping all properties intact.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Your Documents Seamlessly with WPS Office

While SharePoint handles complex server-side metadata, WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for handling your daily document creation and editing needs. You can easily save, edit, and manage your office files locally or via cloud with zero subscription fees.

1. Download and Install: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your device.
2. Open Your Files: Easily open your .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx files downloaded from SharePoint directly in WPS Office.
3. Edit Seamlessly: Edit your documents with a familiar interface without worrying about format compatibility.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Free and lightweight alternative to heavy Office installations.Built-in PDF editing capabilities for seamless document workflows.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I get a warning that file properties will be lost when moving SharePoint files?

This warning occurs when the destination library does not have the same metadata columns, required fields, or content types as the source library. SharePoint cannot map the properties, resulting in a loss of metadata during the move.

Does moving files automatically recreate site columns in SharePoint?

No, moving files only transfers the file content. You must manually recreate or migrate the site columns and content types to the destination library before moving the files to retain their properties.

How can I find out what metadata needs to be copied before a move?

You can identify the required metadata by checking the Library Settings of your source document library. Look under the 'Columns' and 'Content Types' sections to see exactly what fields are configured.

Document & File Issues