How To Transfer Files From Laptop To Laptop Windows 10

When Need To Transfer Files From Windows 10 To Windows 11

You may already know that the latest version of Windows is officially released and Microsoft says you can free upgrade to Windows 11 if you are currently using Windows 10 that meet minimum system requirements for Windows 11. Thus, some users may already upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11 and want to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

If you use the Check for update or Windows 11 installation assistant to free upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11, your files may stay as it was in Windows 10. But if your computer does not meet the Windows 11 system requirement or you choose to clean install Windows 11, you may lose all of your data during the process unless you keep a copy of your files in advance.

No matter what your situation is, you can learn 3 useful ways to transfer files from PC to PC over network or without internet.

Connect The Hdd Or Ssd Manually

If you’re transferring from an old computer to a new one, your old PC might not be functional anymore. Or you might want to install a new hard drive to replace an old one. But how do you get your old data, then?

Hard disk drives and some Solid State Drives use standard SATA cables to connect to the motherboard. If you have a spare SATA or eSATA port, connect your old hard drive there. The operating system will recognize it as a new drive. Then start transferring. It’s the fastest of all solutions.

Unlike a PC, finding a spare SATA port on a laptop is hard. You could instead use other solutions like using an external enclosure or a USB docking station.

You also might want to turn the old hard drive into external storage. Investing in an external case for the old drive will let you copy all the data from it, and after that, you get to use the old drive as portable external storage.

Transfer Files Using A Cloud Storage Service

Rather than storing data solely on your PC, data can be safely deposited with your cloud provider and even recovered if you suffer issues with your PC. One free-to-use cloud storage option is Dropbox, which allows you to transfer files from PC to PC.

Dropbox makes transferring files easy because you can store anything you may need in the cloud and access it from anywhere you have an internet connection.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Most Reliable Laptop

Use Cloud Storage To Transfer Files To New Computer

There is another easy way for transferring data from one computer to another that is to use cloud storage, such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. If you have a Microsoft account, you can use OneDrive to transfer files from PC to PC in Windows 10.

You can transfer a few files but you should ensure you have enough storage space, for example, OneDrive only gives you 5GB of storage for free.

Besides, it is easy as long as an internet connection is on and your data is protected from hard drive failure. Above all, if your old and new computers are syncing folders locally, then one uploads files while another will download simultaneously.

Warning:Tip:

Sharing A Network Drive

All the major operating systems have a built-in option to set up a home network. This lets devices on the same router recognize each other permanently. So when you need to transfer files between computers, you don’t need to set up a new connection each time it’s always on, as long as both computers are on.

We have a simple guide showing how to share files between Windows and Mac. The process also works with Windows-to-Windows and Mac-to-Mac. If you’re on Linux, the menu system depends on your operating system. But once you’re in network settings, you’ll find that it’s similar to how you set up a home network on MacOS.

You May Like: Screen Mirroring Phone To Hp Laptop

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.

Which Files Should You Transfer

Rarely should anyone need to move the entire contents of a hard drive from one computer to another. The majority of the files are for the operating system and applications, and it’s not usually advisable to move these files to a new laptop. Your new laptop has its own operating system.

Applications like Microsoft Word, Photoshop and games normally won’t run on a new laptop until they have been installed, usually from the company’s websites. Copying the files from one computer to another won’t install the applications, because system files need to be modified to allow them to run.

Before moving to your new laptop, open File explorer on your old laptop and take a look at where your files are and how they are organized. Any files and folders on your Desktop should be moved to the new laptop, as well as everything in your Documents, Pictures, Music and Videos folders. You should also look in your folder to see if there is anything important there to be moved.

Some applications will store files in a different folder than those listed above. If you know which of your applications do that, open those folders and move your personalized files. If you’re not sure, keep your old laptop nearby for a few days until you’re certain everything you need has been brought over.

Contacts and emails, as well as web browser bookmarks, are normally saved online so they are usually transferred to your new laptop as soon as you sign in.

Recommended Reading: Can You Mail A Laptop Through Usps

No 2 Copy Specific Partition From Old Pc To New Pc

What if you only want to transfer some important or needed data and files from PC to PC? You can use the Copy Partition function of MiniTool Partition Wizard to do this.

At the beginning, you can copy and transfer all your needed files into a specific hard drive partition, and then copy the whole partition to target disk latter. This would be faster than transferring files from PC to PC manually.

Step 1 Connect an external HDD or SSD to old PC

Still, you can use an external hard drive and connect it to your old computer.

Step 2 Select the source partition in old PC

Run MiniTool Partition Wizard and click the partition in the old hard disk which youd like to copy. Right-click this partition and click Copy option.

Step 3 Choose where you want to copy the partition to

Choose the unallocated space in the connected external hard disk as the copy destination .

Tip:

Step 4 Edit the size and location of the partition

Here you can further edit the partition size and location, as well as choose the partition format. Then click Finish.

Step 5 Transfer files and data to new Windows PC

You can then connect the external hard drive to your new computer and follow the same 1-4 steps to copy the partition with all data to your new computer in a one-stop way.

Copy Disk and copy partition functions of MiniTool Partition Wizard are totally free. You can use them to transfer files from PC to PC for free in a secure, easy and fast way.

Transfer Files Once Only

If you are going to transfer files between desktop and laptop once, use a big enough memory stick, USB flash drive or other removable hard drives as the medium. This method saves time and requires no complicated operations.

