How to Move Your Dropbox Files to OneDrive

Step 1Get Ready to Move Your Files

Either way, the move is a copy. OneDrive copies your files and leaves the originals untouched in Dropbox. If something goes wrong partway through, you still have everything in the original account.

Because of that, there is no rush to delete anything. Finish the transfer, check the results, and only then think about cleaning up Dropbox.

Know What Might Not Be Moved

Files larger than 15 GB and paths that go past the character limits stay behind. Check these items first so you don’t end up with failed transfers and missing files.

• Long File and Folder Names: File or folder names that are too long (more than 256 characters for files, 250 for folders) might not move. The full address to the file can also cause problems if it’s longer than 400 characters. Shortening the name, or moving the file higher up the folder tree in Dropbox, usually fixes this.
• Large Files: Files bigger than 15 GB usually don’t move. Move these by hand, or split or compress them first.
• Empty Files: Files with no content (0 bytes) won’t be moved. If you need one, such as a placeholder, recreate it in OneDrive.
• Restricted Files: If some files in Dropbox are marked as restricted, they won’t move unless you remove that restriction first.
• Dropbox Specifics: Things like Dropbox Paper documents, templates, and shortcuts are not moved to OneDrive. If you rely on any of these, export or recreate them yourself.

Step 2Start Moving Your Files

You can move your Dropbox files through two main routes: the mobile app or the website. Both achieve the same goal. The steps below use the website, since it works from any PC with a browser and needs nothing installed.

Using the OneDrive Website

The OneDrive website lets you handle large transfers without installing 💿 extra software on your computer. You sign in at onedrive.com with your Microsoft account and use the browser to run the migration. Because the copy runs between the two services online, it does not depend on your PC’s disk space or home connection speed in the same way a manual download does.

1. Sign In to OneDrive: Open your web browser and go to onedrive.com. Sign in with your Microsoft account. You should see your OneDrive files page.
2. Go to Settings ⚙️: Look for the Settings icon, which usually looks like a gear and sits in the top-right corner of the page. Click it. A settings menu opens.
3. Choose ‘Import cloud photos and files’: In the settings ⚙️ menu, find and click Import cloud photos and files. If you don’t see it, Microsoft may have moved or changed the option for your account or region. In that case, use the manual download method described earlier.
4. Connect to Dropbox: You will see a list of cloud services you can move files from. Choose Dropbox.
5. Allow Access: You will be sent to the Dropbox website. Sign in there and give OneDrive permission to access your files. You can revoke this permission later in your Dropbox account settings.
6. Start the Move: After you give permission, follow the instructions on the screen to start copying your files from Dropbox to OneDrive. A progress indicator should appear once the copy begins.

Step 3Watch and Manage the Move

Large transfers can take a long time, and an interrupted or stalled copy is easier to catch early. Make sure your OneDrive has enough free space for the whole batch. If you are on the free 5 GB plan, a large Dropbox library will not fit.

How the Move Works

OneDrive creates duplicate copies of your data during the transfer. Original files stay put in Dropbox and remain untouched throughout the process. That means your Dropbox storage use does not change, and you can compare the two accounts side by side when the transfer finishes.

Step 4Running the Move Again

If some files were missed, or new ones were added to Dropbox after the first transfer, run the move process again. Before you do, check the list of limits earlier in this guide. A file that failed once because of its size or name will fail again until you fix that cause.

How it Works

When you repeat the move, the sync engine saves time by comparing timestamps and checking for changes since your last transfer. OneDrive only copies brand-new files and updated items. That avoids wasting storage space and bandwidth on duplicates.

• New Files: Any files that are in Dropbox but not in OneDrive will be copied.
• Changed Files: If a file has been changed in Dropbox since the last move, OneDrive will look at the dates it was last changed. If the Dropbox version is newer, it will replace the existing file in OneDrive.
• Unchanged Files: If the files are the same, or if the OneDrive version is newer, nothing will happen to those files. Edits you made in OneDrive after the first transfer are therefore safe.

Step 5Sharing Files and Cleaning Up

Once your files are in OneDrive, do two things before you consider the job done. Review the sharing permissions, and plan when to clean up the Dropbox account.

Open a few folders in OneDrive and compare them with Dropbox. Check file counts and open a handful of files, especially the largest ones and any with long names. Keep Dropbox as it is until you are sure nothing is missing.

File Sharing Settings

Sharing settings and links created in Dropbox do not carry over during the migration. You need to rebuild those sharing links inside OneDrive.

1. Make a list of the folders and files you shared in Dropbox, and who had access.
2. In OneDrive, select the file or folder and click Share.
3. Choose who can access it and what they can do, then send the link or invitation again.
4. Tell the people you share with that the old Dropbox links will stop being the right place to look once you remove the files from Dropbox.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/onedrive/import-other-cloud-files-using-onedrive

Summary

Before you start, check that you have enough OneDrive storage space and review the file limitations above. Then begin the transfer through the OneDrive website or app. Afterwards, verify the files, rebuild your sharing links, and clean up Dropbox only once you are sure everything arrived.