In Google Drive, a file can appear in multiple folders without being duplicated — it’s a single file with multiple parent folders. Here’s how to do it.
Steps
Step 1: Select the file
In Google Drive, find the file you want to add to another folder.
Step 2: Use the keyboard shortcut
With the file selected, press Shift + Z.
A dialog will appear letting you choose an additional folder to add the file to.
Step 3: Choose the target folder
Navigate to the folder you want and click Add here. The file now appears in both locations.
Detailed guide with screenshots
labnol.org: Add files to multiple Google Drive folders
Video walkthrough
Note on Google Drive’s 2020 changes
Google changed how shared folders work in 2020, which affected this feature in some contexts. See:
Android Police: Google completely changed shared folders in Drive