Take transferring files from desktop to laptop for example. First, connect the removable medium to desktop, drag the files you want to transfer to the removable device, and then disconnect this device. Next, connect the fulfilled device to laptop, and then drag those files to the laptop.

Furthermore, you can backup files first in the old computer, store the backup image to removable storage device, and then restore it on the new computer.

Also Check: Screen Record Hp

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 Using Transfer Cables

While this method could be considered old-school, transfer cables provide a reliable way to transfer data from one computer to another. Even without an internet connection, a transfer cable lets you move files between PCs that are physically close to each other. Transfers cables can also transfer data from Windows XP up through Windows 10 using built-in software to move files.

Also Check: How To Fix A Cracked Laptop Screen Without Replacing It

How To Move Files Via Onedrive

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, the system offers you OneDrive that can be used to transfer data from PC to PC.

With OneDrive, you can back up the important folders on the current computer including Desktop, Documents, and Pictures online. If you use the same account to sign in OneDrive, you can transfer the data to all the devices.

That is, you can back up important files in Windows 10 and sign in to the same account on the Windows 11 PC, then all the files can be synced to Windows 11. Note that OneDrive only supports 5GB of free space. To get more space, you need to pay some money.

Here is how to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 via OneDrive:

Step 1: In Windows 10, search for OneDrive via the search bar. If you use it for the first time, you need to set up OneDrive using an email address and password.

Step 2: By default, OneDrive can automatically sync Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folder. If you want to transfer files outside of these folders, launch File Explorer and drag the files you want to sync to OneDrive.

Step 3: Open your Windows 11 PC, set up OneDrive, and sign in it with the same account. Then, you can access the OneDrive folder and view the files you have synced.

Tip:

OneDrive is a useful way to transfer data from Windows 10 to Windows 11 but the limit is that you can only free sync 5GB of data.

How Do I Transfer Files From Windows 7 To Windows 10 Laptop

Follow the below steps on your Windows 10 PC:

Also Check: How Do I Screen Record On Hp Laptop

The Need Of Syncing A Laptop And A Desktop

It is quite common that one user owns both a laptop and a desktop. Each device has its merits. A desktop has a good cost-to-performance ratio and itâs easy to upgrade a CPU, GPU, or motherboard in a desktop while a laptop is much more compact and you can use it anywhere with the portable power source.

If you have both a laptop and a desktop, you may want to sync the two devices for following reasons:

• Use the same settings on two computers without spending time manually entering theme customizations, browser options, etc.

• Keep frequently-used files up to date on two PCs without the repetitive work of copy and paste.

Since itâs beneficial to sync a desktop and a laptop, how to realize it easily?

How To Transfer Files From Pc To Pc Via A Usb Transfer Cable

A USB data transfer cable is a great way to move data from one computer to another. The PC data transfer cable has a small electronic circuit in the middle allowing the two PCs to talk to each other.

It’s faster than using external devices since the copy and paste are happening simultaneously from computer to computer. You don’t need to worry about disk space. When using external drives, you are basically transferring between three drives. Cables reduce that to two drives.

How to transfer files to new computer on Windows 10/11 with a USB cable:

Step 1. Start both computers. Attach the USB cable to both of the computers.

Step 2. Click the Windows “Start” button, type “windows easy transfer” in the Search field, and press “Enter.” Follow the prompts of the Easy Transfer wizard to share files.

Ethernet Cable

Step 1. Insert one end of the Ethernet cable into the PC and the other end into the new PC.

Step 2. Open Control Panel.

• Press Windows + R, and input Control Panel, and press Enter.
• Choose Network and Internet > Click Network Sharing Center > Select Change advanced sharing center > Click Turn on file and printer sharing > Click Save changes

Step 3. Right-click file and choose. And choose Specific people > Everyone > Share > Done

Different transfer cables have different ways to use them, If you encounter any problems, please consult after-sales of the specific transfer cable.

Recommended Reading: Msi Keyboard Light Control Software

Windows File Sharing Using External Drive

This is one of the easiest methods for file sharing in Windows 10. All you need is an external hard drive with ample amount of space available to transfer files.

Step 1. Connect the external hard drive to the source device and open it in Windows Explorer.

Step 2. Open another interface of windows and copy the desired files on the external hard drive.

Step 3. Paste the files in the external hard drive and let the transfer complete.

Step 4. Now connect the external hard drive to the target device and open it in Windows Explorer.

Step 5. Copy and paste the files and folders to the target device.

Transfer Files With A Usb Flash Memory Drive Or External Hard Drive

USB flash memory drives also known as memory keys and memory sticks can copy a few files or an enormous amount of data, depending upon the capacity of the drive.

But in general, this technique is a good option when you have just a few files to transfer.

1. Insert the flash drive in an available USB slot on your computer.

2. Open a File Explorer window and find the entry for the flash drive in the pane on the left.

3. If you need to delete everything on the drive to make room for the new files, right-click the drive and choose “Format,” then click “Start.” Alternately, you could just select and delete unwanted files from the flash drive.

4. Drag the files you want to copy onto the folder for the drive.

5. When you’re done, remove the flash drive and insert it in a USB slot on the other PC.

6. Open a File Explorer window and copy the files to the new PC by selecting and dragging them into another folder.

If you need to copy a very large number of files, you can use an external hard drive instead.

External hard drives come in large capacities and are generally very compact and portable. They plug into your PC’s USB port and you can use the exact same process to copy files with a hard drive as you used for a USB flash drive.

Also Check: Can I Connect My Airpods To My Hp Laptop