How to Transfer Files From an Old PC to a New Windows 11 PC

A new PC is supposed to be the exciting part. Then you sit down in front of it and realise everything you actually use lives on the old one: fifteen years of photos, the spreadsheet you update every month, browser bookmarks, the folder of scanned documents you have never organised, and a list of programs you only remember when you need them.

The move itself is easier than it used to be. The part that catches people out is not the files. It is everything that does not travel with them, discovered a week after the old machine has been wiped or given away.

Where we are coming from: Software Kings sells Windows and Office licences, and a new PC is exactly the moment people need one, so we have an obvious interest in the licensing section of this guide. We have kept the transfer methods themselves accurate and neutral, and all of them are free.

Before you start: the checklist that saves a week of regret

Do this on the old PC while it still works. Everything on this list is something people routinely forget and cannot get back once the machine is gone.

• List your installed programs. Open Settings, Apps, Installed apps and take screenshots of the full list. Programs do not transfer, and you will not remember them all.
• Find your licence keys. For any paid software, locate the key or confirm which account it is registered to. This includes Office.
• Check your Windows licence type. Open Settings, System, Activation. What it says determines whether you can move the licence to the new machine at all. More on this below.
• Export browser data if you do not use sync. Bookmarks and passwords are usually easiest to move by signing into the browser’s sync on both machines.
• Deauthorise software with activation limits. Some creative and media applications allow a fixed number of activations. Deactivate on the old machine first or you may use up a slot.
• Look outside the obvious folders. Game saves, email stored by a desktop client, and files saved directly to the root of drive C are the usual things left behind.

Method 1: The Windows Backup app, PC to PC

This is Microsoft’s own migration tool, and when it is available it is the least effort. It pairs the two machines over your local network and copies files and settings directly, without uploading everything to the cloud first.

The requirements matter, so check them first:

• The new PC must run Windows 11 version 24H2 or later. The old one can run Windows 10 or Windows 11.
• Both machines need to be signed in with a personal Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported.
• Both need to be on the same network, and plugged into power for the duration.
• Arm based devices were not supported at launch, so check before relying on it for one.

How to run it:

1. On the old PC, run Windows Update first. If the transfer option is missing, the app is usually out of date.
2. Open the Windows Backup app from the Start menu.
3. Choose Transfer information to a new PC. The app shows the old PC’s name.
4. On the new PC, during setup or from the Windows Backup app, choose to receive a transfer and enter that name. The new PC displays a one-time code.
5. Enter that code on the old PC to pair them.
6. On the new PC, choose which folders to bring across and start the transfer.

What moves: your personal files across folders and drives, plus settings and personalisation such as wallpaper and themes.

What does not: installed programs, system folders, saved passwords and sign-in credentials, files already in OneDrive (you get those by signing in to OneDrive on the new PC), and any drive encrypted with BitLocker unless you decrypt it first.

Method 2: An external drive, the method that always works

Unglamorous, reliable, and independent of versions, accounts or networks. If Method 1 is unavailable or fails partway through, this is the answer.

1. Connect an external drive to the old PC. It needs more free space than the data you are moving.
2. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\YourName\.
3. Copy the folders you need: Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music and Downloads are the usual set.
4. Check for anything outside those folders, particularly other drives and any folders you created directly on C.
5. Safely eject the drive, connect it to the new PC, and copy everything into the matching folders.

Two advantages people underrate. First, you end up with a complete copy of your files sitting on a drive, which is a backup in its own right if anything goes wrong during setup. Second, it is completely transparent: you can see exactly what moved and check nothing is missing before you touch the old machine.

Once you are set up, that same drive is the obvious place to keep an ongoing backup, which our guide on backing up a Windows 11 PC properly walks through.

Method 3: OneDrive, if you already use it

If your Desktop, Documents and Pictures folders are already backed up to OneDrive, most of the work is done. Sign in to OneDrive on the new PC with the same Microsoft account and the files appear.

The caveats are storage and speed. The free OneDrive tier is limited, so a large photo or video library will not fit without a paid plan, and uploading a large library from scratch over a typical home connection can take days rather than hours. For an initial move of a lot of data, an external drive is faster. For ongoing access across devices afterwards, OneDrive is ideal.

Method 4: Copying over the network

If both PCs are on the same network and you are comfortable with it, you can share a folder on the old PC and copy from it on the new one. It avoids needing a drive, but it is fiddlier to set up than the other methods and slower than a direct USB connection for large amounts of data. Most people are better served by Method 1 or Method 2.

Which method fits your situation

Your situation	Best method
New PC on Windows 11 24H2, personal Microsoft account	Windows Backup PC to PC transfer
Work or school account, or transfer option missing	External drive
Large photo or video library	External drive, fastest for bulk data
Files already backed up to OneDrive	Sign in to OneDrive on the new PC
Old PC will not boot	Remove the drive and read it via a USB enclosure

What never transfers, and what to do about it

Programs. Applications cannot simply be copied, because they register themselves with Windows in ways a file copy does not capture. Reinstall each one from its official source using the list you made from the checklist. This is also a good moment to leave behind the ones you no longer use.

Passwords. The simplest route is signing in to your browser’s sync on the new PC, which brings saved passwords and bookmarks across. If you use a password manager, install it and sign in.

