Transfer to a New Computer: Files, Passwords, Programs

A new computer is a nice moment, until you discover the passwords are not there, the email does not sync, and a program you need every day asked for a license key you do not have. This checklist goes over what to collect beforehand, how to transfer, what does not move, and how to wipe the old computer properly.

What should you collect from the old computer before you start?

Before you shut down the old computer, collect what is not in the regular files. This is the part people forget, and afterwards there is nothing left to recover from.

1. Passwords from the browser. The safest way is syncing: sign in to your Google account in Chrome, your Microsoft account in Edge, or your Firefox account, and make sure password sync is on. On the new computer you sign in to the same account, and the passwords come back.
2. Email. Gmail, Outlook.com and IMAP accounts are stored on the server, and you simply add them again. If you have a POP3 account, or an old archive in Outlook, you need to export a PST file (see below).
3. License keys. Programs you bought separately (accounting software, editing software, paid antivirus) sometimes require a key or deactivation on the old computer. Find the purchase emails and save them.
4. Two-factor authentication (2FA). When you sign in to your accounts on the new computer, they will ask for a code from your phone. Make sure the authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator) and the phone are available, and that you have backup codes for the important accounts.
5. The list of programs. Take a screenshot of Settings > Apps > Installed apps. This is your shopping list for the new computer.
6. Files outside the regular folders. Folders you created directly on drive C, files on the desktop, and save files of games or programs.

How do you transfer the files?

The two simple ways are OneDrive through the Windows Backup app, or an external drive. It is better to do both if the files matter.

Windows Backup. This is a built-in app in Windows 11 and Windows 10. According to Microsoft, it backs up the Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders to OneDrive, plus a list of installed apps, settings, and accounts, WiFi networks and passwords. It requires a personal Microsoft account.

1. On the old computer, search for “backup” in the Start menu and open Windows Backup.
2. Choose which folders to back up and which settings to remember, and click Back up.
3. Wait for OneDrive to finish syncing. With large folders this takes time.
4. On the new computer, sign in during the initial setup with the same Microsoft account, and choose to restore from the backup.

A free account includes 5GB in OneDrive. For several years of photos and videos that will not be enough, and then you either expand the storage or switch to an external drive.

External drive. Copy the user folder (C:\Users\YourName) to the drive, and on the new computer copy it back. Simple, with no size limit and no dependence on the internet. Microsoft has a guide to moving with an external drive.

What about a direct computer-to-computer transfer? Microsoft used to offer a direct wireless transfer while setting up a new computer. According to its support page, this feature is no longer available, and it recommends using Windows backup and restore instead.

How do you move email from Outlook?

If your email is in Gmail, Outlook.com or IMAP, there is nothing to move: you add the account on the new computer. You only need to export a POP3 account or a local archive.

According to Microsoft, in classic Outlook you choose File > Open & Export > Import/Export, then export to an Outlook Data File (.pst). In the new Outlook the export is under Settings > Files > Export. Microsoft warns not to save the PST file in a folder that syncs to OneDrive. An OST file, on the other hand, is only a local copy of what is on the server, and you do not move it.

What does not move by itself?

The programs you installed do not move, and neither do passwords that were not synced. This is the full checklist:

WhatsApp. On the computer, WhatsApp is a device linked to the phone. Install the app on the new computer and scan the QR code from the phone, in the “Linked devices” menu. There is nothing to move from the old computer.

In what order do you do all this?

The order matters more than the method: first collect and back up, then transfer and check, and only at the end wipe. That way there is always one complete copy.

1. A week before: Prepare the list of programs, collect license keys, and turn on browser sync.
2. The day before: Run Windows Backup or copy to an external drive, and check that the backup finished.
3. On moving day: Set up the new computer with the same Microsoft account, restore the files, and install the programs from the list.
4. The week after: Work on the new computer as usual. Any missing file or password will show up now, while the old computer is still intact.
5. Only then: Reset the old computer.

What should you check on the new computer on the first day?

A few short checks save surprises:

• Windows Update: Run updates until there are no more pending updates. A new computer off the shelf often arrives with updates that have piled up.
• OneDrive: Make sure you are signed in, and that the folders you backed up appear.
• Important files: Open a few documents and photos, do not just look at the names being there.
• Email: Send a test email from every account.

How do you wipe the old computer before selling or giving it away?

Use the Windows reset with the Remove everything option and data cleaning, after you have checked that all the files are on the new computer. According to Microsoft:

1. Make sure the backup is complete: open a few files, photos and documents on the new computer.
2. On the old computer, sign out of the accounts in the browser, and deactivate programs that require it.
3. Open Settings > System > Recovery, and under Reset this PC click the reset button.
4. Choose Remove everything.
5. In the additional settings, turn on Clean data. According to Microsoft, this is the option for anyone planning to sell, donate or recycle the computer. It takes longer, but makes it harder to recover the deleted files.

What not to do?

• Do not reset the old computer before checking that everything is on the new one. After a reset with cleaning, recovering the files becomes very hard.
• Do not leave an exported password file (CSV) on the desktop or on the portable drive. It stores all the passwords as readable text.
• Do not sell a computer after only “deleting files”. Files deleted to the Recycle Bin can sometimes be recovered.

When to bring the computer to the lab

It is worth bringing both computers when the old one does not turn on but the files are on it, when there are many programs with licenses and configuration that are hard to rebuild, or when you are not sure what is already backed up. If the old disk starts making noises, do not try to copy from it again and again, because that can make things worse. It is better to back up before that happens, as explained in the guide to backing up before a failure. If the old computer is still on Windows 10, also read what happens at the end of support for Windows 10.

Didn’t work?

The goal of the checklist is for you to move to the new computer yourself, without losing anything. If something did not move, or you do not have time for it, we will transfer the files, install the programs and set up the new computer. During the work we keep a temporary backup of the files, and delete it after everything has moved. The details are on the data transfer to a new computer page, and for a clean installation on the Windows installation page.