Microsoft 365 Migration

How to Migrate a SharePoint 2013 Library to SharePoint Online

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to migrate a specific, individual document library from an on-premises SharePoint 2013 environment to SharePoint Online while retaining historical versions and metadata.

Product: SharePoint 2013, SharePoint Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Migrating a targeted document library to Microsoft 365 cloud infrastructure instead of moving an entire site.
Observed behavior: The goal state is a successfully migrated document library in SharePoint Online where historical versions, metadata, and check-in comments are fully preserved.

Before you start

Download and install the latest version of the Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) and ensure you have Site Collection Administrator permissions for both the source site and the destination tenant.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT)

Configure a migration task specifically for your target document library using Microsoft's official migration utility.

The SharePoint Migration Tool allows for granular migrations. Instead of migrating a full site collection, you can drill down into the site structure and select individual lists or document libraries to transfer to SharePoint Online.

Launch SPMT and Sign In

Open the SharePoint Migration Tool and sign in using your Microsoft 365 Global Administrator or SharePoint Administrator credentials.

Connect the Source Site

Select 'SharePoint Server' as your source environment, enter the URL of your SharePoint 2013 site, and input your on-premises server credentials.

Select the Target Library

Navigate the on-premises site structure displayed in the tool. Locate the specific document library you wish to migrate and select it, ensuring you do not select the parent site.

Set the Destination

Enter the URL of your destination SharePoint Online site and map the source library to the appropriate destination document library.

Configure Migration Settings

Before running the task, click on 'Settings'. Ensure that toggles for 'Preserve file version history', 'Migrate user metadata', and 'Keep check-in comments' are enabled. Click 'Run' to start the migration.

Verify Migration Results: Because version and metadata preservation depend heavily on configuration and source content health, always perform a visual check of the document library in SharePoint Online after the task completes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I migrate just one folder within a SharePoint document library using SPMT?

Yes, the SharePoint Migration Tool supports highly granular migrations. During the source selection step, you can expand the document library and select specific folders or even individual files to migrate.

Will I lose document metadata during the SharePoint migration?

If configured correctly, you will not lose metadata. Standard metadata like 'Created By', 'Modified By', and custom columns are preserved as long as you enable the user metadata migration option in your SPMT settings.

Do historical check-in comments transfer to SharePoint Online?

Yes, check-in comments can be retained. You must ensure that the option for migrating historical versions and check-in comments is toggled on in the migration task settings before you initiate the transfer.

What permissions are required to run the SharePoint Migration Tool?

You need to have Site Collection Administrator permissions for the source SharePoint 2013 site, and you must hold either SharePoint Admin or Global Admin privileges in the destination Microsoft 365 tenant.