Moving folders in Microsoft Teams - explained quickly and simply

Moving folders in Teams sounds simple, but it’s not that simple. Using Windows 11 Home and also Windows 11 Pro for Workstation a lot can be done. Especially if there is also a tool package such as Microsoft Office 2021 Standard or Microsoft Office 2021 Home and Business is installed. Especially recently, Teams has established itself as one of the most popular programmes. But it is precisely here that a problem occurs time and again, which is actually based on a misunderstanding: If you want to move folders in Teams, it simply does not work. What to do then is explained here.

The „Folder“ function in Teams

With, for example, the Microsoft Office 365 Home for example under Windows 11 Pro N you can use the Teams tool to collect files in folders. In this way, related files are grouped together and the overview is not lost.

  • In order to be able to share a team folder with several people, first click on „Create team folder“ in the dashboard of the administration console „Create Team Folder in the dashboard of the administration console.
  • In the next step, select the storage location by clicking on „Existing Mandate Storage“ and then „Default Client Storage“ is selected.
  • Now name the folder with a short, concise name Name (please do not use any special characters!). Go to „Next“ button.
  • Distribute the access authorisations under „Staff“ and in the second step „Add responsible persons is possible.

After a few moments, the folder is available to all authorised participants either on the Datastore drive, for example in Windows 11 Education or Windows 11 Enterprise or it is displayed on the computers, for example with Microsoft 365 Family on the web interface. However, it is not easy to move the Teams folder.

Moving the Teams folder is only possible via a diversion

Of course, it would be practical to be able to move a Teams folder with a simple mouse click. Some users are annoyed that this does not work so easily. Microsoft itself is well aware of the problem, and when asked, the company promises to come up with something. Until then, however, there is only one way to move Teams folders. And that is via SharePoint.

What is SharePoint?

It is a website-based system that optimises collaboration between different employees, certain workflow applications, list databases and security functions. Numerous companies use the programme, for example, as an intranet, company portal, document management system or as a pure knowledge database. The greatest advantages of SharePoint are the automation of time-consuming manual tasks, the structured organisation of data and the enormous time savings due to less internal e-mail traffic. Many Microsoft packages include SharePoint as an integrated tool, but the cloud version SharePoint Online is also available. SharePoint can be used, for example, under Microsoft 365 Business Premium Websites can be created and information can be securely stored, structured – and also shared. To move a folder that was created in Teams, proceed as follows:

  • Select the folder to be moved and right-click on the „three-point menu on the right.
  • Option „Open in SharePoint option.
  • The folder and the files it contains are now automatically saved in SharePoint.
  • Now the folder can be placed in another location, such as a higher hierarchical level, in two different ways.

Method 1: by drag & drop

  • To do this, simply „hold“ the corresponding folder with the mouse cursor and drag it to the desired level.
  • To ensure that the folder is now displayed in the correct place, refresh the page in the next step.
  • In the browser, such as Chrome, go to the „View“ tab.
  • Select the option „Reload This Page“.

Method 2: via „Move to

  • In the „three-point menu“ next to the folder, you can now select the option „Move to can be selected.
  • A menu opens at the right edge of the screen.
  • Select the option „Search website“.
  • Click on the corresponding team event.
  • Select the destination.
  • If necessary, select a sub-destination and click on the menu item „Move here“.

Header image: ©Renan, stock.adobe.com