You can merge files from multiple folders into a single destination folder using built-in operating system tools without needing any third-party software. The easiest method depends entirely on whether your folders are scattered across different paths or nested underneath a single main parent directory. 💻 The Best Trick: Windows File Explorer
If all your separate subfolders live inside one main “parent” folder, you can extract every file simultaneously using a wildcard search trick.
Open the master parent folder containing all the subfolders. Click inside the search bar in the top-right corner. Type * (a single asterisk wildcard) and hit Enter.
Wait for Windows to display every single file hidden across all subfolders.
Sort the results by “Type” to group the folders away from individual files.
Select all the files (click the first file, hold Shift, and click the last file). Cut them using Ctrl + X.
Navigate to your single destination folder and press Ctrl + V to paste them. 🍎 The Option-Drag Trick: macOS Finder
On a Mac, if you have folders that share the exact same name but hold different contents, you can leverage a hidden merge shortcut. Hold down the Option key on your keyboard.
Drag and drop the folder you want to move into the directory where the other folder lives.
Click the Merge option that pops up in the dialog box.Note: This specific “Merge” button only appears if you hold down Option and the folders share identical names.
For a quick visual demonstration on how to use these native system features on both Windows and Mac: How to quickly merge two folders | Mac | PC Amanda Littlecott: The Photo Organiser YouTube · May 30, 2023 🛠️ The Command Line: Advanced Users
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