Moving Files Between Two Cloud Drives
Sync doesn't connect cloud drives to each other. Here's the two-step Restore-then-Backup method for moving files between any two of them.
There's no direct connection between cloud drives
Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box and Amazon S3 are all drives Sync can connect to, but they don't connect to each other. None of them offers a built-in bridge to any of the others, and Sync doesn't have a one-tap cloud-to-cloud transfer either. Native cloud-to-cloud copy is on our roadmap, but it isn't built today. Moving files from one cloud drive to another always goes through a two-step method: Restore, then Backup.
The two-step method
- Connect both drives. In the Drives tab, add the source drive and the destination drive. One drive is free, ad-supported; having two connected at the same time needs a Sync subscription or the one-time lifetime purchase.
- Create a local staging folder. Make an empty folder on your device. This is where the files land in between the two drives. Check that the device has enough free space for everything you're moving.
- Run a Restore task from the source drive. Source: the cloud drive and folder you're moving files from. Destination: your local staging folder. This downloads a copy to your device.
- Run a Backup task to the destination drive. Source: the same local staging folder. Destination: the cloud drive you're moving files to. This uploads the copy across.
Both tasks are saved, so moving more files later is just running them again. Nothing runs automatically or on a schedule.
Specific routes, step by step
For screenshots and the exact clicks for a particular pair, these cover the two most common ones:
- How to Move Files From Dropbox to Google Drive (and Back): the same steps work in reverse, Google Drive to Dropbox.
- Amazon S3 vs Dropbox: see "Moving files from Dropbox to S3."
The same Restore-then-Backup method works for any other pair: OneDrive to Box, S3 to Google Drive, and so on. Only the drive you pick at each step changes.
FAQ
Can I move files directly from Dropbox to Amazon S3?
Not directly. Dropbox and S3 don't connect to each other, and Sync doesn't have a one-tap cloud-to-cloud transfer. Run a Restore task from Dropbox to a folder on your device, then a Backup task from that folder to your S3 bucket.
How do I move files from Dropbox to Google Drive?
Connect both drives, then run a Restore task from Dropbox to a local folder and a Backup task from that folder to Google Drive. See How to Move Files From Dropbox to Google Drive (and Back) for the full walkthrough with screenshots.
Does this work for any pair of drives, not just Dropbox?
Yes. The Restore-then-Backup method works the same way regardless of which two drives you're moving between: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box and Amazon S3 all work as either the source or the destination.
Will this delete or change my original files?
No. A Restore task downloads a copy; a Backup task uploads a copy. Your original files stay in the source drive unless you delete them yourself afterward.
Do I need to pay to move files between two drives?
Connecting one drive is free, ad-supported. Moving files between two drives means having both connected at once, which needs a Sync subscription or the one-time lifetime purchase.
Is there a faster way for a very large migration?
For personal amounts of files (photos, documents, a project folder), the Restore-then-Backup method works fine. For a genuinely massive migration (tens of thousands of files, multiple terabytes), a dedicated command-line tool built for bulk transfer will move faster than any phone or desktop app.