DriveItems

File and folder operations in Microsoft Graph

Overview

The DriveItems API provides operations to manage files and folders in OneDrive and SharePoint. Access through drive paths like graphClient.Me.Drive.Items[itemId] or graphClient.Me.Drive.Root.ItemWithPath(path).

Request Builders

// By item ID
graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
graphClient.Drives["drive-id"].Items["item-id"]

// By path from root
graphClient.Me.Drive.Root.ItemWithPath("Documents/file.pdf")

// Root folder
graphClient.Me.Drive.Root

Get DriveItem

Retrieve file or folder metadata.

// By ID
var item = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].GetAsync();

// By path
var item = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Root
    .ItemWithPath("Documents/Report.pdf")
    .GetAsync();

if (item.Folder != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Folder: {item.Name} ({item.Folder.ChildCount} items)");
}
else if (item.File != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"File: {item.Name} ({item.Size} bytes)");
    Console.WriteLine($"MIME type: {item.File.MimeType}");
}

Upload Files

Small File Upload (< 4MB)

using var fileStream = File.OpenRead("document.pdf");

var uploadedItem = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Root
    .ItemWithPath("Documents/document.pdf")
    .Content
    .PutAsync(fileStream);

Console.WriteLine($"Uploaded: {uploadedItem.Id}");

Large File Upload (>= 4MB)

using var fileStream = File.OpenRead("large-video.mp4");

// Create upload session
var uploadSession = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Root
    .ItemWithPath("Videos/large-video.mp4")
    .CreateUploadSession
    .PostAsync(new CreateUploadSessionPostRequestBody
    {
        Item = new DriveItemUploadableProperties
        {
            AdditionalData = new Dictionary<string, object>
            {
                { "@microsoft.graph.conflictBehavior", "rename" }
            }
        }
    });

// Upload in chunks
int maxChunkSize = 320 * 1024 * 10; // 3.2 MB
var fileUploadTask = new LargeFileUploadTask<DriveItem>(
    uploadSession, fileStream, maxChunkSize);

var uploadResult = await fileUploadTask.UploadAsync();

if (uploadResult.UploadSucceeded)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Upload complete: {uploadResult.ItemResponse.Id}");
}

Download Files

Download File Content

var stream = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Content
    .GetAsync();

using var fileStream = File.Create("downloaded-file.pdf");
await stream.CopyToAsync(fileStream);

Get Download URL

var item = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].GetAsync();
var downloadUrl = item.AdditionalData["@microsoft.graph.downloadUrl"] as string;

Console.WriteLine($"Download URL: {downloadUrl}");
// URL is temporary and expires

Folder Operations

Create Folder

var newFolder = new DriveItem
{
    Name = "Project Files",
    Folder = new Folder { },
    AdditionalData = new Dictionary<string, object>
    {
        { "@microsoft.graph.conflictBehavior", "rename" }
    }
};

var folder = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["parent-folder-id"]
    .Children
    .PostAsync(newFolder);

List Folder Contents

var children = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["folder-id"]
    .Children
    .GetAsync();

foreach (var item in children.Value)
{
    var type = item.Folder != null ? "Folder" : "File";
    Console.WriteLine($"[{type}] {item.Name}");
}

Copy and Move

Copy Item

var copyRequest = new CopyPostRequestBody
{
    ParentReference = new ItemReference
    {
        DriveId = "destination-drive-id",
        Id = "destination-folder-id"
    },
    Name = "Copy of Document.pdf"
};

var monitorUrl = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Copy
    .PostAsync(copyRequest);

// Monitor operation status
// Use the returned URL to check progress

Move Item

var updateItem = new DriveItem
{
    ParentReference = new ItemReference
    {
        Id = "destination-folder-id"
    },
    Name = "Renamed Document.pdf" // Optional: rename while moving
};

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].PatchAsync(updateItem);

Rename Item

var updateItem = new DriveItem
{
    Name = "New Filename.pdf"
};

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].PatchAsync(updateItem);

Delete Item

// Move to recycle bin
await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].DeleteAsync();

// Permanent delete (bypass recycle bin)
await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .PermanentDelete
    .PostAsync();

Sharing

Create Sharing Link

var sharingLink = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .CreateLink
    .PostAsync(new CreateLinkPostRequestBody
    {
        Type = "view", // view, edit, embed
        Scope = "anonymous" // anonymous, organization
    });

Console.WriteLine($"Share URL: {sharingLink.Link.WebUrl}");

