Move Lists Between SharePoint Sites Step by Step for Beginners

I know how stressful it is when you just need to move lists between SharePoint sites, but Microsoft gives you no clear way to do it. I’ve faced that same issue while managing multiple sites and tenants. Through this guide, I’ll share the tested methods to perform a safe SharePoint list migration without losing data

Why Migrate a SharePoint List?

Below are the most common reasons I’ve encountered for why moving SharePoint lists between sites becomes necessary:

• Consolidate lists during SharePoint tenant to tenant migration or mergers.
• Restructure or rebrand sites to align lists with new departments or teams.
• Split large sites to isolate data and simplify permissions.
• Migrate SharePoint on-premises to Online for better performance.
• Migrate from subsites to top-level sites.
• Recover lists from corrupted or deleted sites.
• Merge two SharePoint sites and consolidate duplicate lists.

No matter the reason, the challenge remains the same: there is no direct option to manually migrate only a specific list. 

How to Move Lists Between SharePoint Sites?

Moving SharePoint lists between sites is a tricky process, but I’ll make this easy and hassle-free for you with these step-by-step instructions and appropriate methods:

#Method 1. Create From Existing List

If you are migrating a list within the same tenant, without items, attachments, and version history, then opt for this solution by following the steps below:

1. Open your target site.
2. Click New > List > From existing list.
3. Choose the source site and select the list to copy.
4. Give it a name and click Create.

#Method 2. Move Lists between SharePoint Sites using PnP PowerShell

For moving a list with content to another tenant automatically, PowerShell will be helpful. It helps users to make the most of the manual tasks, automatic and reliable. For the same download or update SharePoint Online Management Shell, and run the cmdlets given below:

# Connect to the source site
Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://mackjohn(source).sharepoint.com/sites/mackjohn(SourceSite) -UseWebLogin
# Get all list items
$items = Get-PnPListItem -List "ProjectTasks"
# Connect to the destination site
Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://mackjohn(destination).sharepoint.com/sites/mackjohn(TargetSite) -UseWebLogin
# Create items in the target list
foreach ($item in $items) {
    Add-PnPListItem -List "ProjectTasks" -Values @{
        "Title" = $item["Title"]
        "Status" = $item["Status"]
    }
}

#Method 3. Save List as a Template & Reuse It

It allows you to copy both the list structure and content. Here’s how to move lists between SharePoint sites:

1. Open the source SharePoint site.
2. Access the list to move.
3. Click the Settings icon > List Settings.
4. Under Permissions and Management, click Save list as template.
5. Enter a File Name, Template Name, and optional Description.
6. Check Include Content to move list data too.
7. Click OK.

Note: If Save list as template in SharePoint is missing, you can enable it using PowerShell or the SharePoint REST API.

Your list template is now saved in the List Template Gallery in .stp file format. To reuse it:

1. Go to the target site.
2. Upload the saved .stp file to Site Settings > List templates.
3. Create a new list using the uploaded template.

#Method 4. Use Power Automate to Move Lists between SharePoint Sites

Power Automate helps automate list item copying between sites without structure. For this, follow the quick steps as follows:

1. Go to Power Automate.
2. Create a new flow.
3. Choose the trigger “When an item is created or modified” in the source list.
4. Add a new action: “Create item” in the destination site’s list.
5. Test the flow.

#Method 5. Export to Excel and Import to Target Site

For large migrations, exporting list data to Excel and then importing it into another site works quite well. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Go to your source SharePoint site that contains the list to move.
2. Open the list in Modern View, not the old “classic” interface.
3. On the list toolbar, click Export > Export to Excel.
4. This will download a .iqy (Internet Query) file.
5. Open the .iqy file in Microsoft Excel, and it will fetch your list data automatically.
6. Once loaded, click File > Save As, and save it as a .xlsx file on your local system.

Now, import Excel to the SharePoint list (target site): 

1. Go to your destination SharePoint site.
2. Click New > List > From Excel.
3. Upload the Excel file you just saved.
4. SharePoint will automatically detect columns from your file.
5. Click Create to import the data and build the list.

#Method 6. Move Lists between SharePoint Sites Via an Enterprise-grade Solution

When you’re dealing with large or multiple SharePoint lists, manual methods become inefficient and risky. I’ve found that using a professional SysTools SharePoint Online Migration Tool is the most reliable way for moving lists between SharePoint sites, without losing data integrity.

 Download Now  Purchase Now

This solution can move everything: list structure, items, attachments, permissions, workflows, and version history, all while keeping metadata intact.

Here’s what I like about using this solution:

• Let you choose specific lists, libraries, or even subsites to migrate.
• The built-in report gives a complete overview of what’s being moved.
• With the Delta Migration option, it only migrates newly added or modified items after the initial transfer.
• Maintains internal references, lookup columns, and site hierarchy during migration.

So, try it now for smooth and simultaneous migration, without any manual intervention.

How to Use It to Move Lists Between SharePoint Sites

Here’s a quick walkthrough of how to use it to move a list from one site to another:

• Step 1. Open the solution, select the source and target platforms as Microsoft 365.
• Step 2. Now, scroll down and select the Generic list option. For specific data migration, use the Date Filter option.
• Step 3. Afterwards, provide your proper admin credentials for both source and target sites. Validate them, and hit Next.
• Step 4. Map source users by Fetch Users, Import Users, or Download Template.
• Step 5. When the permission validation procedure is completed, hit the Start Migration button.

Afterwards, the tool generates the report of success: a summary and a detailed report. Open those reports, and see what data it migrated. Go to the target site to verify the data and structure. 

What’s New in 2025

If you’re wondering which method is best among them to move lists between SharePoint sites, then here’s what’s changed recently, which helps you to make a wise decision:

• Modern SharePoint Lists now have a “From existing list” option, the easiest way to clone a list’s structure within the same tenant only.
• Save list as template still exists, but is disabled in modern sites. You can re-enable it, but Microsoft considers it outdated.
• PnP PowerShell has become the go-to for moving both list structure and data reliably.
• Power Automate remains great for syncing items between lists.
• For full migrations, including attachments, permissions, and version history, third-party tools are still the efficient ones.

Quick Migration Checklist

Here are the best practices to follow before migration:

• Review column types, especially lookup and metadata fields.
• Clean up your list, remove unused columns and old data.
• Pre-create dependencies, i.e. lookup lists, term sets, etc.
• Download files from SharePoint to use as a backup
• Test migration with a small sample.
• Validate item count, attachments, and permissions post-migration.

Author’s Verdict

Now you’ve understood all the solutions to move lists between SharePoint sites simply. The right approach really depends on what you’re moving. But when you’re dealing with large lists, version history, attachments, or permissions, using a reliable migration tool is essential.