Migrating to a new calculator

How to migrate to a new Windows PC

All your files, apps, and settings are on your old computer. Here's 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 great to go a new computer, but it's not then dandy to realize that all your stuff is on the onetime i.

In that location are several means to transfer your old computer's files, apps, and settings to your new PC. The best and easiest manner is to utilise a deject storage service as the waystation. Cloud storage works whether you are moving from a Windows seven PC to a Windows x one, or from one Windows 10 PC to another. It fifty-fifty works if you are moving from a Macintosh to a Windows PC. Our article "The all-time 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 utilise the cloud to transfer your files — for case, if the information-usage costs would be too loftier or you are not continued to the internet, or if your IT department won't allow yous install the deject account on both the old and new PCs.

And you might desire to transfer more than but files from your one-time computer to your new one. This story includes methods for migrating files and apps, likewise as browser bookmarks; ane method can transfer some system settings too.

Transferring files locally to a new PC

There are several methods to transfer files locally from an old computer to a new Windows PC, and most work whether y'all'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 tin connect an external hard drive, SD card, or thumb drive to your old PC, copy your files to information technology, then eject that device from the old estimator, plug it into the new PC and copy the files to that new PC. The trick here (as well having enough storage capacity on your transfer drive) is to take your files and folders organized well enough so you get them all.

I recommend that you use the same folder organization on your new PC as on your old figurer, at least to commencement. Once your migration is consummate, you should consider storing your files on the cloud for easier access, as the article "The best 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 difficult drive must be formatted equally MS-DOS, not NTFS or APFS. SD cards and pollex drives apply the same FAT32 format on both macOS and Windows, and so if your files fit on those storage devices, that's oft easier than using a hard drive.

Notation: Digitally rights-managed files like purchased music unremarkably won't piece of work once copied. The all-time way to transfer these is to re-download them from the service where yous bought them. Such re-downloads are typically costless.

Direct file transfer volition not move your locally stored electronic mail files to the new PC. Windows stores these files in adequately arcane places, and copying them to a new PC often doesn't piece of work because of how they are tied to the e-mail application's Bone settings. I recommend you make sure all your emails are stored in your email server (that is in, in your email customer make sure all your emails reside in folders stored on the server), so they tin just sync to the electronic mail client on your new PC. The Microsoft Outlook client supports several servers, non simply Microsoft'south Exchange 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, then you may have local emails you can't transfer that way. In that instance, Microsoft Outlook does permit 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 split import instructions.

Local contacts and agenda entries likewise are very hard to directly transfer from one reckoner to another, and it is best to make sure they are stored on a server, such as Exchange, Microsoft 365/Role 365, One thousand Suite/Google Workspace/Gmail/Google Calendar, or iCloud, so they will sync to your contacts and agenda apps on your new PC. Your contacts and calendar apps may have an export feature that you can try. (You can frequently consign individual contacts equally a VCF file, for case.) These days, few contacts and calendar apps are not server-based, so 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 7 through Windows x take a built-in backup utility that lets y'all restore a PC's folder and files — merely not settings or applications. Y'all can apply the Windows backup characteristic to restore files from an old PC to a new one. Windows calls this facility File History.

In Windows ten, you set up your backup in the Backup pane of the Update & Security department of Settings. Y'all 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 x's fill-in settings: When no fill-in bulldoze is called (left) and after a bulldoze is called and fill-in is enabled (correct). (Click epitome to overstate information technology.)

You tin fine-tune the backup settings in the Backup options pane by clicking the More options link. For example, y'all tin set the backup frequency, folders to be backed upwardly and folders to exclude, and stop using the backup drive (to select a different backup bulldoze, for example).

Most important, 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 lot can support to and restore from a network drive if it is set up in the Windows 10 File Explorer. Click the Mapping a network drive link for details on how to practise that.

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

In Windows 7, correct-click your local drive to open the Properties window, and so click Back upward now in the Tools pane to open up the Dorsum up or restore your files window. That'south where you lot can dorsum up your old PC or restore it 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 can buy and use a utility like Laplink's $60 PCmover Professional person, which has been around for decades. Information technology works over your network and optionally via a direct cable connexion provided by Laplink if you buy the CD version, lets you choose which files and folders to transfer, and will transfer your settings, bookmarks, and applications too. You can migrate from old Windows versions to later Windows versions, as well as between the same versions. (One exception: you cannot migrate from Windows XP to Windows XP.)

