Migrating to a new computer

How to migrate to a new Windows PC

All your files, apps, and settings are on your erstwhile estimator. Here'southward how to movement them to your new Windows PC, from either Windows or macOS.

Executive Editor for Global Content, Computerworld |

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Old PC, new PC. It's cracking to go a new figurer, merely it'due south non so great to realize that all your stuff is on the former one.

There are several ways to transfer your old computer's files, apps, and settings to your new PC. The best and easiest way is to utilize a deject storage service equally the waystation. Cloud storage works whether y'all are moving from a Windows seven PC to a Windows ten i, or from i Windows x PC to another. It even works if yous are moving from a Macintosh to a Windows PC. Our commodity "The best way to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains the ins and outs of migrating to a new computer via the cloud.

That said, you lot may not be able to employ the cloud to transfer your files — for instance, if the data-usage costs would be too high or you are not connected to the internet, or if your It section won't let yous install the cloud account on both the old and new PCs.

And you lot might want to transfer more than just files from your old computer to your new ane. This story includes methods for migrating files and apps, also as browser bookmarks; one method tin transfer some system settings too.

Transferring files locally to a new PC

There are several methods to transfer files locally from an erstwhile reckoner to a new Windows PC, and most work whether you're moving from a Windows PC to a Windows PC or from a Mac to a Windows PC.

Direct file transfer via an external bulldoze

You can connect an external hard drive, SD card, or thumb drive to your old PC, copy your files to it, then eject that device from the one-time computer, plug it into the new PC and re-create the files to that new PC. The trick here (besides having plenty storage chapters on your transfer bulldoze) is to have your files and folders organized well plenty so you become them all.

I recommend that you lot use the aforementioned folder organization on your new PC equally on your sometime computer, at least to start. In one case your migration is complete, you lot should consider storing your files on the cloud for easier access, as the commodity "The best way to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains.

Tip: If yous are transferring files from a Mac to a PC, the external difficult drive must be formatted as MS-DOS, not NTFS or APFS. SD cards and pollex drives utilise the same FAT32 format on both macOS and Windows, and then if your files fit on those storage devices, that's oftentimes easier than using a hard drive.

Notation: Digitally rights-managed files similar purchased music usually won't work once copied. The all-time mode to transfer these is to re-download them from the service where yous bought them. Such re-downloads are typically gratis.

Directly file transfer will not move your locally stored email files to the new PC. Windows stores these files in adequately cabalistic places, and copying them to a new PC often doesn't work because of how they are tied to the e-mail application'south OS settings. I recommend y'all make sure all your emails are stored in your electronic mail server (that is in, in your email client make sure all your emails reside in folders stored on the server), and so they can just sync to the email client on your new PC. The Microsoft Outlook client supports several servers, not but Microsoft's Commutation and Microsoft 365/Office 365 typically used in business.

Note: Information technology retention policies may limit how far back emails are stored on the server, and then you may accept local emails y'all tin't transfer that way. In that instance, Microsoft Outlook does allow you import the local PST files to a Windows PC from the Outlook app on some other Windows PC or Mac; Microsoft has provided export instructions and dissever import instructions.

Local contacts and calendar entries also are very difficult to directly transfer from i computer to another, and it is all-time to make certain they are stored on a server, such as Exchange, Microsoft 365/Office 365, Thousand Suite/Google Workspace/Gmail/Google Calendar, or iCloud, so they will sync to your contacts and calendar apps on your new PC. Your contacts and calendar apps may take an export characteristic that yous can try. (You tin ofttimes export private contacts as a VCF file, for case.) These days, few contacts and calendar apps are not server-based, then chances are very high your contacts and calendar entries are stored somewhere they can be synced from into Outlook.

Transfer via a File History fill-in

Windows seven through Windows 10 have a built-in backup utility that lets you restore a PC's folder and files — but not settings or applications. You can employ the Windows fill-in feature to restore files from an old PC to a new 1. Windows calls this facility File History.

In Windows 10, you set up your fill-in in the Backup pane of the Update & Security department of Settings. Yous click Add together a drive to select the external drive for fill-in and restore. In one case you accept selected a drive, you enable automatic fill-in by turning the Automatically back up my files switch to On.

migrate new win10 pc backup settings IDG

Windows x'due south backup settings: When no fill-in drive is chosen (left) and after a drive is chosen and fill-in is enabled (right). (Click image to enlarge it.)

You tin fine-tune the backup settings in the Backup options pane by clicking the More options link. For example, you can set the backup frequency, folders to be backed upwards and folders to exclude, and stop using the backup bulldoze (to select a unlike backup drive, for case).

Near important, at the very bottom of the Backup options pane is the Restore files from a current fill-in link. Apply it to restore files from the backup bulldoze.

Tip: You can back up to and restore from a network drive if information technology is gear up in the Windows 10 File Explorer. Click the Mapping a network drive link for details on how to do that.

Note: Windows ten tin restore from a Windows 7 fill-in; click the Become to Backup and restore (Windows seven) link to initiate that operation on your new PC.

In Windows vii, right-click your local drive to open the Backdrop window, then click Back up now in the Tools pane to open the Support or restore your files window. That's where you lot can support your old PC or restore it to a new PC, using the external drive containing the backup.

Transfer via a file-transfer utility

If yous want more than hand-holding in your file transfer, y'all tin can buy and use a utility like Laplink'due south $threescore PCmover Professional, which has been around for decades. It works over your network and optionally via a direct cable connection provided by Laplink if you buy the CD version, lets you choose which files and folders to transfer, and volition transfer your settings, bookmarks, and applications as well. Yous can migrate from old Windows versions to later Windows versions, as well as between the same versions. (One exception: yous cannot migrate from Windows XP to Windows XP.)

