Have A Need For File Transfer To Pc
When you purchase a new computer running with Windows 10, moving to the PC is an exciting time since shiny new hardware and a lifeful OS are waiting to be used. Here comes a problem: most of your familiar and important files are sitting on the old computer and you are unwilling to start all over again.
In this case, you need to transfer the disk data to the new computer before giving up the old PC. So, how to transfer files from PC to PC Windows 10?
Dont worry! There are five simple ways for you to ease your transition between PCs whether you want to move all the data or only the essentials. In the following part, we will walk you through these methods one by one.
Transfer Files From Pc To Pc Over Lan Cable
When referring to file transfer between 2 PCs, you may consider transferring files from one computer to another using Ethernet cable. This way only allows you to transfer files between computers on the same network.
How to transfer files from PC to PC over LAN? The operations are a bit complex and you should follow these steps:
Step 1: Connect your two PCs with a LAN cable like Ethernet crossover cable.
Step 2: You should turn on Network Sharing on both computers so that you can transfer data between them. Here is the step-by-step process:
1. Go to the search box of Windows 10 and input control panel, and then open this app.
2. Click Network and Internet from the Control Panel window.
3. Open Network and Sharing Center and choose Change advanced sharing settings.
4. Scroll down to find the option for file sharing, turn on file and printer sharing and then save the changes.
Step 3: After enabling network sharing on both PCs, now you should bring them onto the same network by setting a static IP address of the same class.
Follow the guide:
1. Similarly, enter the network and sharing center. Then, click on the Ethernet.
2. In the pop-up window, click Properties.
3. In the next window, click Internet Protocol Version 4 and choose Properties.
4. You need to make different IP settings for your two PCs.
For computer 1, the IP address will be: 192.168.1.4
For computer 2, the IP address will be: 192.168.1.5
Subnet mask for two PCs: 255.255.255.0
Tip: Properties, Tip:
How To Transfer Files From Pc To Pc For Free Via Email
You can also attach files into email to send them to new computer, but its not suitable to send or transfer big files. You can compress the files before sending. Most computers equip a built-in file compressing utility. You can also find many free file compressors online like youcompress and more. However, Apps and many other data cannot be transferred to new computer with email.
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Transfer Your Files To Your New Pc
Connect your external storage device to your new Windows 10 PC.
Select File Explorer from your task bar.
On the left guide bar, select This PC.
Locate the external drive and double-click its corresponding icon.
Locate the folder where your files are saved, and then double-click that folder’s icon.
To select all the files in this location, select Home in the top left and then Select all. All the files in this folder will now be highlighted. To copy only one file, select it by clicking on it once.
Select Home tab in the top left, select Copy to, and then select the folder you’d like the files copied to: Documents, Music, Pictures, or Videos. You can also choose a custom location by selecting Choose location….
Your files will begin to transfer to your Windows 10 PC. Note that this may take time depending on the number and size of the files you transfer.
After the files are copied, you can navigate to their new location to make sure the files were successfully copied over.
S To Use Migration Wizard Over Wi
and click Continue
Now you have to decide what exactly you want to transfer from the old Mac. It can be just your applications, just your user documents, or everything.
Make your choice and then click Continue. You better do it early in the evening as well and then stay away until morning.
This will take a long time. The good news is that if its going to go wrong, it already will and you wont be able to get that far.
What tends to go wrong during these steps is that one of the Macs cannot see the other for some reason. There is no clear pattern for that and there is no great solution. Just keep restarting both Macs and try again.
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Windows 10 Nearby Sharing
Nearby sharing is Windows inbuilt feature to share files between Windows 10 computers with version 1803 and above. The best part with this feature is it works without internet for nearby devices and offers high-speed data transmission.
Step 1. Turn ON Wi-Fi on both the devices and connect them on the same Wi-Fi network.
Step 2. Click on the Start button and search for Windows 10 Nearby Sharing.
Step 3. Click on the Nearby Sharing option from the search result.
Step 4. A new settings window will open with Shared Experiences in the left-hand side panel.
Step 5. Turn ON Nearby Sharing on both the devices.
Step 6. Right-click on the file on the old computer and click on the Share option.
Step 7. Select the target computer from the discovery tab and click on the Share option.
