# MOVE method

> Moves or renames a resource to the URI given in the Destination header, in WebDAV.

Source: https://apiguide.dev/methods/move
Safe: no
Idempotent: yes
Cacheable: no
Defined in: RFC 4918, Section 9.9 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4918.html#section-9.9>
Updated: 2026-07-10

## What is the MOVE method?

The `MOVE` method is a WebDAV extension (RFC 4918) used by clients to relocate or rename a resource, moving it to the URI named in the `Destination` header.

## API Usage & Best Practices

* **Set the Destination**: Always supply the `Destination` header naming where the resource should end up.
* **Control overwrites**: Use the `Overwrite` header to allow or forbid replacing an existing resource at the destination.
* **Atomic relocation**: A MOVE removes the source and creates the destination together, which is the standard way to rename a resource.

## Common Response Codes

* **201 Created**: The resource was moved to a previously empty destination.
* **204 No Content**: An existing destination resource was overwritten by the move.
* **207 Multi-Status**: Reports per-member results when moving a collection partially fails.