How to Transfer Files Between Cloud Storage Services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)

There is no built-in "move to Dropbox" button in Google Drive or OneDrive, so every transfer uses one of a few routes. The files either pass through your computer, go through Google's export tool, or go through a third-party migration service. The right route depends mainly on how much data you have and how many of your files are Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides. For a related guide, see Can't Upload Files to Cloud Storage? Fixes for Stuck or Failed Uploads. For a related guide, see iCloud Storage Is Full? How to Free Space on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Whichever method you choose, copy first, verify, and only then delete the originals. Most of the real-world problems in this process come from skipping that order.

Which method should you use?

• Under a few GB, or a handful of folders: download and re-upload through the browser (Method 1).
• Many files, or a large library: use the desktop sync apps and copy between folders on your computer (Method 2).
• Moving everything out of Google Drive to OneDrive or Dropbox: consider Google Takeout (Method 3).
• Very large, cloud-to-cloud, or recurring transfers: a migration service or the command-line tool rclone (Method 4).

Before you start

1. Check free space at the destination. Free plans are small: typically 15 GB for Google, 5 GB for OneDrive, and 2 GB for Dropbox Basic. Confirm current limits on your account's storage page.
2. Check space on your computer if you'll use Methods 1–2, because files pass through it.
3. Note what you can't carry over. Sharing permissions, shared links, version history, and comments generally do not move with the files. Anyone you shared with will need new links. Files that other people own in a shared folder can usually be copied, but the copies will be owned by you.

Method 1: Download and re-upload

This is the simplest option and needs no extra software.

1. In the source service's web interface, select the files or folders. Right-click and choose Download (in Dropbox, use the three-dot menu or right-click menu).
2. Multiple items usually download as a .zip. Extract it on your computer.
3. In the destination service, use Upload (or drag the extracted folders into the browser window).

Browser downloads of very large folders can fail or be split into several zips, so work in smaller batches if you see errors. Uploading very large individual files is usually more reliable through the desktop app than the website.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are converted on download, typically to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats. Formatting is usually close but not always identical, so open a few important files afterward.

Method 2: Use the desktop apps and copy between folders

Install the desktop apps for the services involved (Google Drive for desktop, the OneDrive app, and the Dropbox app). Each creates a folder on your computer. You can then copy from one folder to another in File Explorer or Finder, and the destination app uploads the files in the background.

1. Sign in to both apps and let the source finish syncing.
2. Make sure the files are actually stored on your device. In "online-only" or streaming modes (Google Drive's streaming, OneDrive Files On-Demand, Dropbox online-only files), copying forces each file to download first, which is slow and needs disk space. For OneDrive, right-click the folder and choose Always keep on this device. Dropbox and Google Drive have equivalent offline options in their right-click menus or settings.
3. Copy, don't move. Dragging between two synced folders can delete the originals from the source cloud. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) while dragging, or use copy and paste.
4. Wait until the destination app reports that syncing is complete.

Important trap: Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides appear in Google Drive for desktop as small shortcut-style files (such as .gdoc) that only point to the online document. Copied to OneDrive or Dropbox, they won't contain your content. Export those files using the web download in Method 1, or use Method 3.

Method 3: Google Takeout (from Google Drive)

Google Takeout (takeout.google.com) exports your Google data, including Drive, and offers delivery options that include adding the export to Dropbox or OneDrive. The exact options and file formats can change, so review them on screen.

1. Open Takeout, deselect all products, then select Drive. Choose all files or specific folders if the option is offered.
2. Choose your delivery method: a download link by email, or adding the export to a connected cloud account such as OneDrive or Dropbox.
3. Pick the file type and size for the archives, then create the export.
4. When it finishes, retrieve the archives promptly. Download links are available for a limited time.
5. Extract the archives to get your folders and files.

Takeout delivers archives rather than a live folder structure, so you'll usually need to extract and organize them. The export can take hours or days for large accounts.

Method 4: Migration services or rclone

Services such as MultCloud or CloudHQ connect to both accounts and copy data between them without routing it through your computer. This is convenient for big libraries, but you are granting a third party access to your files. Before using one:

• Check the company's privacy policy and which permissions it requests.
• Test with a small, non-sensitive folder first. Free tiers often limit data volume or speed.
• Afterward, revoke the app's access in each account's security or connected-apps settings (for example, Dropbox's Connected apps tab or your Google Account's third-party access page).

For technical users, rclone is a free command-line tool that supports all three services. After running rclone config to set up each account, a transfer looks like this:

rclone copy gdrive:Projects onedrive:Projects --progress

Replace gdrive and onedrive with the names you chose during setup. Data still flows through the machine running rclone, but no manual downloads are needed. Use the official rclone documentation for setup and for how it handles Google Docs exports. If you're not comfortable with a terminal, stick to Methods 1–3.

Verify the transfer before deleting anything

1. Compare counts and sizes. Check the folder's properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac) in the source and destination folders. Small differences can occur because Google-native documents are exported and sizes change.
2. Open a sample of files, including at least one converted Google Doc, spreadsheet, and any large file.
3. Check the folder structure in the destination's web interface, not just the desktop folder.
4. Keep the originals for a few weeks before deleting. Also remember that deleting from a synced folder deletes from that cloud.

If something goes wrong

• Files show but are tiny, missing, or won't open: they may be online-only placeholders or .gdoc shortcuts. Make them available offline, or export Google files through the web interface.
• Sync errors in OneDrive or Dropbox: look for unsupported characters (such as \ / : * ? " < > | in OneDrive names) or very long folder paths. Shorten or rename the item, then retry.
• "Not enough storage" errors: free up space or upgrade the destination plan, then resume. Partial uploads are common when quota runs out.
• Browser download fails or the zip is corrupt: download smaller batches, or switch to the desktop app.
• Takeout link expired: run a new export.

Next step

Start with one representative folder using the simplest method that fits, and run the verification checks on it. If it looks right, repeat for the rest, then retire the old account's files only after a few weeks of normal use. For very large or business-managed accounts, check the provider's official migration documentation or your administrator before moving data.