How can I transfer files between two different OneDrive accounts?

Mac
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I need help moving a large number of files from my old OneDrive account to a new one because I recently changed jobs. I’m not sure of the best way to do this without downloading and re-uploading everything. Any suggestions or step-by-step guides would be appreciated.

2

How Do You Shuffle Files Between Multiple OneDrive Accounts on Desktop Using CloudMounter?

Okay, so imagine this: you’ve got a bunch of OneDrive accounts (work, school, that weird one you made for a free trial ages ago), and you want to move files between them without downloading everything to your desktop. If that made you sigh with pain, you’re not alone. Here’s how I stopped the madness using CloudMounter.

First Impressions: Is It Really That Simple?

Look, lots of apps claim to be “cloud managers,” but most are just drive mappers in disguise. What CloudMounter does is more like giving each of your cloud silos its own “apartment” right in your Finder. No more switching windows, no more endless copy->download->re-upload; you just treat all your OneDrive accounts as if they’re extra hard drives. Kinda wild.

Getting Started

  1. Install the App from the Mac App Store.
  2. Open CloudMounter and you’ll get a clean-ish interface – not Fisher-Price, not sysadmin-scary.
  3. Hit the ‘+’ Button and pick OneDrive.
  4. Log In with your first account, authorize, and… boom. That drive is now docked in Finder.
  5. Repeat for your extra OneDrive(s). I stacked up three at one point, no sweat.

Moving Files: Zero Drama Transfers

Now here’s the part that blew my mind:

  • Drag that folder sitting in OneDrive #1.
  • Drop it straight into OneDrive #2, right from Finder.
  • Feel smug as the transfer happens server-to-server, not clogging your bandwidth or space.

It’s like shoving envelopes through mailboxes in a hallway instead of biking across town with them. The transfers are direct—no more download just to re-upload somewhere else.

What Else Does It Do? (Quick-Fire Rundown)

  • Encryption: Want your cloud files locked down? There’s a toggle. Adds a layer of security atop your cloud’s own.
  • Supports a Bunch Mo’ Clouds: Not just OneDrive. Google, Dropbox, Amazon—if it’s got ‘drive’ in the name, it probably works.
  • Keeps Finder Integration Secretly Seamless: You don’t notice it’s an add-on after five minutes. Feels native.
  • Offline Access: Mount a drive, mark stuff for offline, you’re golden—even if Starbucks WiFi is being obnoxious again.

Gotchas

Let’s be real: you need a paid license for the “all features” unlocked mode if you’re doing serious multi-account juggling. But for the headache you avoid, might be worth the coin.

TL;DR for the Lazy

Moving files between two OneDrive accounts without the CloudMounter method: Annoying, clunky, uses local storage, wastes time.
With CloudMounter: Surface-level easy, drag-n-drop in Finder, doesn’t hog local disk, handles encryption, deals with lots of cloud services at once, just works.

Full details and download here: CloudMounter on Mac App Store

Anyone else using this for cross-cloud housekeeping? Drop your wild transfer stories (or horror stories) below.

1 Like
3

Honestly, everyone is hyped about CloudMounter lately (def see what @mikeappsreviewer raved about), but let me throw a wrench in the works for a sec. Yes, CloudMounter is slick for Mac users and all, but you don’t have to drop cash or switch up your workflow if you don’t want another app hogging your menu bar.

If your files aren’t in the “hundreds of gigs” crazy range, here’s the method most corporate IT folks stealthily use:

  • Link both OneDrive accounts in the web app (you’ll need both logins handy, obviously).
  • In your source OneDrive, select everything you want to move, then “Share” the folder(s) with your new account (enter your new email, set as Editor).
  • Log into your new account, go to “Shared,” and just copy/move the shared folders into your own drive space.
  • The real magic? It’s all on Microsoft’s servers – no “download, wait, re-upload, lag, rage.” It’s a bit clunky UX-wise for huge folders, but it’s totally free, requires zero installs, and on Office 365 business accounts it’s decently fast.

Gotcha: OneDrive limits how many files/folders you can move/copy at once in the web app (it’ll whine at you if you try to move a bajillion items), so mileage varies based on your folder structure. Also, permissions on subfolders can turn into a circus, so YMMV if you’re working with lots of nested stuff.