Annotation: You need administrator privileges in Windows to utilise all of PCmover'southward capabilities.

Before you transfer whatever applications via a utility like PCmover, sign out of or deactivate whatever apps on your one-time computer. Most software these days is tied to an online account that limits the number of active installations or has digital rights management to prevent piracy via copying. Yous don't want the transfer to exist seen as a piracy attempt or equally an additional installation that counts against any limit you may have.

Another option is EhlerTech's USMTGUI, a graphical front end to Microsoft's command-line User State Migration Tool, which works with Windows 8 through ten. The Pro version adds support for migrating from (simply not to) Windows XP and Vista. USMTGUI (like USMT) transfers only settings and associated data like emails, not applications. The home version pricing starts at $10, and the corporate license pricing starts at $200.

Transferring and setting upward apps on your new PC

Regardless of the transfer method you utilise, you about certainly volition have apps to reinstall, depending on what IT did for you in preparing your new computer. (PCmover Professional volition transfer most apps; its documentation describes its limitations.)

On your new PC, re-download the apps you lot need and sign in as required. Y'all'll find some apps on the Microsoft Store in Windows 10, while others you'll demand to download from the manufacturer's website. If y'all're moving from macOS to Windows, some apps won't be available for installation in Windows, but almost macOS business apps come in both versions and most software manufacturers (just not all!) let you employ the same license on either platform.

In most cases, you'll demand to set your applications' preferences on the new reckoner, and then set aside the time to exercise that.

Transferring browser bookmarks to your new PC

You lot as well volition want to transfer your bookmarks from your old figurer's browser to your new computer's browser. In that location are three methods: direct syncing betwixt the same browser, syncing between macOS's Safari and sure Windows browsers, and exporting a browser'due south bookmark files to import into a different browser. The outset ii methods keep the browsers in sync, whereas the third method is a manual arroyo for when you lot are moving to a new computer (or browser) and won't use the erstwhile computer (or browser) anymore.

Chrome, Firefox, and Border all sync bookmarks across all your devices if they are all signed into the aforementioned account. But enable syncing in each browser on each device you utilize. To be clear, you can sync merely to the same browser, such equally from Chrome to Chrome.

Apple's Safari is not available for Windows (or Android), but you can sync between Apple's Safari and a supported Windows browser (Cyberspace Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox) if iCloud is installed in Windows and signed in to the same account as the Mac or iOS device running Safari. Note: iCloud syncing is not available for pedagogy users with managed Apple tree IDs.

For situations where your browser is not signed into the aforementioned account as your old computer, the major browsers all accept a facility to export and import bookmarks via files:

  • Google Chrome: To export bookmarks, click the vertical three-dot icon at the pinnacle correct of your browser window, and so select Bookmarks > Bookmark Manager from the carte that appears. Click the three-dot icon to the right of the search bar and select Export bookmarks. To import bookmarks, follow the aforementioned procedure only choose Import bookmarks instead of Consign Bookmarks.
  • Mozilla Firefox: To consign bookmarks, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-B in Windows or ⌘-Shift-B in macOS to open the Library window, which shows all your bookmarks. Select the desired bookmark folder (or All Bookmarks), and so choose the Import and Backup push (in macOS, it'southward the icon of two arrows) > Export Bookmarks to HTML. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure but choose Import Bookmarks from HTML instead of Export Bookmarks to HTML.
  • Apple Safari: To export bookmarks from this macOS browser for import into a Windows browser, choose the File menu > Export Bookmarks.
  • Microsoft Edge (legacy version): To export bookmarks from this Windows 10-only browser that is pre-installed in Windows 10 versions prior to 20H2, click the three-dot icon to open up the General window, click Import or Export to open the Import export window, curlicue down until you come across Export your favorites and reading list to an HTML file, select Favorites to export your bookmarks, then click Consign to file. To import bookmarks, follow the aforementioned procedure only click Import from file in the Import or export
  • Microsoft Edge (Chromium version): In both Windows and macOS, to consign bookmarks from this optionally installed Chromium-based browser that volition go the Windows 10 default starting with version 20H2, click the Favorites button (the star icon), then choose Manage favorites to open the Favorites window, select the desired bookmarks binder to consign, click the horizontal three-dot icon at the top right of the browser window, and cull Export favorites. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure merely cull Import favorites instead of Export favorites.
  • Cyberspace Explorer: To export bookmarks from this discontinued Windows browser, click the Favorites push (star icon), choose Import and Export from its menu, select the Export to a file selection, click Next >, select Favorites to consign bookmarks (and optionally Feed and Cookies to consign them), click Side by side >, choose the bookmarks binder to export, click Next >, set the consign location, and click Consign. To import bookmarks, follow the aforementioned procedure but select the Import from a file.

When everything is transferred, be sure to sign out of all your accounts, such equally Microsoft, Google, iCloud, iTunes, browser sync, shopping, and cloud storage accounts, on the old figurer. You don't desire to exceed any maximums on computers that can be signed in, and you don't desire the side by side owner to be able to use your accounts, especially any that may connect to credit and debit cards. Yous might even consider wiping/reformatting the former estimator, just cheque with It first, in instance they demand to continue information technology as is for some menstruation of time for regulatory or Hour policy reasons.

Farther reading:

  • How to switch from Android to iPhone
  • How to switch from iPhone to Android
  • How to motility information between your Android telephone and a reckoner
  • How to move files between an iPhone and Android phone

Galen Gruman is executive editor for global content at IDG Foundry Co.'s enterprise sites.

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