Cloning Document Libraries in SharePoint just got a whole lot easier!

We recently got a new long-awaited feature in SharePoint – the ability to copy a Document Library from an existing library!

Given the effort required to set up metadata and custom views, it was a very burdensome task to set up multiple document libraries that had the same configuration.

But now we can copy an existing Document Library with the click of a button in SharePoint Online.

So how do you do it?

In my example below, I’ve set up a document library with some metadata and custom views:

Next, navigate to the SharePoint site where you would like to copy the document library to. This might be the same site as the existing library, or you can copy to a different site.

From the SharePoint site home page, click on the “New” drop down menu and select “Document Library”

Then select “From existing library”

This will provide you with a list of all the sites you have access to. First, select the site where the document library you want to copy lives. Then you can select the Document Library you would like to copy / clone.  

Click Next.

Give your new Library a name and click “Create”.

And the Library will now be created!

Things to note

Note that the copied Document Library does not copy over any files or folders from the original Library – just the Metadata and Views. It’s also not linked or associated to the original library in any way.

Also note that the copied Document Library will copy over content types, with the exception of Document Sets – these will need to be reconfigured in your copied Library.

Happy cloning!