{"id":"moving-folders.what-are-keep-both-and-merge-when-a-copy-is-already-there","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-keep-both-and-merge-when-a-copy-is-already-there","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"whats-using-space-moves","title":"Moving from What's Using Space"},"question":"What do Keep both and Merge mean when a copy is already on the drive?","alt_questions":["There's already a copy on my fast drive","Keep both or merge or replace","A copy of this folder is already on the drive","Move and keep both","Will moving replace the copy on my drive?","Drive copy with a date in its name"],"short_answer":"Keep both renames the copy already there with today's date and moves yours in beside it; Merge joins them, renaming any different same-named file instead of overwriting it. Replace deletes the existing copy and needs you to type Replace.","answer_markdown":"They're the two ways to move a folder when a copy of it is already on the other side, without losing either one. You see them in What's Using Space and in Data Parking.\n\n- **Keep both** (the default in What's Using Space) — the copy already there is renamed with today's date, for example *Downloads (drive copy 27 Oct 2026)*, and left exactly as it is. Your folder moves in beside it.\n- **Merge** — your folder's files join the copy already there. Where both have a file with the same name but different contents, both are kept: the one already there is renamed with the date and yours takes the name. Identical files are left alone, and files only on the other side are never touched.\n- **Replace** — the copy already there is removed first, then your folder takes its place. It doesn't go to the Trash or the Recycle Vault, so you type **Replace** to confirm.\n\nKeep both and Merge lose nothing, so neither asks for the typed word. The renaming applies to drives and folders; for a cloud account, merging works the way that provider does. See [what Merge does](/faq/moving-folders/what-does-merge-do-in-data-parking).","answer_html":"

They're the two ways to move a folder when a copy of it is already on the other side, without losing either one. You see them in What's Using Space and in Data Parking.

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Keep both and Merge lose nothing, so neither asks for the typed word. The renaming applies to drives and folders; for a cloud account, merging works the way that provider does. See what Merge does.

","answer_text":"They're the two ways to move a folder when a copy of it is already on the other side, without losing either one. You see them in What's Using Space and in Data Parking.\n\n- Keep both (the default in What's Using Space) — the copy already there is renamed with today's date, for example Downloads (drive copy 27 Oct 2026), and left exactly as it is. Your folder moves in beside it.\n- Merge — your folder's files join the copy already there. Where both have a file with the same name but different contents, both are kept: the one already there is renamed with the date and yours takes the name. Identical files are left alone, and files only on the other side are never touched.\n- Replace — the copy already there is removed first, then your folder takes its place. It doesn't go to the Trash or the Recycle Vault, so you type Replace to confirm.\n\nKeep both and Merge lose nothing, so neither asks for the typed word. The renaming applies to drives and folders; for a cloud account, merging works the way that provider does. See what Merge does.","tags":["moving","merge","keep both","data parking","whats using space"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.what-does-merge-do-in-data-parking","question":"What does Merge do in Data Parking?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-does-merge-do-in-data-parking"},{"id":"moving-folders.what-is-the-difference-between-move-merge-and-relocate","question":"What's the difference between Move, Merge and Relocate in Data Parking?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-is-the-difference-between-move-merge-and-relocate"}],"applies_to":"app>=4.20","last_reviewed":"2026-10-27","title":"What do Keep both and Merge mean when a copy is already on the drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Keep both renames the copy already there with today's date and moves yours in beside it; Merge joins them, renaming any different same-named file instead of overwriting it. Replace deletes the existing copy and needs you to type Replace.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"What do Keep both and Merge mean when a copy is already on the drive?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-keep-both-and-merge-when-a-copy-is-already-there"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-are-keep-both-and-merge-when-a-copy-is-already-there","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-27","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What do Keep both and Merge mean when a copy is already on the drive?","alternateName":["There's already a copy on my fast drive","Keep both or merge or replace","A copy of this folder is already on the drive","Move and keep both","Will moving replace the copy on my drive?","Drive copy with a date in its name"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"They're the two ways to move a folder when a copy of it is already on the other side, without losing either one. You see them in What's Using Space and in Data Parking.\n\n- Keep both (the default in What's Using Space) — the copy already there is renamed with today's date, for example Downloads (drive copy 27 Oct 2026), and left exactly as it is. Your folder moves in beside it.\n- Merge — your folder's files join the copy already there. Where both have a file with the same name but different contents, both are kept: the one already there is renamed with the date and yours takes the name. Identical files are left alone, and files only on the other side are never touched.\n- Replace — the copy already there is removed first, then your folder takes its place. It doesn't go to the Trash or the Recycle Vault, so you type Replace to confirm.\n\nKeep both and Merge lose nothing, so neither asks for the typed word. The renaming applies to drives and folders; for a cloud account, merging works the way that provider does. See what Merge does.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-are-keep-both-and-merge-when-a-copy-is-already-there"}}]},"fragment":"
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Moving folders · Moving from What's Using Space

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What do Keep both and Merge mean when a copy is already on the drive?

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Short answer: Keep both renames the copy already there with today's date and moves yours in beside it; Merge joins them, renaming any different same-named file instead of overwriting it. Replace deletes the existing copy and needs you to type Replace.

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They're the two ways to move a folder when a copy of it is already on the other side, without losing either one. You see them in What's Using Space and in Data Parking.

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  • Keep both (the default in What's Using Space) — the copy already there is renamed with today's date, for example Downloads (drive copy 27 Oct 2026), and left exactly as it is. Your folder moves in beside it.
  • Merge — your folder's files join the copy already there. Where both have a file with the same name but different contents, both are kept: the one already there is renamed with the date and yours takes the name. Identical files are left alone, and files only on the other side are never touched.
  • Replace — the copy already there is removed first, then your folder takes its place. It doesn't go to the Trash or the Recycle Vault, so you type Replace to confirm.
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Keep both and Merge lose nothing, so neither asks for the typed word. The renaming applies to drives and folders; for a cloud account, merging works the way that provider does. See what Merge does.

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Applies to Storage Studio 4.20 and later · Last reviewed

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