How to easily merge multiple folders of the same name, using only Windows Explorer.

You have a folder structure that looks something like this:

ResultsSet1
   | Data
         |Photos
         |Meta
         |Location
ResultsSet2
   | Data
         |Photos
         |Meta
         |Location
ResultsSet3
   | Data
         |Photos
         |Meta
         |Location

You want to extract and merge just the “Data” folders. Each sub-folder should follow along and also be merged with its brethren.

1. If your folder structure is inside a .ZIP or .RAR, then extract. Then open up Windows Explorer and go to the top-level view for your target folders.

2. Make a new empty folder there called “Data”, to sit high among the ResultsSet1, ResultsSet2, ResultsSet3 etc folders.

3. Keyword-search for “Data” using Windows Explorer, and constrain the search to just your target folders.

4. Shift-select the results (they should be all the sub-folders named “Data”), then right-click to copy them.

5. Paste them into the top level of your target folder set. Window will spot the empty “Data” folder you just made, and merge in all the pasted “Data” folders.

You end up with a single amalgamated…

   | Data
         |Photos
         |Meta
         |Location

This takes advantage of a Windows 8 feature where copy-pasting folders of the same name will cause an automatic merge operation. This operation will interrupt the user only with a query about replacement of any duplicate files.

Thus there is no need for use of the Windows command-line, Windows PowerShell, 7-Zip or third-party freeware to accomplish such a basic “copy and combine” operation on folders of the same name.