Grant Permissions

var invite = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Invite
    .PostAsync(new InvitePostRequestBody
    {
        RequireSignIn = true,
        SendInvitation = true,
        Roles = new[] { "read" }, // read, write
        Recipients = new List<DriveRecipient>
        {
            new DriveRecipient
            {
                Email = "[e-mail]"
            }
        },
        Message = "Please review this document"
    });

List Permissions

var permissions = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Permissions
    .GetAsync();

foreach (var permission in permissions.Value)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Type: {permission.Link?.Type ?? "Direct"}");
    Console.WriteLine($"Roles: {string.Join(", ", permission.Roles)}");
}

Remove Permission

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Permissions["permission-id"]
    .DeleteAsync();

Versions

List Versions

var versions = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Versions
    .GetAsync();

foreach (var version in versions.Value)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Version {version.Id}");
    Console.WriteLine($"  Modified: {version.LastModifiedDateTime}");
    Console.WriteLine($"  Modified by: {version.LastModifiedBy.User.DisplayName}");
    Console.WriteLine($"  Size: {version.Size} bytes");
}

Restore Version

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Versions["version-id"]
    .RestoreVersion
    .PostAsync();

Download Version

var stream = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Versions["version-id"]
    .Content
    .GetAsync();

Thumbnails

var thumbnails = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Thumbnails
    .GetAsync();

foreach (var set in thumbnails.Value)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Large: {set.Large?.Url}");
    Console.WriteLine($"Medium: {set.Medium?.Url}");
    Console.WriteLine($"Small: {set.Small?.Url}");
}

// Get specific size
var customThumbnail = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Thumbnails["0"]
    .GetAsync();

Search

// Search in folder
var results = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["folder-id"]
    .Search("project")
    .GetAsync();

// Search entire drive
var results = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Root
    .Search("*.pdf")
    .GetAsync();

foreach (var item in results.Value)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"{item.Name} - {item.WebUrl}");
}

Checkout/Checkin

Checkout File

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Checkout
    .PostAsync();

Checkin File

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Checkin
    .PostAsync(new CheckinPostRequestBody
    {
        Comment = "Updated financial data",
        CheckInAs = "majorVersion" // minorVersion, majorVersion, overwrite
    });

Undo Checkout

await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .UndoCheckout
    .PostAsync();

Preview

Get preview information for Office files.

var preview = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Preview
    .PostAsync(new PreviewPostRequestBody
    {
        Viewer = "onedrive" // onedrive, officeonline
    });

Console.WriteLine($"Preview URL: {preview.GetUrl}");

Analytics

Get item analytics and activity.

var analytics = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .Analytics
    .GetAsync();

var itemActivity = analytics.ItemActivityStats;
foreach (var activity in itemActivity)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Access: {activity.Access.ActionCount}");
    Console.WriteLine($"Period: {activity.StartDateTime} to {activity.EndDateTime}");
}

Delta Query

Track changes to items.

var delta = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Root.Delta.GetAsync();

foreach (var item in delta.Value)
{
    if (item.Deleted != null)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Deleted: {item.Name}");
    }
    else
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Changed: {item.Name}");
    }
}

// Store delta link
var deltaLink = delta.OdataDeltaLink;

Get Changes for Specific Item

var delta = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["folder-id"]
    .Delta
    .GetAsync();

Special Operations

Follow/Unfollow

// Follow
await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].Follow.PostAsync();

// Unfollow
await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].Unfollow.PostAsync();

Extract Sensitivity Labels

var extraction = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"]
    .ExtractSensitivityLabels
    .PostAsync();

Conflict Behavior

When creating or uploading items:

AdditionalData = new Dictionary<string, object>
{
    { "@microsoft.graph.conflictBehavior", "rename" }
    // Options: rename, replace, fail
}

Error Handling

using Microsoft.Graph.Models.ODataErrors;

try
{
    var item = await graphClient.Me.Drive.Items["item-id"].GetAsync();
}
catch (ODataError error)
{
    if (error.Error.Code == "itemNotFound")
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Item not found");
    }
    else if (error.Error.Code == "accessDenied")
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Access denied");
    }
    else if (error.Error.Code == "nameAlreadyExists")
    {
        Console.WriteLine("An item with this name already exists");
    }
    else
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Error: {error.Error.Message}");
    }
}

See Also

DriveItem Model

DriveItem properties

Drives API

Drive operations

Sites API

SharePoint sites

File Upload Guide

Complete upload guide