Why can’t I move excel files to different folder locations on a sharepoint site in the excel app for iPhone anymore?

Dear @Brandon Baker,

Good day! Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description:

Several updates and policy changes rolled out around mid-September 2025 that directly impact how Excel interacts with SharePoint on mobile devices:

Cloud-Only Save and Move Restrictions

Microsoft introduced a policy called “Restrict new file creation in Office desktop apps to Cloud Locations”, which:

• Limits file operations like Save and Save a Copy to cloud locations only (e.g., OneDrive, SharePoint).
• Removes access to local or network folder destinations from within Office apps.

If your organization enabled this policy between September 13–15, 2025, it likely caused the disappearance of folder navigation options in the Excel app.

Microsoft 365 Copilot App Changes

Starting September 15, 2025, Microsoft rolled out updates to the Copilot app on iOS:

• Users can preview Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
• Editing features are now handled by the standalone Office apps, not within Copilot.

This shift may have disrupted how Excel interacts with SharePoint folders, especially if accessed via Copilot or OneDrive integration.

To help you with the issue, we need more specific information from you:

• Has this issue also occurred with other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word or PowerPoint?

In the meantime, try the following steps:

Use the SharePoint or OneDrive App Directly

Try moving files using the SharePoint mobile app or OneDrive app, which may still allow folder-level navigation and file management.

Check with Your IT Admin

Ask whether the cloud-only policy was recently enabled. If so, they may be able to adjust it or provide alternate workflows.

Use Desktop or Web Excel

For full folder navigation and file movement, use Excel via desktop or browser, where these restrictions may not apply.

Update Your Apps Ensure your Excel, SharePoint, and OneDrive apps are updated to the latest versions to avoid compatibility issues introduced by recent changes.

Please contact your IT Admin to check the site permission as well. Admin center site permissions reference - SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

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