How to Transfer Data From Windows 10 to Windows 11

To move your files to a new Windows 11 PC, copy them to an external drive and then onto the new PC, or sync them with OneDrive. To bring supported settings and app pins too, run Windows Backup on the old PC and restore it during the new PC’s setup with the same Microsoft account.

The old PC can run Windows 10 or Windows 11, and the same methods work for laptops and desktops. Most desktop apps still need to be reinstalled. Keep the old PC intact until you’ve checked the copies on the new one.

Not sure which one the old PC has? Here’s how to tell if you have Windows 10 or 11.

Before you start

• Use a personal Microsoft account. Microsoft says Windows Backup works with personal accounts (such as outlook.com), not work or school accounts.
• Check your OneDrive space. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB. Folder backups sync to OneDrive, so larger libraries need more storage or an external drive.
• Check space and power. The new PC and any external drive need room for your selected files. Keep both laptops powered during long copies.
• Update the old PC so the Windows Backup app has the current options. Windows 10’s free support ended October 14, 2025; this file-copy guide does not extend that support.
• Collect license keys for paid software, and note which apps you use, since most desktop apps must be reinstalled.

Option 1: Windows Backup and restore during setup

1. On the old Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, select Start, type backup, and open Windows Backup. Sign in with your Microsoft account if asked. Windows Backup lists your folders and the settings you can back up.
2. Expand Folders and turn on the ones to back up: Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music.
3. Turn on the settings you want, such as installed apps, accessibility, accounts and Wi-Fi passwords, personalization, and language preferences.
4. Select Back up and wait for it to finish. The app shows your backup status as up to date.
5. On the new Windows 11 PC, sign in with the same Microsoft account during setup.
6. When setup asks whether to restore, choose your old PC’s backup. If you’ve backed up more than one PC, select More options to pick the right one. When you reach the desktop, your settings and app pins are in place.

Store apps reinstall when you select their pins, and apps not in the Store send you to the web to download them. Your files come back through OneDrive once you sign in. Details are in Microsoft’s Back up and restore with Windows Backup.

Already finished setting up the new PC? The Windows Backup restore offer only appears during setup, so use OneDrive or an external drive to bring your files over instead. There is no need to reset the new PC. Folders you didn’t back up, such as Downloads, need to be copied separately.

If the new PC says Windows isn’t activated, check whether it has a legitimate Windows 11 license.

Option 2: External hard drive or USB drive

1. Plug the drive into the old PC and open File Explorer. Go to your user folder, which holds Documents, Desktop, Downloads, and your other personal folders.
2. Select the folders to move, holding Ctrl to pick several. Don’t forget Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Favorites, Music, Pictures, and Videos.
3. Press Ctrl + C to copy. Open the external drive under This PC, create a clearly named folder such as Laptop transfer, open it, and press Ctrl + V. Wait until copying finishes. Repeat for other source folders; copy rather than cut so originals remain on the old PC.
4. Browse the drive to check the files, then select Eject before unplugging it.
5. Plug the drive into the Windows 11 PC, open it from This PC, select the files, and Copy them.
6. Open the destination folder, such as Documents or Pictures, and select Paste. Your files appear on the new PC. If a file with the same name exists, check which copy you need before replacing it.

These steps follow Microsoft’s guide to moving files with an external storage device. File History can also make an automatic copy when you back up Windows 10 to an external hard drive.

If either PC doesn’t list the external drive, fix a USB drive not showing up in Windows 11.

Option 3: OneDrive

If your files are already synced to OneDrive, you do not need to upload them again. Microsoft’s OneDrive migration guide covers both Windows versions.

1. On the old PC, open OneDrive from Start and sign in. In File Explorer, check that the files you want are inside its OneDrive folder. Copy any additional files there. If OneDrive isn’t set up yet, sync OneDrive on Windows 11 first.
2. Let uploading finish. Check the OneDrive website with the same account to make sure your files and folders are there. If some files are very big, follow the steps to upload large files to OneDrive.
3. On the new PC, open OneDrive, sign in to that same account, finish its setup, and open the OneDrive folder in File Explorer. Your synced files become available there.

A file visible in Explorer can still be online-only. To keep needed files offline, right-click them and select Always keep on this device, then allow downloading to finish. Microsoft’s Files On-Demand guide explains the cloud and green-check status icons.

Do not delete synced files on the old laptop as a cleanup step. Those deletions can sync to the cloud and other devices, as Microsoft’s sync guidance explains. To keep an independent local copy, use Copy into a folder outside OneDrive. The steps for moving files from OneDrive to your PC explain how copying differs from moving and downloading.

What doesn’t transfer

• Desktop apps: most must be reinstalled. Windows Backup remembers your app list and pins, not the programs themselves.
• Browser data: use the browser’s account and sync settings for the data it supports, or export bookmarks separately. Copying Documents does not transfer every browser profile.
• License keys: check them before you retire the old PC.

After the move

• Open a few files from each folder to make sure they copied correctly.
• Check that Windows 11 is activated, and activate Windows 11 if it isn’t.
• Keep the old PC for a week or two in case you missed something.
• Before you retire the old PC, make sure your files and apps work on the new one and keep a separate backup. Then use Reset this PC with Remove everything to wipe it. Don’t delete synced OneDrive folders to empty it, because those deletions also reach the cloud.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Microsoft account?

For Windows Backup, yes, and it must be a personal account. The external drive method works with any account.

Can I transfer PC to PC with a cable or network?

Microsoft’s PC-to-PC transfer page says its Windows Backup transfer feature is no longer available. A cable or network connection alone won’t migrate your files and settings, so use one of the methods above.

Will my programs transfer?

Not the programs themselves. Windows Backup restores your app pins, and Store apps reinstall from those pins. Other programs need their installers and, for paid software, license keys.

What if files are missing or OneDrive will not finish?

Check the account on both PCs, the selected backup folders, and your remaining cloud and local space. Compare the source locations, including Downloads and custom folders, with what you copied. If a cloud upload cannot complete, keep the originals and use an external drive for those files. Files that appear online but will not open offline may still need downloading.

How long does it take?

It depends on how much data you have and your internet speed. Large photo and video libraries are usually quicker to move with an external drive than through OneDrive. Browser bookmarks can come along too once you export Chrome bookmarks.