Migrating to a new estimator

How to drift to a new Windows PC

All your files, apps, and settings are on your old calculator. Here'south how to move them to your new Windows PC, from either Windows or macOS.

Executive Editor for Global Content, Computerworld |

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Erstwhile PC, new PC. It'due south great to get a new calculator, simply it's not then great to realize that all your stuff is on the sometime one.

At that place are several ways to transfer your old computer's files, apps, and settings to your new PC. The best and easiest way is to use a cloud storage service as the waystation. Cloud storage works whether you lot are moving from a Windows vii PC to a Windows 10 one, or from 1 Windows 10 PC to another. It even works if you are moving from a Macintosh to a Windows PC. Our article "The best way to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains the ins and outs of migrating to a new figurer via the deject.

That said, you may non exist able to utilise the cloud to transfer your files — for instance, if the information-usage costs would be too loftier or you are not connected to the internet, or if your IT department won't let y'all install the cloud business relationship on both the old and new PCs.

And you might want to transfer more than simply files from your old computer to your new one. This story includes methods for migrating files and apps, as well equally browser bookmarks; one method can transfer some organisation settings as well.

Transferring files locally to a new PC

There are several methods to transfer files locally from an old figurer 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.

Directly file transfer via an external bulldoze

You can connect an external hard bulldoze, SD menu, or thumb drive to your old PC, copy your files to it, so eject that device from the onetime figurer, plug it into the new PC and re-create the files to that new PC. The pull a fast one on here (likewise having plenty storage capacity on your transfer drive) is to have your files and folders organized well enough so you get them all.

I recommend that you apply the same folder organisation on your new PC as on your one-time computer, at least to starting time. Once your migration is complete, yous should consider storing your files on the deject for easier access, as the article "The all-time way 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 be formatted equally MS-DOS, not NTFS or APFS. SD cards and thumb drives apply the same FAT32 format on both macOS and Windows, so if your files fit on those storage devices, that's ofttimes easier than using a hard drive.

Note: Digitally rights-managed files like purchased music usually won't piece of work once copied. The best fashion to transfer these is to re-download them from the service where you 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 fairly arcane places, and copying them to a new PC ofttimes doesn't work considering of how they are tied to the email awarding'southward Bone settings. I recommend yous make sure all your emails are stored in your email server (that is in, in your e-mail client make sure all your emails reside in folders stored on the server), and so they can just sync to the electronic mail client on your new PC. The Microsoft Outlook customer supports several servers, not just Microsoft'south Commutation and Microsoft 365/Office 365 typically used in business.

Note: It retention policies may limit how far back emails are stored on the server, then you may have local emails yous tin can't transfer that way. In that example, Microsoft Outlook does allow yous import the local PST files to a Windows PC from the Outlook app on another Windows PC or Mac; Microsoft has provided consign instructions and separate import instructions.

Local contacts and agenda entries also are very hard to directly transfer from one estimator to another, and it is best to brand sure they are stored on a server, such equally Exchange, Microsoft 365/Function 365, K 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 agenda apps may have an export feature that you lot can try. (You can often export individual contacts every bit a VCF file, for example.) 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 backup

Windows vii through Windows ten have a built-in backup utility that lets y'all restore a PC'south binder and files — but non settings or applications. Yous can utilize the Windows backup characteristic to restore files from an old PC to a new 1. Windows calls this facility File History.

In Windows 10, you fix up your backup in the Backup pane of the Update & Security section of Settings. You click Add a drive to select the external drive for backup and restore. Once you have selected a drive, you enable automatic backup by turning the Automatically back up my files switch to On.

migrate new win10 pc backup settings IDG

Windows 10's fill-in settings: When no backup drive is called (left) and later a drive is chosen and backup is enabled (correct). (Click paradigm to enlarge information technology.)

You can fine-tune the fill-in settings in the Backup options pane by clicking the More options link. For instance, you lot can fix the backup frequency, folders to exist backed upwardly and folders to exclude, and end using the fill-in bulldoze (to select a different backup drive, for example).

About important, at the very lesser of the Fill-in options pane is the Restore files from a electric current backup link. Utilise it to restore files from the backup drive.

Tip: Y'all tin back up to and restore from a network bulldoze if it is ready in the Windows 10 File Explorer. Click the Mapping a network drive link for details on how to do that.

Annotation: Windows 10 can restore from a Windows seven fill-in; click the Go to Backup and restore (Windows 7) link to initiate that operation on your new PC.

