Make Google Drive Folders Put Together – Expert Guide

Google Drive does not have a native option to combine two or more folders. Instead, you have to use workarounds to merge folders in Google Drive. Here, I will explain all the possible methods to join your Google Drive folders along with their limitations.

If you move your files from one folder to another, this can also be known as merging. To do that, you can follow the manual options, which I have explained below. But before going through the process, you must keep certain points in mind.

• First, create a backup of your files that you are going to combine.
• Make sure that you have access to both the source and destination folders.
• Check in both folders for files with identical names. Rename them.

After that, follow the methods below to join two folders in Google Drive.

Merge Folders in Google Drive by Drag & Drop Option

If you have only a few files in the folders that you want to combine. The drag-and-drop option is a simple method.

1. Go to Google Drive and choose a folder from which you want to move the files.
2. Select the file and drag and drop it into the other folder to combine them.
3. Repeat the above steps to move the other files.

For individuals, this method is easy, but it also has some issues, like

• Not suitable for large folders.
• You may miss hidden files.
• File permissions may not merge.
• It is time-consuming.

Use Move To Feature to Combine Google Drive

Move To is a built-in feature that can also help you merge your Google Drive folders. You can use this method when you have small folder sets and combine them within a single account.

1. Go to your Google Drive account and select the files that you are going to move.
2. Either right-click on the selected file or press the more (three vertical dots) button.
3. Select Organize from the drop-down list. Click on the Move button.
4. Choose the folder where you want to merge the files.
5. Click the Move button.

This method also has limitations, such as:

• Disturbance in folder structure.
• Miss some files when bulk merging.
• For professionals, this method is hectic.

Merge Local Folders in Google Drive

Some users want to combine their local folders with Google Drive. For this, you have to install Google Drive for Desktop. After downloading, follow the steps below.

1. Go to the local folder you want to merge. Review your folder in your Google Drive, where there are no duplicate files.
2. Locate your Google Drive folder in your File Explorer or Finder.
3. Drag and drop the files from the local folder to Google Drive.

Merge Shared Folder with Google Drive Folder

If you want to merge a Shared folder with the My Drive folder, then you can do this by adding a shortcut. Remember that the files in the folder are not owned by you. So you may face problems here.

1. Go to the Shared with me section.
2. Right-click the folder, choose Organize, and then Add shortcut.
3. Choose the folder where you want to merge from My Drive.
4. The shared folder will be present as a subfolder in My Drive. Meanwhile, the original owner still has the data of the file.

Drawbacks of this method

• Permission conflicts
• Miss some files
• Access loss of collaborators

The above methods are useful for merging folders within the same Google Drive account. Some users want to combine the folders from different Google Drive accounts. For this, I have a great method that you can use.

Combine Folders in Google Drive from Different Accounts

When you have to merge folders from two different Google Drive accounts. You can manually download and upload the files. But this can create problems like missing folder structure, losing data, and issues with permissions. To avoid this, use the SysTools G Suite Merge Tool. An expert recommend tool to easily combine all Google Drive data items, including merging multiple Google Docs, combining two Google Sheets, Slides, etc. It merges the files with permissions. Start the process by downloading and installing the software.

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Working Steps of Software

1. Choose the G Suite option from the source to destination section.
   
2. Click the Documents option in the Workload section. Apply Date Filter to merge selective files.
   
3. Provide the Admin Email Service Account and Certificate File details of both source and destination accounts.
   
4. Click on the Validate button to check the permission.
5. Add user accounts in the tool using Fetch or Import Users.
   
6. Lastly, press the Start button at the top to begin the merging procedure.
   

Concluding Words

Users who have multiple Google Drive folders may need to merge them. This article provides you with ways to merge folders in Google Drive. Here, I have provided four methods to combine your Google Drive folders. In this, I have explained all the methods with steps and the limitations. The manual method merges the folders within the same Google Drive. But if you want to combine two Google accounts. I also provide the solutions for this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I combine files in Google Drive?
Ans. Yes, you can merge your files in Google Drive, but not using a single merge or combine built-in option. In Google Drive, you can use folders to merge. You can use copy-paste or drag-and-drop options to move files from one folder to another. This does not handle duplicate files, so you have to remove them.

Q. How do I merge Google Drives?
Ans. To simply merge them, you have to move the files from one Drive to another. Because there is no native option, the only way is to move the files.

Q. Does permission change when I merge folders?
Ans. Yes, it depends on how the files are moved and who owns them. When you merge your folders, Google Drive usually inherits the sharing settings of the destination folder. If you combine a shared folder, you may lose access to the files. So, be careful when you merge the folders.