Copy a Folder to an Other in Google Drive
Copy a Folder to an Other in Google Drive
4 years ago, Google Drive was launched which is an online vault where one can store all their files and folders. It proposes nearly every task that you would expect in a file manager app and also makes it easier for you to handle files within the browser. It provides functionalities such as you can move files between folders, differentiates them with colors, renames the files and adds text notes for simpler lookup and much more.
Moreover, the one piece which is still not found in Google Drive is the capability to copy folders. When you right-click the file and select “Make a Copy”, It allows to replicate any file in Google Drive but for folders, this option is absent. There exists a Google Script to copy folders in Google Drive but it is a bit difficult.
Ways to Copy Folders in Google Drive
It won’t be good if commands like r sync(Mac, Unix) or copy(Windows) are available for Google Drive. These command copies every file inside a folder. Not only simply copying all the files and sub-directories in another folder but it should also preserve the directory tree structure and continue to maintain the permission for shared files.
It can’t be surely declared whether Google provides any option to copy the folders in Google Drive. However, an open source web app by Eric YD is available which can satisfy you for what your requirement is.
You can get started following below:
- Go to org/xcopy and select the corresponding button.
- Let the app access your Google Drive files. The copy operation is directly carried out by the app inside your Google account without engaging a third-party server.
- Once approved, using the Google File picker, the source folder must be selected and specify the folder name of the target.
- Select the Copy Folder button to start the process for duplication.
This is all to do to replicate a folder. The script runs in the background and one-by-one the files are copied into the target folder. You will know the process which is happening behind the scene as it logs the whole thing in the Google Spreadsheet.
Voluntarily, if in case the files which are copied be viewable/editable as the original, by the same people, then they may be able to retain permissions. However, if you select the sharing permissions to be copied, the process of copying is extended.
How Folders can be Copied to another Google Drive Account
Suppose that you are having a folder in a Google account (G1) which you wish to copy to some other Google account (G2). There is a simple alternative if, in case, the app doesn’t support the process of copying across accounts.
- To copy the folder in its original account (G1), use labnol.org/xcopy.
- Log into account (G2) and initiate a blank folder and share it with the original account (G1).
- Then, log into an account (G1) and the copied folder should be moved to the shared folder.
- Again go back to account (G2) and erase the sharing permissions for the folder.
The Optional – If you aren’t convenient to give access to your Google Drive to another app, the folders can be copied manually using the Google Drive desktop client for Mac and Windows. Now go to Windows Explorer and select the source folder and click Ctrl+C(to copy) and then Ctrl+V(to paste) to duplicate the folder.
Anyway, this wouldn’t retain the original file permissions. Another drawback is that Google Drive has to re-upload every copied file while in the preceding case, the process of copying happened on Google servers directly.
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