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Copy Google Drive Folder

by Drive Explorer

How to Copy a Google Drive Folder (1-Click & Free)

Select a source and destination folder. We'll copy everything — files, subfolders, and the entire structure.

Source

The Google Drive folder you want to copy

Destination

The folder where the copy will be placed

Select both source and destination folders above to start copying

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Quick Answer • Google Drive Guide

Can You Copy a Folder in Google Drive?

Short answer: No, not natively through the Google Drive web interface. When you right-click a folder in Google Drive, there is no “Make a copy” option. Google only permits copying individual files natively.

Why Google Drive lacks a copy button

Google Drive uses a tag- and ID-based storage graph rather than static filesystem paths. Duplicating entire nested hierarchies introduces complex ownership, quota sharing, and permission loops that Google does not process automatically in the web UI.

How to copy an entire folder today

You can duplicate folders in seconds using our free browser tool above. It recursively scans all subdirectories and clones files safely via official Google Drive APIs without requiring downloads, scripts, or extensions.

How to Duplicate a Google Drive Folder Without Downloading

1.

Select the source folder

Connect your Google Drive and pick the folder you want to copy. The tool uses Google's official Drive API to access only what you select.

2.

Choose a destination

Select any folder in your Google Drive as the destination — including the root level. The copied folder will appear there.

3.

Your folder is copied

Select 'Start copying'. We recreate the full folder structure and copy every file to the destination, preserving the original hierarchy at any depth.

The entire process happens in your browser — no files or folder data are ever sent to our servers. You see real-time progress as the copy runs.

How to Copy a Google Drive Folder: 4 Best Methods

Google Drive does not offer a native one-click folder duplicate button. Here is how to duplicate folders using the 4 most effective methods.

Method 1 • Recommended • 1-Click

Duplicate Google Drive Folders Instantly with Drive Explorer

The fastest way to copy nested folders in Google Drive. Runs in your browser via official Google Drive APIs.

  • Clones all nested subfolders, shortcuts, and file structures automatically.
  • Supports Personal Drive, Shared Drives, and “Shared with me” folders.
  • 100% free with unlimited files and no downloads or desktop installs required.

Method 2 • Drive for Desktop

Copy via Local File Explorer or Finder

Install Google Drive for Desktop on Windows or macOS to copy folders using your OS file manager.

  1. Install and sign in to Google Drive for Desktop.
  2. Open the mapped Drive virtual disk in File Explorer or Finder.
  3. Copy and paste the folder. The desktop client will sync copies to the cloud.
✓ PROS Native shortcuts, works offline.
✗ CONS Uses local disk cache, slow upload sync.

Method 3 • ZIP Download

Download as ZIP & Re-Upload

Download the target folder as a compressed archive and re-upload it with a new name.

  1. Right-click the folder in Google Drive web and select Download.
  2. Extract the generated ZIP file on your computer.
  3. Rename the extracted folder and upload it back to Google Drive.
✓ PROS Zero third-party tools needed.
✗ CONS Google Docs convert to MS Office formats.

Method 4 • Advanced (Google Apps Script)

Recursive Automation via Apps Script

Paste this script into script.google.com to copy folders programmatically:

function startCopyFolder() {
  var sourceFolderId = "PASTE_SOURCE_FOLDER_ID_HERE";
  var destFolderId = "PASTE_DESTINATION_FOLDER_ID_HERE";
  var sourceFolder = DriveApp.getFolderById(sourceFolderId);
  var destFolder = DriveApp.getFolderById(destFolderId);
  copyFolderRecursive(sourceFolder, destFolder);
}

function copyFolderRecursive(source, target) {
  var files = source.getFiles();
  while (files.hasNext()) {
    var file = files.next();
    file.makeCopy(file.getName(), target);
  }
  var subfolders = source.getSubfolders();
  while (subfolders.hasNext()) {
    var subfolder = subfolders.next();
    var newTarget = target.createFolder(subfolder.getName());
    copyFolderRecursive(subfolder, newTarget);
  }
}
Apps Script has a strict 6-minute execution limit and will terminate if copying large folders.