Step 8. Click on the Accept File option on the receiving device.
Export Outlook Mailbox Mails And Other Items To Pst
Considering your Outlook account is active and in sync with the mailbox server and local Outlook data file , you can export the mailbox items and take a backup of Outlook emails, contacts, calendar, notes, tasks, settings, etc., to PST file using Outlooks in-built Import and Export wizard.
The steps to export mail items to PST via Outlook Import Export Wizard are as follows:
Export Outlook Items to PST in Outlook 2013, 2016 and 2019
- To open the Outlook Import Export wizard in Outlook 2013, 2016, and 2019, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- From the Import and Export Wizard window, select Export to a file and then click Next.
- When Export to a file window opens, select Outlook Data File and click Next.
- Select the mailbox folders and mailbox items that you want to export. Also, check the Include subfolders checkbox and then click Next.
- Click on the Browse button to select a location to save the PST file. You can also select an existing PST file to export the mailbox data.
Note: You can also connect a USB media or external hard drive to the computer and select it as a save location for the PST file. This helps move the file to a new computer.
- Once the process is completed, click Finish. Then, click OK with or without entering the password.
Export Outlook Data to PST in Outlook 2010
- In Outlook 2010, click on the File > Info and then select Options.
- Click Advanced and then click on the Export button to open the Import Export wizard.
- Click OK.
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Wireless Transfers With Nearby Sharing
Another quick way to transfer a file from one PC to another is through Windows 10s Nearby Sharing menu. This lets you use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to share documents, photos, and even links. Again, youll have to have Bluetooth enabled on both PCs. Then, make sure theyre on the same Wi-Fi network. Heres how to use it:
Step 1: On the PC youre sharing from, select the Action Center, choose Nearby Sharing, and make sure its turned on. After that, do the same on the PC youre sharing to. If you dont see this setting in the Action Center, you can search for it in the Windows settings app and then toggle the switch for Everyone Nearby.
Step 2: On the PC that has the document you want to share, open File Explorer and find the document you want to share.
Step 3: In the File Explorer, select the tab, select and then select the name of the device you want to share with in the pop-up list.
Step 4: On the device youre sharing with, select Save & Open or Save when the notification appears.
S To Transfer Outlook Data To A New Computer
Let us understand the systematic approach to migrate and Import Offline OST file from one computer to another. For convenience and to make the process easier, we have divided the entire process to transfer Outlook data to another computer into four steps:
Step 1: Convert and export mailbox items from Outlook or Offline data file
Step 2: Transfer PST file to the new computer
Step 3: Create a new Outlook profile on a new computer
Step 4: Import the converted PST into the Outlook profile on the new computer
- Transfer Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, or 2019 data to a new computer.
- Transfer Outlook data and settings to your new computer.
- Transfer Outlook calendar items, attachments, contacts, etc., to another computer.
- Move mail items from Outlook 365 to a new computer.
- Move personal folders from one Outlook to another.
NOTE1: Folder properties, Outlook settings, etc., are not preserved while exporting the data. Only the mailbox content is saved to the exported PST file.
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Move Your Files To A New Windows 10 Pc Using An External Storage Device
If you’re making the move to a new PC, you can bring your files with you using an external storage device such as a USB drive, SD card, or external hard drive. First, youll copy your files onto your drive, then youll transfer them to your new PC.
Note: For info on how to move files to a new PC without needing a storage device, see Move files to a new Windows 10 PC using OneDrive. OneDrive can securely store your files, so theyre backed up and protected in the cloud and accessible from any deviceincluding your new PC.
Transferring Everything From One Laptop To Another
Related
If you just bought a new laptop, there are several options for moving all of your important data like your business documents, pictures and other files and folders quickly and easily. You can do this using cloud services like OneDrive, or with a storage drive or even by connecting a cable between the two laptops.
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Use Nearby Sharing Instead Of Homegroup
With the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, HomeGroup was retired. Replacing it is a new feature called Nearby Sharing that uses Bluetooth to transfer files between PCs nearby. It should be enabled by default on your PC, and you can tweak settings to have everything set up exactly how you’d like.
Nearby sharing is great for transferring files to a new PC, but it will not work the same way as, say, cloning, where you essentially duplicate everything, including Windows 10 and your data. If you’d like to try out this feature, be sure to look at our guide on how to use Nearby Sharing to transfer files between PCs with everything you need to know.
