ActionGoogle DriveUpdated June 2026

How do I move a Google Drive file between folders?

Short answer: Drop the "Google DriveMove File" action anywhere in your workflow, map the inputs from upstream nodes, and publish.

Inputs

The fields this action accepts.

Every field can be mapped from an upstream trigger, AI step, table row, or hard-coded literal.

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
File ID
file_id
stringRequiredThe unique identifier of the file or folder to move
Destination Folder ID
new_parent_id
stringRequiredID of the folder to move the file into
Current Parent Folder ID
old_parent_id
stringRequiredID of the current parent folder to remove from
Sample request
{
"file_id": "e.g. 1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgVE2upms",
"new_parent_id": "e.g. folder456abc",
"old_parent_id": "e.g. folder123abc"
}
Returns
{
"id": "1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgVE2upms",
"name": "Q1 Sales Report.pdf",
"parents": [
"folder456abc"
],
"mimeType": "application/pdf",
"webViewLink": "https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgVE2upms/view"
}

Use these fields in downstream nodes for routing, logging, or error handling.

Triggered by

Apps that pair well as the trigger for Move File.

Any of these apps can fire this action as part of a workflow.

FAQ

Questions about Move File.

What does the Move File action do in Google Drive?
Moves a file or folder to a different parent in Google Drive. Implemented as add new parent + remove old parent under the hood.
What inputs does Move File require?
Required: File ID, Destination Folder ID, Current Parent Folder ID. Every input accepts a static value or a variable from any upstream node in your workflow.
Can I use dynamic inputs from earlier workflow nodes?
Yes. Any field on this action can pull values from upstream nodes, whether that's a form response, a trigger payload, an AI output, or a lookup result.
What happens if Google Drive returns an error?
The workflow pauses on the failed node, the error message is captured in the run log, and you can retry the run with one click. Auto-retry policies are configurable per workflow with exponential backoff up to 5 attempts.
Does Move File support batch operations?
Yes. Run Move File inside a Loop node to process arrays. Tiny Command handles Google Drive's rate limits automatically so you don't have to throttle manually.
More actions

Other Google Drive actions.

Action
Copy File
Creates a copy of a file in Google Drive, optionally into a different folder and with a new name. Standard pattern for template-doc-per-customer flows.
Action
Create Folder
Creates a new folder in Google Drive, optionally inside a parent folder. Used in onboarding workflows that auto-provision a workspace per customer.
Action
Delete File
Permanently deletes a file or folder from Google Drive. Bypasses the trash; use Update File with trashed=true for the recoverable version.
Action
Get File
Returns metadata for a specific Google Drive file or folder by ID: name, mimeType, parents, modifiedTime, size, and webViewLink. The standard read after a trigger fires with an ID.
Action
List Files
Lists files and folders from Google Drive with optional Drive query (q parameter). Use to enumerate everything in a folder or to find files by name/mimeType.
Action
Search Files
Searches files and folders in Google Drive by name (uses a contains-match on the name field). For advanced queries, use List Files with a custom Drive q parameter.

Send move file from your workflows.

Triggered by anything in the catalog. Free tier available. No credit card.