I have 2 one drive accounts. I

Earl Thrash 0 Reputation points
2026-11-05T16:05:30.66+00:00

I want to move files from an old account to the newer account and then close the old account.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
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  1. GsN5034 - IA 79,820 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-11-05T16:51:26.87+00:00

    Hello,

    Are both accounts personal Microsoft accounts? Are you trying to transfer your data from your old personal account to a new personal account and then close the old account?

    If yes, unfortunately, you can't move your OneDrive files directly from one personal account to another through the cloud. To upload files to another OneDrive account, you will need to have those files stored locally on your device.

    To transfer/move all of your OneDrive files from one account to another:

    1. Go to https://onedrive.live.com/ and sign in with the Microsoft account that contains the old files. (Use an InPrivate window in Edge)
    2. Go to the 'My Files' Section.
    3. Select all the folders/files in the list except the 'Personal Vault' folder.
    4. This will download a .zip file to your local library.
    5. Once the download is complete,
    6. Extract the .zip file to a new folder. (You can create a new folder on your local drive and extract it here)
    7. Next,

    Open another Private Window.

    1. Go to OneDrive.com online and sign in with your new Microsoft account.
    2. Click 'Upload' > Folder Upload.
    3. Select the folder where the files are extracted on your local drive.
    4. All your files will be safely backed up on this account.

    You can then unlink/remove your account from the OneDrive desktop app, then link a new Microsoft account.


    After you transfer all your data from your Old account to the new one, follow these steps to close your account permanently.

    How to close your Microsoft account

    Let me know if you still need more help.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-05T16:06:09.06+00:00

    Copy the old OneDrive files through OneDrive on the web into the locally synced folder for the new account, verify the upload online, and only then close the old Microsoft account.

    1. Check storage in the new account

    Ensure the new OneDrive has enough free space for everything being transferred. Windows OneDrive supports only one personal account in the sync app at a time, so two personal OneDrive accounts cannot both be added simultaneously.^1^

    2. Connect the new account to Windows

    1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows notification area.
    2. Select Help & Settings → Settings → Account.
    3. If the old personal account is currently connected, select Unlink this PC → Unlink account.
    4. Start OneDrive again and sign in with the new account.
    5. Open File Explorer and locate the new account’s OneDrive folder.

    Unlinking does not delete the old account’s cloud files.^2^

    3. Download from the old account and upload to the new one

    1. In a browser, open OneDrive on the web and sign in with the old account.
    2. Select a folder and choose Download.
    3. Windows normally downloads the folder as a ZIP file.
    4. Open the ZIP and copy the extracted folder into the new OneDrive folder shown in File Explorer.
    5. Wait for OneDrive to upload it. A green check mark indicates that an item has synced.
    6. Repeat for the remaining folders.

    Downloading folders separately can make a large transfer easier to manage.^3^

    Use copy and paste, rather than deleting or moving the originals, until the transfer has been validated.

    4. Verify before closing anything

    Sign in to the new account on OneDrive on the web and confirm that:

    • Every expected folder appears.
    • Several documents, photos, and videos open correctly.
    • The transferred file count and approximate storage usage are reasonable.
    • Any previously shared files have been shared again where necessary.
    • OneDrive has finished syncing and shows no errors.

    Keep the old account unchanged until these checks are complete.

    5. Close the old Microsoft account

    Closing the old account closes the entire Microsoft account—not just OneDrive. It can remove access to Outlook.com email, contacts, OneDrive files, Skype, Xbox, and saved BitLocker recovery keys.^4^

    Before proceeding, preserve anything else needed from the old account and address any subscription or recurring billing associated with it. Then:

    1. Open Microsoft’s account-closure process and sign in with the old account.
    2. Verify that the displayed email address is the account intended for closure.
    3. Select Next.
    4. Review and acknowledge each warning.
    5. Choose a 30-day or 60-day reopening window.
    6. Select a reason.
    7. Select Mark account for closure.

    The account’s data is deleted after the selected reopening period expires. Signing back in during that period allows the account to be reopened.^5^


    References

    1. Move files to a new Windows PC using OneDrive
    2. [Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/onedrive/unlink-and-re-link-onedrive)
    3. How do I transfer my files from an old personnel Microsoft account to another Microsoft account? - Microsoft Q&A
    4. Close your Outlook.com account | Microsoft Support
    5. How to close your Microsoft account
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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