How to Duplicate a Folder in Google Drive

Google Drive provides many features to improve the cloud storage experience. However, there is no native way to duplicate a folder directly. Instead, copy and paste the folder’s contents to a new folder, use the desktop version of Google Drive, or use a script.

This article will show how you can duplicate a folder on Google Drive.

Duplicating a folder in Google Drive web

1. Navigate to the folder you want to duplicate.
2. Double-click it to view its contents.
3. Press the Ctrl + A keys (or Command + A on macOS) to select all the files.
4. Right-click the highlighted blue area, and click Make a copy from the drop-down menu. A copy of them will be made.
5. Select all of the duplicate files and right-click them. Then, click Move to from the drop-down menu.
6. Navigate to the directory where you want to create the duplicate folder.
7. Click the folder with a plus sign (+) on the bottom-left corner of the dialog box.
8. Give the duplicate folder a name and click the blue tick option.
9. Finally, click Move Here.

Wait for Google Drive to move the files to the duplicate folder.

Duplicating a folder in Google Drive mobile app

1. Open the Drive app.
2. Navigate to the folder you want to duplicate. Tap the folder to open and view its contents.
3. Tap and hold a single file and then select all other files too.
4. From the top-right corner, tap the three dots. Then, select Send a copy from the drop-down menu.
5. From the list of options, tap Drive.
6. On the Save to Drive page, tap My Drive and navigate to where you want to create the duplicate folder.
7. Next, tap the folder with a plus sign (+) button on the top-right corner of the screen.
8. Give the new folder a name and tap Create.
9. Finally, tap Select and then tap Save.

After processing, Google Drive will move the files to the duplicate folder.

Duplicating a folder in the Google Drive desktop version

If you have downloaded and set up Drive for Desktop, it’s the easiest way to duplicate a folder in Google Drive. Here’s how:

1. Go to This PC on Windows (or Finder in macOS), and then open Google Drive.
2. Now, go to My Drive.
3. Navigate to the folder which you want to duplicate.
4. Select the folder and press the Ctrl + C keys (or Command + C on macOS) to copy the folder.
5. Navigate to where you want to create the duplicate folder.
6. Finally, press the Ctrl + V keys (or Command + V on macOS) to paste the folder.

Duplicating a folder using a web app

If the folder you want to duplicate contains many files, then using the web or the mobile version of Google Drive can be pretty hectic. To simplify the duplication process, there is a third-party script that you can use to duplicate a folder.

Keep in mind the script requires several permissions to function, including the permission to see, edit, create, and delete all your Google Drive files. 

Here’s how you can use it:

1. Go to the Copy Folder Chrome app.
2. First, click Visit Website, then click Review Permissions. In the new pop-up window, choose an account to continue.
3. Review the permissions and click Allow.
4. Click Search Your Drive and navigate to the folder you want to duplicate. 
5. Here, click Select. Alternatively, paste the folder’s link in the Paste Folder URL text field.
6. Once the folder is selected, click Next. Give your duplicate folder a name and again, click Next.
7. Select a location for the duplicate folder in the Copy to section.
8. Once done, click Next. Finally, review the settings and click Copy Folder.

You can now check the duplicate folder in the location you selected.