Email. Webmail needs nothing. A desktop email client storing mail locally may need its data file moved or the account re-added so the mail downloads again.

Licences. This is the one with real consequences, so it gets its own section.

Your Windows and Office licences do not move with the files

This is where our commercial interest is plainest, so weigh it accordingly. The facts stand regardless of where you buy.

Windows. Most new PCs arrive with Windows already activated, in which case you have nothing to do. Check Settings, System, Activation on the new machine to confirm. The question only arises if the new PC is a self build, arrived without an activated licence, or you want to move your existing licence to it.

Whether you can move it depends entirely on the licence type on the old machine:

• Retail belongs to you and can move to the new PC, provided it is active on only one machine at a time.
• OEM is tied to the original motherboard and stays with the old PC permanently. It cannot be transferred.
• Pre-installed licences on branded PCs are typically embedded in the old machine’s firmware and stay with it.

If you are moving a Retail licence, remove it from the old machine first so it is not active on two at once. Open an administrator terminal on the old PC and run:

Then enter the key on the new PC under Settings, System, Activation. Our OEM versus Retail comparison explains the difference in detail, and the guide on digital licences versus product keys covers how activation is tied to hardware and accounts.

Office. The same logic applies. A Microsoft 365 subscription follows your account, so sign in on the new PC and install. A one-time Office licence depends on the terms of that licence, and the practical approach is to uninstall it from the old machine before activating it on the new one. If you are not sure what you have, File, Account in any Office app shows the product and the account it is tied to.

If the old licence was OEM, or you are building a new machine from scratch, a genuine key is inexpensive:

Licence	Price	Best for
Windows 11 Pro (Retail)	$15.00	Moves with you to the next PC after this one too
Windows 11 Home (OEM)	$10.00	A home PC you will keep until you replace it
Office 2024 Professional Plus	$20.00	Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, one payment
Windows 11 Pro plus Office 2024	$26.50	Licensing a new machine in one purchase

Building the new machine from bare hardware? The Windows 11 USB installation guide covers the install and activation. If activation throws an error on the new PC, this guide covers the common codes.

Before you wipe or give away the old PC

Do not reset the old machine until you have used the new one for at least a week. That week is when you discover the forgotten folder, the program you did not list, or the file saved somewhere unexpected. Once you are confident:

1. Sign out of every account and browser on the old PC.
2. If you moved a Retail licence, confirm you removed it with slmgr /upk.
3. Go to Settings, System, Recovery, Reset this PC, choose Remove everything, and select the option to clean the drive. This takes longer but makes the data far harder to recover.

If the old machine had an OEM or pre-installed licence, it stays activated after the reset, which is useful if you are passing it to family or selling it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to transfer files to a new Windows 11 PC?

If the new PC runs Windows 11 24H2 or later and you use a personal Microsoft account, the Windows Backup app’s PC to PC transfer pairs both machines with a one-time code and copies files and settings over your network. If that is unavailable, copying to an external drive is the most reliable alternative.

Does the Windows Backup transfer move my programs?

No. It moves personal files and settings such as wallpaper and themes, but not installed applications, saved passwords, OneDrive files or BitLocker encrypted drives. Reinstall programs from their official sources on the new PC.

Why don’t I see the “Transfer information to a new PC” option?

Usually the Windows Backup app on the old PC is out of date, the new PC is not on Windows 11 24H2, or you are signed in with a work or school account. Update both machines and check again. If it still is not available, use an external drive.

Can I transfer my Windows licence to a new PC?

Only if it is a Retail licence. Retail licences belong to you and can move to a new machine as long as they are active on one at a time. OEM and pre-installed licences are tied to the original hardware and stay with the old PC.

How do I remove my Windows licence from the old PC?

Open an administrator terminal on the old PC and run slmgr /upk to uninstall the product key. Then enter the key on the new PC under Settings, System, Activation.

Does Office transfer to a new computer?

A Microsoft 365 subscription follows your account, so sign in and install on the new PC. For a one-time Office licence, uninstall it from the old machine before activating it on the new one. File, Account in any Office app shows which product and account you have.

How do I transfer browser passwords and bookmarks?

Sign in to your browser’s sync on both computers. Edge, Chrome and Firefox all sync passwords, bookmarks and extensions through their own accounts. If you use a password manager, install it and sign in on the new PC.

Can I transfer files from a PC that will not turn on?

Usually yes. Remove the drive from the old PC and connect it to the new one using an inexpensive USB drive enclosure or adapter. It then appears as an external drive and you can copy files off it normally.

How long should I keep the old PC before wiping it?

At least a week of using the new one. That is when forgotten folders, unlisted programs and files saved in unusual places tend to surface. Only reset the old machine once you are confident nothing is missing.

Do I need a new Windows licence for my new PC?

Most pre-built PCs come with Windows already activated, so check Settings, System, Activation first. You only need a licence if the new machine arrived unactivated, you built it yourself, or your old licence was OEM and cannot be moved.

In short

Make the checklist on the old PC first: programs, licence keys, activation status and browser data. Then move the files with the Windows Backup PC to PC transfer if your setup supports it, or an external drive if it does not. Reinstall your programs from their official sources and sign in to your browser and OneDrive on the new machine.

And sort out licences before you wipe anything, because a Retail key can come with you and an OEM one cannot. Keep the old PC untouched for a week, then reset it properly.