How to Transfer Files From an Old PC to a New PC (Windows 10 and 11)

When you get a new computer, the job most people dread is working out how to transfer files from an old PC to a new PC without losing photos, documents or that one spreadsheet nobody backed up. The good news is that Windows 11 has free tools for it, and a plain USB external drive works for everyone. This guide compares the methods, shows the steps for each, and lists what does not move automatically, so nothing gets left behind on the old machine.

This is an independent guide, not affiliated with Microsoft. Many people are moving now because Windows 10 has reached the end of normal support; if that is why you are replacing your computer, read what to do now that Windows 10 support has ended as well.

Before you start: a five-minute checklist

Do this on the old PC while it still works:

1. List your programs. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and note the ones you actually use. You will reinstall these on the new PC.
2. Find licence keys. Paid programs such as office suites, photo editors and accounting software often need a key or an account sign-in. Look in old emails or on the maker’s account page. Our guide to product keys that do not work explains common problems.
3. Check your email type. If you use a desktop email program, find out whether your account is IMAP or POP. IMAP mail stays on the server; POP mail may exist only on this PC. See IMAP vs POP explained.
4. Confirm your passwords. Make sure you can sign in to your Microsoft account, your email and your browser account. If your passwords are saved in the browser, see how to find and manage saved passwords.
5. Make a safety backup. Whatever method you choose, a second copy protects you if something goes wrong. The 3-2-1 backup guide shows a simple routine.

Which transfer method should you use?

Method	Best for	What you need
Windows Backup	Most people with a Microsoft account	Same Microsoft account on both PCs, enough OneDrive storage for your folders
USB external drive	Large photo and video collections, local accounts	An external drive or large USB stick with enough free space
OneDrive sync only	People who already keep their files in OneDrive	Sign in to OneDrive on the new PC

You can combine methods. Many people use Windows Backup for settings and small folders, and an external drive for a large photo library.

Method 1: Windows Backup (Microsoft account)

Windows Backup is built into Windows 11 and recent versions of Windows 10. It saves your chosen folders to OneDrive and remembers settings such as your installed Microsoft Store apps, accessibility options, Wi-Fi networks and passwords, and personalisation.

On the old PC:

1. Open Start, type Windows Backup and open the app.
2. Under Folders, turn on the ones you want: Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music.
3. Turn on the Apps, Settings and Credentials options you want to keep.
4. Select Back up and wait until it finishes. Large folders can take a long time on a slow upload connection.

On the new PC:

1. During the first-time setup, sign in with the same Microsoft account.
2. When setup offers to restore from a previous PC, choose the backup from your old computer.
3. After setup, open File Explorer and check that your folders appear. Files may download from OneDrive as you open them.

The free OneDrive plan has limited storage. If your folders are bigger than your OneDrive space, back up the large folders (usually Pictures and Videos) to an external drive instead, and leave only smaller folders in Windows Backup.

Microsoft has also documented a direct PC-to-PC transfer option that appears in Windows Backup and during new PC setup. Its support page currently describes limits on which PCs can use it and points people to Windows Backup and restore instead, so do not count on seeing it; the two methods in this guide work regardless.

Method 2: Copy files with a USB external drive

This is the most dependable method and works with local accounts, very large folders and older PCs.

1. Plug the external drive into the old PC.
2. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\ followed by your user name.
3. Copy these folders to the drive: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, Videos. Also check for files you saved directly in other places, such as a folder on the C: drive or a second drive.
4. Wait until copying finishes, then use Safely Remove Hardware before unplugging.
5. Plug the drive into the new PC and copy each folder into the matching folder in your new user profile.

If the drive does not appear on one of the PCs, see our guide to an external hard drive not showing up. Copying is safer than moving: leave the originals on the old PC until you have checked the new one.

Method 3: OneDrive (if your files already live there)

If you already use OneDrive to sync Documents, Pictures and Desktop, there is little to transfer. Sign in to OneDrive on the new PC with the same account and the files appear in File Explorer. Files you have marked to keep on the device download in the background; others download when you open them. Note that Windows Backup does not copy OneDrive files separately, because they are already in the cloud.

What does not transfer automatically

• Desktop programs. Reinstall them from the maker’s website or the Microsoft Store; avoid download sites that bundle extras. See how to install software safely.
• Browser bookmarks and saved passwords. Signing in to Chrome, Edge or Firefox with sync turned on brings them back. Otherwise export them on the old PC; our guide to importing bookmarks and passwords into a new browser explains how.
• POP email and local mail archives. Export these from your desktop email program before you retire the old PC.
• Printers and other devices. Reinstall printer software from the maker’s site and add the printer again on the new PC.
• Files on encrypted drives. If a drive on the old PC is encrypted with BitLocker, have its recovery key or decrypt it before copying.

After the transfer

Open a handful of files from each folder on the new PC: a few photos, some documents, a spreadsheet. Check that your email, browser and important programs work. Keep the old PC as it is for a few weeks; it is your fallback if you discover something missing.

When you are sure, reset the old PC before you sell, donate or recycle it: open Settings > System > Recovery, choose Reset this PC and select Remove everything. Our guide to resetting Windows 11 walks through the reset options. If the new PC feels slow afterwards because OneDrive is still syncing, give it a day before troubleshooting; for other issues, see what to do when a laptop is very slow.

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