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moving folders

Anonymous
2022-08-07T02:54:46+00:00

This is no doubt an easy, perhaps even stupid, question. I want to move a very large folder (pictures) from the small C drive on my computer to the D drive, which is much larger. With windows 10 and previous iterations of windows, this was easy; there was an option on the ribbon. That option has been deleted in windows 11 and there is no easy to to do this. Drag and DRop doesn't work, of course, because that only copies the folder (and for other reasons I don't want to copy and then delete the original folder). Cut and paste with a folder this size is just asking for trouble.

So, how do I do this? I don't have any interest in editing registries or other semi complicated methods that I'm almost certain to screw up.

Secondarily, why was this option eliminated in the first place? All that did was make life more difficult for the users. Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Ramesh 176.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-08-07T03:07:57+00:00

    Hi gba,

    To move the file/folder to the destination, press and hold the Shift key when dragging and dropping the item.

    Alternately, right-click on the folder and choose "Cut". Go to the destination folder and click "Paste". It's as safe as the other methods (drag/drop or "Move to") because Windows doesn't delete the source unless and until it knows that it has successfully copied the item to the destination.

    And you can add the "Move to" option to the context menu if you want.

    For special folders or shell folders like Music, Videos, Pictures, etc, you can use the Location tab in folder properties to relocate the folder. Cut and Paste works perfectly fine, too.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-08-07T03:30:01+00:00

    Hi GBA. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, here to help you.

    You can move shell User folders like Pictures, Documents, Desktop, Music, etc to another drive very easily using this popular method which is why many manufacturer's include a separate data partition:

    https://www.windowscentral.com/how-move-default...

    This way if Windows ever becomes irreparable you can restore an image of C from recovery media, and your files will be current and safe in their own separate partition. If they are left on C they would be dated from when the image was taken.

    The best free imaging app for saving the backup image externally is here:

    https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-re...

    If you only want to move one separate data folder then here is how to do all such operations:

    https://www.pcworld.com/article/443310/the-many...

    Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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  3. Ramesh 176.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-08-10T17:43:58+00:00

    FYI, someone posted a similar issue here:

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/drag-and-drop-problem/c0ac72cf-7497-4726-9689-30ff75c96971

    I've requested the Autoruns log for troubleshooting.

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  4. Ramesh 176.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-08-07T16:48:52+00:00

    Hi gba,

    Shift + drag/drop always performs a move operation regardless of the destination folder/drive. It's weird that it didn't work out for you. Please try the other methods in my earlier post: cut/paste, "move to" context menu, or restore the Windows 10-style ribbon to move files, and let's know how it goes.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-08-07T16:24:25+00:00

    Thanks. I tried the shift key thing, and although I had every indication that the folder was going to be moved (including a little blue legend "move"), it didn't. All that happened was that the folder and the contents were copied to the D drive. Fortunately, I was able to do a workaround. Not sure why it didn't work as advertised.

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