To move data from an old laptop to a new one, copy your personal folders to an external drive or a cloud account, sign in to your browser and email on the new laptop, then reinstall your programs and check that everything opens before you wipe the old machine. The files are the easy part. Programs, licences, passwords kept outside your browser and accounting or email data need their own steps, and an old laptop that no longer starts needs a different method: take the drive out and read it from outside.
A new laptop feels like a fresh start until you notice what stayed behind: the invoice folder, the browser bookmarks, the email archive, the accounting file that only opens in one program. This guide lists what to move, the five ways to move it, what does not transfer by copying, and what to check before you reset or give away the old laptop.
Make a list of what you actually use
Do this before you copy anything. Sit at the old laptop and open the things you used last week. Most people need the following.
- Personal folders: Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures, Videos and Music. Check Desktop and Downloads carefully, because many people keep live work there.
- Browser data: bookmarks, saved passwords and extensions. Chrome, Edge and Firefox can restore these from your account once you sign in on the new laptop.
- Email: if you use Gmail or Outlook.com in a browser, nothing needs moving. If you use a mail program with local archive files, the archive must be copied or exported separately.
- Programs and licences: make a list of the installed programs and find the account, key or installer for each one.
- Business software data: accounting, billing or design programs usually keep their data in their own folder or database. Use the program's own backup or export function rather than copying the program folder.
- Chat and phone apps: WhatsApp Desktop signs in again with your phone, and chat history sits on the phone and its backup, not on the laptop.
- Anything outside the user folders: a second drive or partition, a folder on C: that you created, or a project folder on a USB stick.
The five ways to move the files
| Method | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| External drive or pen drive | Most people; simple and does not need internet | Check the drive has enough free space and is formatted as NTFS or exFAT, because FAT32 cannot hold files over 4 GB |
| Cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive) | Documents and photos you want on both laptops | Slow on a weak connection, and free space runs out |
| Sharing over the network | Two laptops on the same Wi-Fi or router | Sharing settings differ between Windows versions |
| A transfer cable made for the purpose | Large folders with no spare drive | Use only a cable sold for transferring, not a plain USB cable joining two laptops |
| Removing the old drive and reading it in an enclosure | An old laptop that will not start | The drive may be encrypted, and opening the laptop needs care |
A pen drive is slow for tens of gigabytes, and an external hard drive or SSD is faster. Whatever you use, copy rather than move, so the originals stay on the old laptop until you have checked the copies.
Let Windows help where it can
On Windows 11 the Windows Backup app can save your settings, some app lists and your main folders to a Microsoft account, and restore them on the new laptop when you sign in at setup. Signing in with the same Microsoft account also brings back many settings and your OneDrive files. These tools do not move every program or its saved data, so treat them as a head start and still check your list. On Windows 10 you can use File History or a manual copy to an external drive.
What does not transfer by copying
- Installed programs. Copying a program's folder does not install it. Reinstall each program from its maker's site or disc, then restore its data.
- Licences. Some licences are tied to an account, some to a key and some to the old machine. Sign out or deactivate on the old laptop first if the vendor says so.
- Drivers. The new laptop needs its own. Install them from the maker's support page for that model.
- Saved Wi-Fi passwords and printer setups. Add the printer again on the new laptop and reconnect to the network.
- Two-factor codes. Keep your authenticator app working: move it to the new phone or device through the app's own method, and sign in to your key accounts on the new laptop, before you reset anything.
When the old laptop will not start
If the old laptop does not boot, the files are usually still on the drive. The usual route is to remove the drive and connect it to another computer through an enclosure or adapter. Two things can get in the way. A drive that shows errors or clicks can be damaged further by repeated attempts, and then it is a recovery job: our guide to data recovery cost and what to do first explains what to stop doing. And many laptops now encrypt the drive. If BitLocker or device encryption is on, the drive asks for a recovery key on another machine, and that key is normally stored in the Microsoft account that was signed in on the laptop: sign in at account.microsoft.com and open Devices, then BitLocker recovery keys. A work or school laptop may store it with the organisation. Find the key before you take the drive out. If the drive is not detected at all, the steps in external hard drive not showing up apply to an enclosure as well.
Check before you wipe the old laptop
- Open a sample of files from every folder on the new laptop, including the largest ones and a few old ones.
- Count the folders and compare the sizes on both machines.
- Open each business program on the new laptop and confirm your data is there.
- Check that email, browser sign-in and the authenticator work on the new laptop.
- Keep the old laptop untouched for a week or two, so a missed file can still be fetched.
- Sign out of accounts and deactivate licences, then reset Windows. Choose the option that cleans the drive if the laptop is leaving your hands.
When to ask for help
Most people can copy their folders. Help is worth having when the old laptop will not start, when the drive is encrypted or making noises, when there is a lot of business data, or when you cannot afford to lose a single file. We handle laptop to laptop moves on the laptop data transfer page, and set up regular copies through laptop data backup, so the next move is a restore, not a rescue. If you are also changing the model, the guide to finding a laptop's model number and specs helps you pick drivers for the new one.
Tell us what needs to move and from which laptop, and we give you a quote before we start. Book by call or WhatsApp, and for the nearest branch see laptop repair near me.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to transfer data between laptops?
It depends on the amount of data and the method. Tens of gigabytes over a fast drive are quick, while hundreds of gigabytes over a slow pen drive or Wi-Fi can take hours.
Can I transfer programs from my old laptop to the new one?
Not by copying them. Programs have to be installed again, and then their data and licence restored.
Will my browser passwords and bookmarks come with me?
Yes, if you sign in to your Chrome, Edge or Firefox account on the new laptop and sync is on. Check that sync was on before you start.
Is it safe to sell or give away the old laptop after the transfer?
Yes, once you have checked the copies and signed out of your accounts. Reset Windows and choose the option that cleans the drive, so the next owner cannot easily read your files.