In Windows 7, right-click your local drive to open up the Properties window, then click Back up now in the Tools pane to open the Back up or restore your files window. That's where y'all can support your old PC or restore information technology to a new PC, using the external drive containing the backup.

Transfer via a file-transfer utility

If you want more paw-holding in your file transfer, you tin can purchase and use a utility like Laplink's $60 PCmover Professional person, 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 lot choose which files and folders to transfer, and will transfer your settings, bookmarks, and applications besides. You can drift from former Windows versions to later Windows versions, as well as between the aforementioned versions. (Ane exception: you cannot drift from Windows XP to Windows XP.)

Note: You demand 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 calculator. Most software these days is tied to an online business relationship that limits the number of active installations or has digital rights management to foreclose piracy via copying. You 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.

Some other option is EhlerTech's USMTGUI, a graphical front end stop to Microsoft'due south command-line User Country Migration Tool, which works with Windows eight through 10. The Pro version adds support for migrating from (just non to) Windows XP and Vista. USMTGUI (like USMT) transfers only settings and associated data similar emails, non applications. The domicile version pricing starts at $10, and the corporate license pricing starts at $200.

Transferring and setting upwardly 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 estimator. (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 Shop in Windows 10, while others you'll demand to download from the manufacturer'southward website. If you're moving from macOS to Windows, some apps won't be bachelor for installation in Windows, but almost macOS business organisation apps come in both versions and most software manufacturers (but non all!) allow you lot use the same license on either platform.

In nigh cases, you'll need to ready up your applications' preferences on the new computer, so set aside the time to do that.

Transferring browser bookmarks to your new PC

Y'all also will want to transfer your bookmarks from your old computer'south browser to your new computer's browser. In that location are three methods: direct syncing betwixt the same browser, syncing between macOS'southward Safari and certain Windows browsers, and exporting a browser'due south bookmark files to import into a different browser. The kickoff two methods keep the browsers in sync, whereas the tertiary method is a manual approach for when you are moving to a new calculator (or browser) and won't employ the old computer (or browser) anymore.

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all sync bookmarks beyond all your devices if they are all signed into the same account. Only enable syncing in each browser on each device you apply. To be clear, you tin can sync just to the same browser, such every bit from Chrome to Chrome.

Apple'due south Safari is non available for Windows (or Android), but yous can sync betwixt Apple'due south Safari and a supported Windows browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox) if iCloud is installed in Windows and signed in to the same business relationship equally the Mac or iOS device running Safari. Notation: iCloud syncing is not available for education users with managed Apple IDs.

For situations where your browser is non signed into the same business relationship as your sometime computer, the major browsers all have a facility to consign and import bookmarks via files:

  • Google Chrome: To consign bookmarks, click the vertical 3-dot icon at the top right of your browser window, then select Bookmarks > Bookmark Manager from the bill of fare 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 but choose Import bookmarks instead of Export Bookmarks.
  • Mozilla Firefox: To export bookmarks, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-B in Windows or ⌘-Shift-B in macOS to open up the Library window, which shows all your bookmarks. Select the desired bookmark binder (or All Bookmarks), then choose the Import and Fill-in push (in macOS, it'southward the icon of two arrows) > Export Bookmarks to HTML. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure just 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 > Consign Bookmarks.
  • Microsoft Border (legacy version): To export bookmarks from this Windows ten-only browser that is pre-installed in Windows 10 versions prior to 20H2, click the iii-dot icon to open the General window, click Import or Consign to open the Import export window, curlicue down until you meet Export your favorites and reading list to an HTML file, select Favorites to export your bookmarks, then click Export to file. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure simply 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), so choose Manage favorites to open the Favorites window, select the desired bookmarks folder to export, click the horizontal three-dot icon at the summit right of the browser window, and choose Consign favorites. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure merely cull Import favorites instead of Export favorites.
  • Internet Explorer: To export bookmarks from this discontinued Windows browser, click the Favorites button (star icon), choose Import and Export from its menu, select the Export to a file option, click Side by side >, select Favorites to export bookmarks (and optionally Feed and Cookies to export them), click Adjacent >, cull the bookmarks folder to export, click Next >, set the export location, and click Consign. To import bookmarks, follow the same process simply 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 cloud storage accounts, on the sometime figurer. You lot don't want to exceed any maximums on computers that tin can be signed in, and you don't want the next owner to be able to use your accounts, especially any that may connect to credit and debit cards. You lot might even consider wiping/reformatting the quondam figurer, but bank check with Information technology first, in case they need to keep it as is for some period of fourth dimension for regulatory or HR 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 telephone

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

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