OneDrive File Issues

How to Transfer a ZIP File Between Two OneDrive Accounts

Muhammad Talha Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to transfer a large ZIP file from one OneDrive account to another but is encountering issues with standard sharing tools and the inability to extract the file directly in the cloud.

How to Transfer a ZIP File Between Two OneDrive Accounts

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating large archived data (ZIP files) between two separate Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage accounts.
Observed behavior: OneDrive does not support extracting ZIP archives directly in the cloud web interface, and standard sharing or Mover migration tools often fail to reliably transfer very large ZIP files across accounts.

Before you start

Ensure your computer has sufficient local hard drive space to download and extract the full contents of the ZIP file, and connect to a stable Wi-Fi or ethernet network to prevent download or upload interruptions.

Solution 1Recommended

Download, Extract, and Upload Manually

Since OneDrive cannot natively extract ZIP files in the cloud, the most reliable method is to process the files locally on your computer.

This approach bypasses the limitations of cloud-to-cloud migration tools when handling heavy, single-file archives. By extracting locally, you ensure all internal files are intact before uploading them to the new destination.

Download from the Source Account

Log into your source OneDrive account via the web browser. Locate the target ZIP file, click the checkmark circle in its upper-right corner to select it, and click 'Download' on the top toolbar.

Extract the ZIP File Locally

Navigate to your computer's Downloads folder. On Windows, right-click the ZIP file and select 'Extract All...'. On Mac, simply double-click the ZIP file to extract its contents into a standard folder.

Upload to the Destination Account

Log out of the first account and sign into your destination OneDrive account. Navigate to the desired directory, click 'Upload' > 'Folder' (or 'Files'), and select the extracted folder from your computer to upload the uncompressed contents.

Provide Feedback to Microsoft: Microsoft currently lacks cloud-based ZIP extraction capabilities. You can submit feedback by clicking the Help icon (?) in the OneDrive web interface to request this feature for easier cross-account transfers.

Solution 2

Use Shared Links for Direct File Download

If you only want to move the compressed ZIP file to the new account without extracting its contents, you can bypass local storage limits by sharing a direct link.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unzip a file directly in OneDrive online?

No, Microsoft OneDrive does not currently support extracting or unzipping files directly within the web interface or cloud environment. You must download the ZIP file to your local device, extract the contents there, and then upload them back to OneDrive.

Why do large ZIP files fail to transfer using Mover or standard sharing?

Cloud migration tools and standard sharing protocols can struggle with extremely large single-file archives due to connection timeouts or API limitations. Breaking the archive down by extracting it locally provides a much more stable multi-file upload process.

Are there any third-party tools to extract ZIP files in OneDrive?

While platforms like Microsoft Power Automate exist, extracting ZIP files automatically usually requires premium third-party connectors (like Encodian or Muhimbi). For most users, manual downloading and extracting remains the simplest and only free method.

Document & File Issues