Annotation: You need administrator privileges in Windows to use all of PCmover's capabilities.

Earlier you transfer any applications via a utility like PCmover, sign out of or deactivate whatsoever 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 forbid piracy via copying. You don't desire the transfer to be seen as a piracy effort or every bit an additional installation that counts against any limit y'all may take.

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

Transferring and setting up apps on your new PC

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

On your new PC, re-download the apps you demand and sign in as required. Yous'll find some apps on the Microsoft Store in Windows 10, while others you'll need 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 most macOS business apps come up in both versions and nigh software manufacturers (but non all!) let you employ the same license on either platform.

In nigh cases, yous'll demand to gear up your applications' preferences on the new reckoner, so fix aside the time to do that.

Transferring browser bookmarks to your new PC

Yous besides will want to transfer your bookmarks from your old reckoner's browser to your new calculator's browser. There are three methods: direct syncing betwixt the same browser, syncing between macOS'due south Safari and certain Windows browsers, and exporting a browser's bookmark files to import into a different browser. The first 2 methods keep the browsers in sync, whereas the third method is a transmission approach for when you are moving to a new computer (or browser) and won't use the old estimator (or browser) anymore.

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all sync bookmarks across all your devices if they are all signed into the same account. Merely enable syncing in each browser on each device you utilise. To be clear, y'all tin sync just to the aforementioned browser, such equally from Chrome to Chrome.

Apple tree's Safari is not available for Windows (or Android), but y'all can sync between Apple'south Safari and a supported Windows browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox) if iCloud is installed in Windows and signed in to the aforementioned business relationship as the Mac or iOS device running Safari. Note: iCloud syncing is not bachelor for education users with managed Apple IDs.

For situations where your browser is not signed into the same business relationship as your old figurer, the major browsers all have a facility to export and import bookmarks via files:

  • Google Chrome: To consign bookmarks, click the vertical three-dot icon at the acme right of your browser window, and then select Bookmarks > Bookmark Manager from the menu that appears. Click the iii-dot icon to the correct of the search bar and select Export bookmarks. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure but choose Import bookmarks instead of Export Bookmarks.
  • Mozilla Firefox: To consign bookmarks, apply 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 Backup push (in macOS, it'south the icon of two arrows) > Export Bookmarks to HTML. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure only choose Import Bookmarks from HTML instead of Consign Bookmarks to HTML.
  • Apple Safari: To consign bookmarks from this macOS browser for import into a Windows browser, choose the File carte du jour > Export Bookmarks.
  • Microsoft Edge (legacy version): To export bookmarks from this Windows x-merely browser that is pre-installed in Windows 10 versions prior to 20H2, click the three-dot icon to open the Full general window, click Import or Export to open up the Import export window, scroll down until you run across Export your favorites and reading listing to an HTML file, select Favorites to export 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 Border (Chromium version): In both Windows and macOS, to consign bookmarks from this optionally installed Chromium-based browser that volition go the Windows ten default starting with version 20H2, click the Favorites push button (the star icon), then choose Manage favorites to open up the Favorites window, select the desired bookmarks folder to consign, click the horizontal 3-dot icon at the summit right of the browser window, and choose Consign favorites. To import bookmarks, follow the same procedure merely choose Import favorites instead of Consign favorites.
  • Internet Explorer: To export bookmarks from this discontinued Windows browser, click the Favorites push button (star icon), choose Import and Export from its menu, select the Consign to a file selection, click Next >, select Favorites to export bookmarks (and optionally Feed and Cookies to export them), click Adjacent >, choose the bookmarks folder to export, click Next >, prepare the export location, and click Export. To import bookmarks, follow the aforementioned procedure merely select the Import from a file.

When everything is transferred, exist sure to sign out of all your accounts, such as Microsoft, Google, iCloud, iTunes, browser sync, shopping, and cloud storage accounts, on the onetime reckoner. Yous don't want to exceed any maximums on computers that can be signed in, and y'all don't want the next possessor to exist able to use your accounts, especially any that may connect to credit and debit cards. Yous might even consider wiping/reformatting the old reckoner, only bank check with IT first, in example they need to keep information technology as is for some period of time 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 motility 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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