Mobile Guide • Android & iPhone

How to Copy a Folder in Google Drive on Mobile (Android & iOS)

The official Google Drive mobile app for iPhone and Android does not support copying entire folders. However, you can still duplicate complete folders on your phone in under a minute.

Option 1: Use this Free Web Tool on Mobile (Recommended)

Our folder copier runs directly in any mobile web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Samsung Internet):

  1. Open this page on your mobile phone or tablet browser.
  2. Tap Select Source Folder and choose the folder in Google Drive.
  3. Tap Select Destination and pick where the copy should go.
  4. Tap Start Copying. All nested files duplicate in the cloud without using your cellular data.

Option 2: Native App Multi-Select Workaround

If you only have a few files inside a single folder and no subfolders:

  1. Create a new target folder manually in the Google Drive app.
  2. Open your original source folder, long-press a file, then tap “Select all”.
  3. Tap the three dots menu in the top right > Make a copy.
  4. Move the copied files into your newly created folder.
Note: This native method fails if your folder contains nested subfolders.

Account Migration • Shared Folders

How to Copy a Shared Folder or Move to Another Google Account

When someone shares a folder with you, Google Drive gives you read or edit access, but you do not own the files. Here is how to clone shared folders to your private Drive or transfer them to a second account.

Copying from “Shared with Me” to “My Drive”

When a folder is in your “Shared with me” tab, the original owner can revoke access or delete files at any time.

  1. In the tool above, click Select Source Folder and choose the shared folder from the “Shared with me” tab.
  2. Click Select Destination and pick any folder in your own “My Drive”.
  3. Click Start Copying. Fresh copies are generated where you are the 100% legal owner.

Copying Between Two Different Google Accounts

Ideal for transferring files from a school or work account to your personal account:

  1. In Account A (source), share the desired folder with Account B (destination) as an Editor or Viewer.
  2. Open this tool in a browser session logged in as Account B.
  3. Select the shared folder as Source and an Account B folder as Destination.
  4. Run the copy. The duplicated files will now be owned by Account B and use Account B's storage quota.

Migrate Data to Shared Drives While Preserving Folder Structure

Moving files to a Google Shared Drive doesn't have to mean losing your carefully built folder hierarchy. Drive Explorer lets you replicate your entire folder tree — including deeply nested subfolders — directly into a Shared Drive without any manual reorganisation.

  • Copy from your personal My Drive into any Shared Drive your account has access to
  • Mirror a Shared Drive folder back to your personal drive for offline-friendly access
  • Reproduce multi-level folder hierarchies at any depth — no flattening, no data loss
  • Ideal for team onboarding, departmental reorgs, or client project hand-offs

The folder structure is rebuilt file-by-file using Google's Drive API, so every subfolder is created in the correct position before its contents are copied in — guaranteeing a perfect replica of the original hierarchy.

Is it Safe to Use a Third-Party Google Drive Cloner?

We take your privacy and security seriously. Here's how we protect your data.

Google Verified

Drive Explorer undergoes recurring security audits by Google to maintain access to Drive APIs. We meet Google's strict security and privacy standards.

No Server Storage

Your file data never touches our servers. We don't collect, store, or transmit any of your Google Drive files or folder information.

Frontend Processing

All operations happen entirely in your browser. Your data stays on your device and is never sent to any external server.

Power Up Your Google Drive Workflow

Need to Audit, Export, or Manage Your Entire Drive?

Folder copying is just one tool in the Drive Explorer ecosystem. Export complete file inventories with 30+ metadata fields to Google Sheets, perform recursive permissions audits, and schedule automatic updates.

30+ Metadata Fields

Export paths, sizes, dates, EXIF camera tags, and download links to Sheets.

Permission Audits

Audit editors, viewers, commenters, and public links across all nested folders.

Scheduled Refresh

Keep your spreadsheet synced with hourly, daily, or weekly background updates.

Free for up to 200 files • Paid plans from $9/mo

Frequently Asked Questions

To find more ways to copy a Google Drive folder, check this article.