Quick Access - Microsoft Sharepoint

Question

Quick Access - Microsoft Sharepoint

Karen Childs, CCS NHS Trust 0

My organisation is using SharePoint for document storage. I manage the platform which is divided into sites, with libraries in each site. When general members of the platform move files between sites and libraries their 'Quick access' option in the 'Move to' box shows the site and library they want to move the file to, provided they have been into that site and library recently.

As platform admin, I am able to move files between libraries in any one site but am unable to move files between sites and have to download files to my desktop, upload them to the correct location and then delete from the original location.

Is there a workaround for this as the current process, downloading and uploading is not only time consuming but defeats the point of having a system that you can move files around in.

Thanks, look forward to receiving your advice.

2 answers

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Answer 1

Dear @Karen Childs CCS NHS Trust,

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

I understand how inconvenient it must be to download and re-upload files just to move them between sites.

The “Move to” feature in SharePoint relies on Quick Access, destinations appear based on your recent visits or pinned libraries. Without a pinned library or recent access, site destinations won’t show, leading to the inability to use “Move to” across different sites.

Please see the following workarounds that will help you verify the issue:

Option 1: Pin destination libraries to Quick Access

Go to the target library.

Click “Pin to Quick Access” in the toolbar.

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The pinned library will then show up under Quick Access in the “Move to” dialog.

This adds the destination site or library to the Move to options without the need to download or upload.

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Select the files or folders you want to move.

Click on the “Move to” option in the command bar.

If the destination site isn’t listed, select “More places” at the bottom of the site list to find the site you need.

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Option 2: Use OneDrive Sync to enable drag-and-drop

When you add or delete files in this OneDrive, the changes will be reflected on your SharePoint site.

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Enable syncing of your source and destination libraries via the OneDrive client:

Click Sync on both libraries.

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They will appear in File Explorer.

Drag and drop files directly between them.

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This method will copy the file to the other site, after which you can delete it from its original location.
Additional information is available in the following resource: Move or copy files in SharePoint - Microsoft Support

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Ruby-N 6,145 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-04T20:22:36.2333333+00:00

Good day @Karen Childs CCS NHS Trust,

I hope everything is going well on your end.

I’m following up on the support thread we've been working through together. I wanted to check in and see if the information I shared in my previous answer helped clarify the issue you were experiencing.

If you're still experiencing any issues or have further questions, please feel free to reach out at any time. I’m always happy to help if you need anything else.

We want to ensure that everything is functioning smoothly and that your experience remains seamless.

Thank you again for your collaboration throughout the troubleshooting process.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Answer 2

Karen Childs, CCS NHS Trust 0

Thank you for your suggestions Ruby.

Option 2, One Drive is not viable for us and I have tried Option 1, however we currently have 198 libraries across 10 sites on our SharePoint platform and therefore it isn't practicable to pin all of those to the Quick Access menu. Site Admin would however be able to pin certain libraries to their quick access list prior to having to move any files between libraries/sites.

Thanks once again for your support.

Ruby-N 6,145 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-11T22:22:13.77+00:00

Dear @Karen Childs CCS NHS Trust,

Thank you for sharing the details of your scenario and for your thoughtful follow-up. I’m glad to hear that part of the workaround I suggested was helpful to you.

I completely understand the challenges you’re facing with managing multiple libraries across different sites, 198 libraries on 10 sites are certainly a complex environment and your concern about efficiency is valid.

Additionally, I’ve researched a few advanced alternative methods for moving or copying large volumes of files, which you may find helpful. You can refer to the following resources:

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the below links.

Option 1: Automate with Power Automate

For frequent or bulk moves, a flow can be set up to transfer files between libraries or sites automatically, reducing manual effort.

For more information, you may take these articles as a reference:

Efficiently Move and Manage Files in SharePoint with Power Automate in 2025

How to copy or move SharePoint documents cross-site in Power Automate (Microsoft Flow) and Azure Lo…

Option 2: Use PowerShell for bulk copy operations

Use SharePoint Online PowerShell scripts to automate copying between libraries instead of manually moving files.

This avoids the need for pinning while ensuring content can be centrally moved or archived.

Additional information is available in the following resources:

SharePoint Online: Copy a Document Library to another Site using PowerShell - SharePoint Diary

SharePoint Online: Copy All Document Libraries to Another Site using PowerShell - SharePoint Diary

SharePoint Online: Copy Files Between Site Collections using PowerShell - SharePoint Diary

Please understand for us that, as community moderators, we have limited access to internal development details. Our role is to guide you toward the appropriate resources and support channels, and we’ll do our best to assist you within that scope.

If you found the answer helpful for part of your work, we truly appreciate that you can marking it as accepted. This helps highlight the solution for others who may be searching for similar information in the community. Your contribution not only supports fellow users in finding the right guidance more quickly but also helps build a more resourceful and collaborative space for everyone.

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