Migrating to a new reckoner

How to migrate to a new Windows PC

All your files, apps, and settings are on your quondam calculator. Hither'southward how to move 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 swell to get a new computer, but information technology'southward not so great to realize that all your stuff is on the old one.

There are several ways to transfer your old computer'south files, apps, and settings to your new PC. The best and easiest way is to use a deject storage service every bit the waystation. Cloud storage works whether y'all are moving from a Windows seven PC to a Windows 10 one, or from one Windows x PC to another. It even works if you are moving from a Macintosh to a Windows PC. Our article "The best style to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains the ins and outs of migrating to a new figurer via the cloud.

That said, you lot may not be able to utilize the cloud to transfer your files — for instance, if the data-usage costs would exist too high or you are not connected to the internet, or if your Information technology department won't let y'all install the deject account on both the former and new PCs.

And you might desire to transfer more than just files from your old figurer to your new 1. This story includes methods for migrating files and apps, too equally browser bookmarks; i method can transfer some system settings likewise.

Transferring files locally to a new PC

There are several methods to transfer files locally from an one-time computer to a new Windows PC, and most work whether yous'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 difficult bulldoze, SD card, or thumb drive to your quondam PC, copy your files to information technology, then eject that device from the old computer, plug information technology into the new PC and copy the files to that new PC. The fob here (besides having plenty storage capacity on your transfer drive) is to take your files and folders organized well enough and so you become them all.

I recommend that you lot use the aforementioned binder organization on your new PC as on your old estimator, at least to beginning. Once your migration is complete, you should consider storing your files on the deject for easier admission, as the article "The all-time manner to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains.

Tip: If you are transferring files from a Mac to a PC, the external hard drive must exist formatted as MS-DOS, non NTFS or APFS. SD cards and thumb drives use the same FAT32 format on both macOS and Windows, so if your files fit on those storage devices, that'south ofttimes easier than using a hard drive.

Note: Digitally rights-managed files like purchased music usually won't work once copied. The best style to transfer these is to re-download them from the service where you bought them. Such re-downloads are typically free.

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

Note: IT retention policies may limit how far back emails are stored on the server, so you may have local emails y'all can't transfer that way. In that case, Microsoft Outlook does allow y'all import the local PST files to a Windows PC from the Outlook app on another Windows PC or Mac; Microsoft has provided export instructions and dissever import instructions.

Local contacts and calendar entries besides are very difficult to directly transfer from i estimator to another, and it is all-time to brand sure they are stored on a server, such as Exchange, Microsoft 365/Office 365, G Suite/Google Workspace/Gmail/Google Calendar, or iCloud, so they volition sync to your contacts and agenda apps on your new PC. Your contacts and calendar apps may have an consign feature that you tin attempt. (Y'all can often export individual contacts as a VCF file, for instance.) These days, few contacts and calendar apps are non server-based, so chances are very high your contacts and calendar entries are stored somewhere they can exist synced from into Outlook.

Transfer via a File History fill-in

Windows 7 through Windows ten take a born backup utility that lets you restore a PC'south folder and files — merely non settings or applications. Yous tin use the Windows backup feature to restore files from an old PC to a new one. Windows calls this facility File History.

In Windows 10, you ready up your backup in the Backup pane of the Update & Security department of Settings. You click Add a drive to select the external drive for backup and restore. Once you accept selected a drive, you enable automatic backup past turning the Automatically dorsum up my files switch to On.

migrate new win10 pc backup settings IDG

Windows 10'due south backup settings: When no backup drive is chosen (left) and subsequently a drive is chosen and backup is enabled (correct). (Click epitome to enlarge it.)

You can fine-tune the fill-in settings in the Fill-in options pane past clicking the More than options link. For instance, y'all tin set the backup frequency, folders to exist backed up and folders to exclude, and stop using the backup drive (to select a different backup drive, for example).

Nearly of import, at the very bottom of the Backup options pane is the Restore files from a current backup link. Use it to restore files from the backup drive.

Tip: You tin can support to and restore from a network drive if information technology is set upward in the Windows 10 File Explorer. Click the Mapping a network drive link for details on how to exercise that.

Annotation: Windows ten tin can restore from a Windows 7 backup; click the Go to Backup and restore (Windows 7) link to initiate that functioning on your new PC.

