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Easy Methods to Transfer Files Between Drives

Published in File Management Windows 10 5 mins read

How to Move Files from One Drive to Another in Windows 10?

Moving files between different drives in Windows 10 is a common task, easily accomplished using File Explorer. The most straightforward methods involve copying and pasting, cutting and pasting, or using drag and drop.

Transferring your important documents, photos, videos, or other files from one drive (like your C: drive) to another (like a D: drive, external hard drive, or USB stick) is quite simple. Here are the primary ways to do it:

Method 1: Copy and Paste (Making a Duplicate)

This method creates a copy of the files in the new location while keeping the originals in the source location.

  1. Open File Explorer: Press Windows key + E or click the folder icon on your taskbar.
  2. Navigate to Source Drive: In the left-hand pane, click on the drive containing the files you want to move.
  3. Locate and Select Files: Browse through the folders to find the specific files or folders.
    • To select multiple files, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each file.
    • To select a range of files, click the first file, hold down the Shift key, and click the last file.
    • To select all files in a folder, press Ctrl + A.
  4. Copy the Selected Files:
    • Right-click on the selected files.
    • From the drop-down list, click on the 'Copy' option. (As described in the provided reference).
    • Alternatively, press Ctrl + C or click the 'Copy' button on the Home tab of the File Explorer ribbon.
  5. Navigate to Destination Drive: In the left-hand pane or using the address bar, go to the drive and specific folder where you want to place the copies. The reference specifically mentions going to a "usb Drive file explorer window".
  6. Paste the Files:
    • Right-click on a blank space within the destination folder window.
    • From the drop-down list, click on 'Paste'. (As described in the provided reference).
    • Alternatively, press Ctrl + V or click the 'Paste' button on the Home tab.

Windows will then copy the files from the source to the destination.

Method 2: Cut and Paste (Moving the Original Files)

This method moves the original files from the source location to the destination, deleting them from the source. This is the true "move" operation.

Follow steps 1-3 from Method 1 to locate and select your files.

  1. Cut the Selected Files:
    • Right-click on the selected files and choose 'Cut'.
    • Alternatively, press Ctrl + X or click the 'Cut' button on the Home tab.
  2. Navigate to Destination Drive: Go to the drive and folder where you want to move the files.
  3. Paste the Files: Right-click in the destination folder and select 'Paste', or press Ctrl + V, or click the 'Paste' button.

The files will be moved from the original location to the new one.

Method 3: Drag and Drop

For many users, drag and drop is the quickest visual method.

  1. Open Two File Explorer Windows: Open one window displaying the source drive/folder and another displaying the destination drive/folder. You can do this by pressing Windows key + E twice, or by opening one window and then right-clicking the File Explorer icon on the taskbar and selecting "File Explorer" again.
  2. Arrange Windows: Arrange the two windows side-by-side so you can see both the source and destination locations.
  3. Select Files: In the source window, select the files or folders you want to move (using Ctrl or Shift as needed).
  4. Drag and Drop:
    • Click and hold down the left mouse button on the selected files.
    • Drag the selection towards the destination folder in the other window.
    • Important: If you are dragging between different drives, Windows defaults to copying the files. If you want to move the files (cut and paste), hold down the Shift key while dragging. If you are dragging within the same drive, Windows defaults to moving the files.

Summary Table

Method Action Result Shortcut Reference Mentioned
Copy and Paste Right-click, Copy; Right-click, Paste Creates a duplicate Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V Yes
Cut and Paste Right-click, Cut; Right-click, Paste Moves the original Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V Implicit (similar to copy)
Drag and Drop Click, Hold, Drag, Release Copies (between drives) or Moves (within drive) Shift+Drag (to Move) No

Choosing the right method depends on whether you want to keep a copy in the original location (Copy/Paste) or only have the files in the new location (Cut/Paste or Drag+Shift). The right-click context menu (Copy/Paste) as highlighted in the reference is a fundamental and reliable way to perform this task.

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