move_file
Moves a file or folder into another folder (or shared drive) and returns id, name and the new parents. By default the file leaves all its current parents (a plain move); keep_existing_parents=true only adds the new parent — note that files in shared drives always have exactly one parent, so keepi...
This record as markdown: /tools/a1-x-tech-mcp-google-drive/move-file.md
What move_file does on Mcp Google Drive
AI agents use move_file to create or update resources in Mcp Google Drive, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Mcp Google Drive environment.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
file_id | string | Yes | The file id — the long id from the Drive URL (drive.google.com/file/d/<fileId> or docs.google.com/.../d/<fileId>/edit) or from search_files/get_file output. Fol |
new_parent_id | string | Yes | Destination folder or shared-drive id ('root' = My Drive top level). |
keep_existing_parents | boolean | — | Add the new parent without removing the old ones (My Drive only; default false = a real move). |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why move_file is rated Medium
An AI agent can call move_file faster than any human can review: one bad instruction and it creates or modifies resources in Mcp Google Drive by the hundred, each call as confident as the last.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs move_file safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Mcp Google Drive, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For move_file, this is the rule to start with:
move_file stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Mcp Google Drive, apply this rule, and every move_file call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about move_file
Moves a file or folder into another folder (or shared drive) and returns id, name and the new parents. By default the file leaves all its current parents (a plain move); keep_existing_parents=true only adds the new parent — note that files in shared drives always have exactly one parent, so keeping old parents fails there. Moving between My Drive and a shared drive changes ownership rules and may be rejected by the drive's settings. The move costs one extra read (the current parents are fetched first). It is categorised as a Write tool in the Mcp Google Drive MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
move_file accepts 3 parameters: file_id, new_parent_id, keep_existing_parents. Required: file_id, new_parent_id. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Mcp Google Drive MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for move_file: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Mcp Google Drive. Nothing to install.
move_file is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the move_file rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for move_file. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
move_file is provided by the Mcp Google Drive MCP server (@a1-x-tech/mcp-google-drive). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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