Moving files from Box to OneDrive in Windows and MacOS

Here are steps to move files from Box to OneDrive in Windows and MacOS

Windows

Open File Explorer (you can press the Windows key + E).
In the left-hand navigation pane, locate and click the Box entry. This is your Box Drive folder, where all your synced Box documents are accessible.

Navigate to the specific folder(s) within the Box Drive that contain the documents you want to move.
Select the files and folders:
- To select all items in a folder, press Ctrl + A.
- To select multiple, non-consecutive items, hold the Ctrl key while clicking on each item.
- To select a block of items, click the first item, hold the Shift key, and click the last item.
Once selected, copy the files/folders:
- Right-click on the selected items and choose Copy, or press Ctrl + C.

While still in File Explorer, locate and click the OneDrive entry in the left-hand navigation pane. This will be labeled as OneDrive - Rice University
Navigate to the specific location within your OneDrive where you want the documents to be moved. You may want to create a new, dedicated folder (e.g., "Box Migration") by right-clicking in the empty space and selecting New > Folder.

In the target OneDrive folder, right-click in an empty area and select Paste, or press Ctrl + V.
The files will begin to copy from the local Box Drive cache to the local OneDrive folder.
Monitor the file transfer progress. Note: Large transfers may take a while to copy and then an additional amount of time for OneDrive to sync all the new files up to the cloud. You can monitor the OneDrive sync status by clicking the cloud icon in the taskbar notification area.

Once the copy and OneDrive sync are complete, open your OneDrive folder and verify that all documents are present and open correctly.
Wait for the OneDrive icon in your taskbar to show a blue or white cloud icon with no syncing arrows, confirming the documents are safely backed up to the cloud.
To complete the move (as opposed to a copy): Go back to the original folder in your Box Drive, select the migrated documents, and delete them. This frees up space and avoids having duplicate files

Open a new Finder window (click the Finder icon in your Dock).
In the Finder sidebar on the left, locate and click the Box entry. This is your Box Drive folder where your synced files reside.
Navigate to the specific folder(s) containing the documents you wish to move.

Select the files and folders you want to move.
- To select all contents in the current folder, press Command (⌘) + A.
- To select non-consecutive items, hold the Command (⌘) key and click each item.
- To select a consecutive block of items, click the first item, hold Shift (⇧), and click the last item.
With the items selected, copy them by pressing Command (⌘) + C.

In the same or a new Finder window, locate and click the OneDrive entry in the sidebar.
- Tip: For business accounts, this is usually labeled OneDrive - [Your Company Name].
Navigate to the specific folder within OneDrive where you want the documents to go (or create a new folder there).

In the target OneDrive folder, press Command (⌘) + V to paste the files.
Finder will display a progress bar as the files are copied from the Box location on your Mac to the OneDrive location.
Wait for the copy process to complete.

After pasting, the files in the OneDrive folder will start syncing (uploading) to the cloud. You'll see status icons next to them (e.g., a cloud icon for Files On-Demand, or a syncing arrow).
Look for the OneDrive cloud icon in your macOS Menu Bar (top right of the screen) to monitor the overall sync status.
The migration is complete when the OneDrive icon shows a blue or white cloud icon with no arrows or warnings, indicating the files are successfully saved to the cloud.

Keywords:

moving files migrating migration storage file explorer Finder Window

Doc ID:

115627

Owned by:

Shari H. in Rice U

Created:

2022-01-11

Updated:

2025-11-17

Sites:

Rice University