CloudMounter is pretty compelling for Mac power-users especially if you jump clouds a lot (and bro, encrypted Finder integration is neat), but if you’re allergic to subscriptions or just stuck with a work laptop with no admin rights, the classic share-copy trick works in a pinch. Not as smooth, but way less sketch than downloading everything and praying your Wi-Fi doesn’t bail mid-transfer.

Anyone else still running into dumb sync errors when copying shared files? Or am I just cursed by the Microsoft gods?

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Let’s be real, it feels like Microsoft goes out of its way to make hopping between OneDrive accounts as annoying as possible. I see @mikeappsreviewer’s CloudMounter flex (Finder integration is sweet for Mac folks) and @ombrasilente’s “classic share-copy” maneuver (it works… until OneDrive barfs on folder depth or permissions), but let’s take a step back: neither method truly scales beautifully for huge moves, and sometimes you just don’t wanna throw money (or permissions) at the problem.

There’s another (decidedly nerdier) way if you’re up for a cli adventure and want to stay clear of paying or spending ages in browsers: rclone. Yep—good ‘ol command line. It’s blatantly overkill if you’re not comfortable with cli, but it absolutely rips when shuffling bulk data between clouds.

Basic idea:

  1. Install rclone (works on Windows, Mac, Linux, whatever).
  2. “Connect” both your OneDrive accounts as remotes—takes like 10 min, interactive setup, just follow the wizard.
  3. Run a sync or copy command:
    rclone copy onedrive-old:/important_folder onedrive-new:/important_folder
    …and watch the magic happen—files fly cloud-to-cloud, no local download. Progress bars, retries, you’ll see it all.

Bonus: rclone even has flags for chunk size, parallelism, and can transfer permissions on certain platforms. It’s honestly the tool IT depts use behind the scenes.

Cons? It’s not pointy-clicky. You’ll be googling command flags if something goes sideways, and it’s way too easy to accidentally copy your entire backup of cat videos from one account to another if you aren’t paying attention. Also, corporate “security” settings can sometimes require admin approval, so keep your helpdesk on speed dial if OneDrive starts spitting auth errors.

So yeah, CloudMounter is awesome for Mac folks who want drag n drop (never used it? It’s almost unnervingly seamless in Finder, not gonna lie), @ombrasilente’s browser-share hack covers most “I just need these files, like, now” use-cases, but don’t sleep on rclone if you want brute-force, scriptable power and hate both subscriptions and web UI quirks.

Anyone else here ever accidentally nuked a whole OneDrive directory using rclone’s purge? No? Just me? Carry on then.

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Let’s rapid-fire this, because honestly most “mass OneDrive transfers” threads devolve into the same three camps: The “share-everything-then-copy” crowd (classic but awful with big sets or nested stuff, as pointed out), the “pay-for-a-cloud-mounting-app” solution (CloudMounter, nice for Mac folks wanting seamless Finder drag & drop), and the “command-line warriors” with stuff like rclone (scriptable, fast, pure muscle, but not everyone’s cup of tea).

CloudMounter does win one thing I wish more apps had: It feels native on Mac. No local space hogging, Finder integration, multiple clouds (OneDrive, Dropbox, GDrive, etc.). Encryption’s a neat perk, but honestly, I care more about that zero-drag bloated experience—move stuff cross-account with drag & drop and it’s nearly “too easy.” Also, dead-simple for non-power-users. Cons? There’s the inevitable license fee for full features, and if you’re on Windows, the experience is meh vs. Mac. Plus, if either OneDrive account is locked down by corporate policy, you’re sometimes at the mercy of IT for auth.

The rclone approach—yeah, it’s for techies, and if you want granular control or want to automate, it’s fantastic. But, as said, don’t mess up your source/destination or you’ll end up with a horror story.

On the flip, browser-based grunt-work (like “share-and-copy”), as some suggested, is free but torturous for anything beyond a gig or two. And forget it if you’ve got lots of nested folders, weird permissions, or just want to avoid swearing at progress meters for hours.

TL;DR: If you want the least hassle and are okay with a small outlay, CloudMounter is almost disturbingly smooth for Mac. For power, rclone rules. Classic “share and copy”? Eh, if you only do this once and the files aren’t huge, whatever. Just don’t expect grace from OneDrive if you’re shuffling terabytes around. There’s no panacea—pick your poison!