In Windows vii, right-click your local drive to open the Properties window, then click Dorsum upward now in the Tools pane to open up the Back up or restore your files window. That'due south where you tin can back upwardly 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 desire more than hand-property in your file transfer, y'all can buy and use a utility similar Laplink's $60 PCmover Professional, which has been around for decades. It works over your network and optionally via a direct cablevision connexion provided by Laplink if you buy the CD version, lets you cull which files and folders to transfer, and volition transfer your settings, bookmarks, and applications too. You can migrate from old Windows versions to later Windows versions, every bit well as between the same versions. (One exception: you cannot migrate from Windows XP to Windows XP.)

Annotation: Yous need ambassador privileges in Windows to use all of PCmover's capabilities.

Before you transfer any applications via a utility like PCmover, sign out of or deactivate any apps on your old 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. You don't want the transfer to be seen every bit a piracy try or equally an additional installation that counts against whatever limit you may have.

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

Transferring and setting upwards apps on your new PC

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

On your new PC, re-download the apps you need and sign in as required. You'll find some apps on the Microsoft Store in Windows x, while others you'll need to download from the manufacturer's website. If you're moving from macOS to Windows, some apps won't be available for installation in Windows, only virtually macOS business apps come in both versions and nigh software manufacturers (but not all!) let y'all use the aforementioned license on either platform.

In near cases, you'll demand to set up upwardly your applications' preferences on the new figurer, so set aside the time to practice that.

Transferring browser bookmarks to your new PC

You also will want to transfer your bookmarks from your old computer's browser to your new computer's browser. There are iii methods: direct syncing between the same browser, syncing between macOS's Safari and certain Windows browsers, and exporting a browser'southward bookmark files to import into a unlike browser. The offset two methods go along the browsers in sync, whereas the third method is a transmission arroyo for when you are moving to a new reckoner (or browser) and won't use the erstwhile computer (or browser) anymore.

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all sync bookmarks across all your devices if they are all signed into the same account. Just enable syncing in each browser on each device y'all apply. To be clear, y'all can sync but to the aforementioned browser, such as from Chrome to Chrome.

Apple'due south Safari is not available for Windows (or Android), but you can sync between Apple'due south 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 bachelor for didactics users with managed Apple IDs.

For situations where your browser is non signed into the same account as your old reckoner, the major browsers all have a facility to consign and import bookmarks via files:

  • Google Chrome: To export bookmarks, click the vertical 3-dot icon at the top correct of your browser window, then select Bookmarks > Bookmark Manager from the menu that appears. Click the iii-dot icon to the right of the search bar and select Export bookmarks. To import bookmarks, follow the aforementioned procedure but cull Import bookmarks instead of Export Bookmarks.
  • Mozilla Firefox: To export bookmarks, apply 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 binder (or All Bookmarks), so choose the Import and Fill-in push button (in macOS, it's the icon of two arrows) > Consign Bookmarks to HTML. To import bookmarks, follow the aforementioned 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, cull 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 3-dot icon to open the General window, click Import or Export to open up the Import export window, scroll down until y'all run across Consign your favorites and reading list to an HTML file, select Favorites to consign your bookmarks, then click Export to file. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure but click Import from file in the Import or export
  • Microsoft Edge (Chromium version): In both Windows and macOS, to export bookmarks from this optionally installed Chromium-based browser that will become the Windows 10 default starting with version 20H2, click the Favorites push button (the star icon), then cull Manage favorites to open the Favorites window, select the desired bookmarks folder to export, click the horizontal 3-dot icon at the elevation right of the browser window, and choose Export favorites. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure only choose Import favorites instead of Export favorites.
  • Net Explorer: To export bookmarks from this discontinued Windows browser, click the Favorites button (star icon), cull Import and Export from its menu, select the Export to a file selection, click Side by side >, select Favorites to export bookmarks (and optionally Feed and Cookies to export them), click Adjacent >, choose the bookmarks folder to export, click Side by side >, set the export location, and click Consign. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure but select the Import from a file.

When everything is transferred, be certain to sign out of all your accounts, such as Microsoft, Google, iCloud, iTunes, browser sync, shopping, and deject storage accounts, on the old computer. Yous don't want to exceed any maximums on computers that tin be signed in, and you don't desire the next owner to exist able to employ your accounts, especially any that may connect to credit and debit cards. You might even consider wiping/reformatting the old calculator, just check with Information technology commencement, in instance they demand to keep it as is for some period of time for regulatory or Hour policy reasons.

Further reading:

  • How to switch from Android to iPhone
  • How to switch from iPhone to Android
  • How to move data between your Android phone and a computer
  • 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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