Move files to subsite and retain version history, no coding (Sharepoint Online)

Question

We are dividing our team's site into more specific subsites, and I'm trying to migrate some files from the site's Documents library to a subsite without losing the version history. I know this question has been asked a few times already but I have the following limitations:

• It has to be an OOTB solution -- no third-party tools or coding, please
• The top-level site Documents library contains too many long filepaths that prohibit syncing with OneDrive

The "Move" function in the Content and Structure tool has been suggested a few times. I've checked that both libraries have the same versioning settings (Create major and minor versions), but the version history is disappearing when I move files.

Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

EDIT: To clarify, the real reason I'm concerned about version history is because it's undesirable to have every document in the new library reporting my name as the last "Modified By." I would settle for a solution that loses the version history but remembers the name of the last person to modify it (rather than listing me as the person who moved the file).

The Content and Structure tool loses the version history, changes "Modified By" to my name, but keeps the date of the last revision (instead of the time of the move). Does anyone know why?

Answer 1

I did this with an onsite implementation by saving the list as a template and then creating the new list from that template. When you are saving the list choose the include content option. I recall that I found a few size limitations that you may run into, but some creativity with large files solved that for me. I think there was also an administrative setting to allow you to move some really big files if needed.