FIX: Outlook Cannot Move or Copy Folders.
If you try to copy or move one or more Outlook folders to another location and you receive the error message "Cannot move or copy folders. Cannot copy folder. A top-level folder cannot be copied to one of its subfolders" in Microsoft Outlook, then continue below to learn how you can solve the problem.
Under normal circumstances, a user can copy or move an Outlook folder to a different location by simply using drag n' drop. However, in some cases, this cannot be done and users are unable to move or copy an Outlook folder due to the error listed below:
"Cannot move or copy folders. Cannot copy folder. A top-level folder cannot be copied to one of its subfolders. Or you may not have appropriate permissions for the folder. To check your permissions for the folder, right-click the folder, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu."
What might be preventing Outlook from moving or copying folders?
The above mentioned error usually occurs for one of the following reasons:
- Lack of permissions on the mailbox.
- Outlook does not allow to move or copy built-in folders (e.g. Inbox, Sent Items, Outbox, Drafts) to a subfolder.
- Outlook does not allow you to move or copy a top-level folder into one of its subfolders.
- Outlook cannot move or copy a folder, if there is already a folder with the same name on the destination.
- Outlook cannot cut or move a folder if the folder has a display name that exceeds 30 characters.
- Outlook cannot cut or move a folder that has more than 1,000 items. (i.e. over 1000 emails, contacts or calendar events).
- Outlook cannot copy or move emails that 're corrupted.
- Outlook doesn't allow to move folders to or from the Archive mailbox, but you can move individual items.
How to FIX: Cannot Copy or Move Outlook folders in Microsoft Outlook or in Outlook for Office 365/Microsoft 365/OWA.
1. If the mailbox you are trying to move/copy folders to is Shared or if you have Delegation rights on a user's mailbox, please verify with your O365 IT administrator that you have "Owner" rights to it. [aka "Read and manage (Full Access)"]
2. Make sure you are not trying to move or copy a built-in Outlook folder (e.g. Inbox, Sent Items, Outbox, Drafts) to a subfolder.
3. Make sure you're not trying to move a copy of a top-level folder into one of its subfolders.
4. Make sure the destination does not have a folder with the same name as the folder you are trying to move.
5. Make sure the name of the folder you want to move or copy does not exceed 30 characters. *
* Additional info: When you copy a folder with Outlook in the same location as the folder you're trying to copy, Outlook cannot append the word "copy" to the display name of the copied folder, if its displays name exceeds 30 characters.
6. If the folder you are trying to move contains more than 1000 emails, create a new folder in the destination and then copy or move the emails from the source folder there in sets (eg copy or move "500 " emails each time).
7. Make sure you are not trying to move/copy folders to or from your archive mailbox.
8. Move the folder to a different top-level location. (eg if you have a top-level folder named "A" (with or without subfolders) and another top-level folder named "B" which contains the subfolder "C" which contains the "D" subfolder (eg "B\C\D"), and you want to move the "A" folder under the "D" subfolder but you can't, try moving it under the "C" folder.
9. As mentioned above, if one or more email messages in the folder you are trying to move are corrupted, this can cause Outlook to display the error "Cannot move or copy folders. Cannot copy folder." To work around this problem, try moving emails in sets until you find which ones cannot be copied because they are corrupted.
That's it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the error 'Cannot move or copy folders' mean in Outlook?
The error usually occurs when trying to move or copy a top-level Outlook folder into one of its subfolders, or when there are permission issues, built-in folder restrictions, or other limitations such as folder name length or item count.
Why can't I move a top-level Outlook folder to a subfolder?
Outlook does not allow moving or copying a top-level folder into one of its subfolders due to structural restrictions. This is designed to prevent hierarchical inconsistencies within your mailbox.
How can I resolve folder moving issues in Outlook if I encounter an error?
Ensure you have the right permissions, avoid moving built-in folders, check for folder name or item count restrictions, and ensure no duplicate folder names exist at the destination. You might also try moving items individually if they are corrupted.
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