Why Do You Need Computer To Computer File Transfer
It is not uncommon that people using more than two computers nowadays. Maybe you work at desktop in the office and do personal things at laptop at home. Then you have to transfer files between laptop and desktop when you need to work overtime during the vocation or holiday.
Besides, you might buy a new laptop to replace the old and cumbersome desktop, and it is necessary for you to transfer files. There might be many other situations you have to do this. Therefore, it is important to find out how to transfer files between computers.
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The Case: Transfer Files Between Laptops
File transfer is a simple and common operation for Windows users. However, due to the demands of life and work, many people use more than one laptop in practice, as thus a new question arises: âhow to transfer files from laptop to laptop in Windows 10?â
Specifically speaking, you may find it necessary to transfer files between two laptops in following occasions:
-
Transfer files from old PC to new PC. Most commonly, you bought a new laptop but donât want to spend a lot of time rewriting all the files on it.
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Work on multiple computers. Maybe you have different laptops in different places. So itâs important to keep these files consistent.
Next, I will initroduce two ways to implement it.
How Do I Transfer Files From My Old Laptop To My New Laptop Windows 10
On the new laptop, open the Network window and browse to the shared User Profile folder on the old laptop. Choose Network from a File Explorer window. Open the old laptops icon, and then open the shared User Profile folder. You see all your old folders in the window, which is how you access the old laptops files.
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Using An External Storage Device
Before we get to the more advanced and complex forms of file transfer, lets start with the old fashioned way of doing things. All you need for this is a compatible external device that can be used by both laptops.
This device can be a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, and even CDs if both laptops have disc drives. However, well be using an external hard drive on this example since it simply holds more data which makes it more effective when transferring files from your old computer to your new computer.
This is a simple but effective method for easy transfer from one computer to the other. It also doesnt discriminate between the type of operating system as well. And whats great about doing this is that you dont have to rely on an internet connection to do this which also makes it a good alternative to the transfer cable method.
Use A Backup And Restore Tool
You should be regularly backing up your files. Assuming you are, you could just perform one final backup of your PC and restore the files from that backup onto your new computer.
Careful with this, though if you back up with Windows Backup on Windows 7, you cant import those backups into a Windows 8.1 computer. Windows 8 contained a Windows 7 File Recovery feature, but Microsoft removed it in Windows 8.1.
But, if youre backing up to an external drive with practically any tool from integrated Windows backup features to Time Machine on a Mac or a third-party backup solution you should just be able to restore those files onto your new PC. On Macs, the Migration Assistant can also import files from a Time Machine backup.
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Verify Your Files Are Correct And Remove The Storage Device
After you have copied or moved your files onto an external storage device, you can verify they’re in the right location by browsing the external drive.
Then you’ll need to safely remove the drive to ensure no files are lost or corrupted. To remove the device, select Eject before you disconnect the drive from your PC.
Once you have moved your files onto your external storage device, you’ll be able to transfer them onto your new Windows 10 PC.
How To Move Programs From One Computer To Another Using Cloud Services
A series of cloud services are designed and provided for users to choose from: Dropbox, Google Drive, Azure, etc. You can transfer your programs to different computers and devices by using the same cloud storage service:
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The Second Stumbling Block
At this point, you’re probably wondering how the operation that you just performed is going to help you restore the data from your previous Windows 10 installation into your new Windows 10 installation. There isn’t any outward indication that you will now be able to do so. No success dialog appears with a message telling you that you can now perform a restore operation. There’s no prompt that says something along the lines of Are you ready to restore your previous backup from this File History drive? Nothing.
You may even be inclined to fire up File Explorer, access your File History drive, and look for the backup you just made. However, you won’t see it in the normal place and in fact, all you’ll see is your previous backup. As such, it’s easy to be confused. Most people assume that the operation failed and that File History doesn’t work. They curse Microsoft and just give up.
It’s a mistake to assume that the operation failed due to the lack of any outward indication of success or prompt to begin a restore operation. If you followed the set of steps listed above, File History will have done its job correctly. More specifically, the operation that occurred in the background indeed prepared File History to restore the backup from your previous Windows 10 installation.
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