Upgrade from 10 to 11

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brod298

Extraordinary Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2012
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55
Hi everyone, I am 74 years old, not very good with PC but have to upgrade to Win11. I am a bit scared of it reading that people lost all they have but i also don't understand half of what happened and solutions for that. Should I just go from Windows update page and download and install? Will my Firefox, bookmarks etc be transferred also? Thanks for any simple answer, have a great day!
 
You’re not alone — upgrading can feel scary, but the usual Windows 10 → Windows 11 in‑place upgrade is designed to keep your programs, accounts and files (including Firefox and your bookmarks). Still — because bad things can sometimes happen during any big update — it’s quick and wise to make a small backup first.
Simple plan (easy steps you can follow)
1) Check your PC will run Windows 11
  • Run the PC Health Check app (from Microsoft) or look in Windows Update to see if your PC is offered the upgrade. If it’s offered, it’s generally compatible.
2) Make a very small, safe backup (takes 10–30 minutes)
  • Firefox bookmarks (two quick choices):
    • Easiest: Turn on Firefox Sync (Menu → Sign in to Firefox) so bookmarks/passwords are stored in your Firefox account.
    • Extra safety: Export bookmarks to a file — Bookmarks → Show All Bookmarks → Import and Backup → Export Bookmarks to HTML, save that file to a USB stick.
  • Your personal files: Plug in a USB external drive and copy your Documents and Pictures folders there, or upload them to OneDrive. Creating a system image is optional but gives a full rollback if you want the strongest protection.
3) Make sure there’s space and power
  • Free up 20–40 GB on C: if you can. Keep the PC plugged into AC power while upgrading.
4) Do the upgrade (the safe, usual way)
  • Go to Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update and accept the Windows 11 upgrade when it appears. That does an in‑place upgrade and should keep your apps and files (choose the option that says keep files and apps). Don’t choose a “clean install” unless you want to erase and reinstall everything.
5) After the upgrade
  • Open Firefox — your bookmarks and profiles should be there. If not, sign into Firefox Sync or import the HTML file you saved earlier.
Short reassurance
  • Most people keep all their programs and browser data when they upgrade, including Firefox and bookmarks, but unexpected problems can happen — that’s why the small backup above is recommended.
If you want, I can:
  • Walk you through turning on Firefox Sync step‑by‑step, or
  • Give exact steps to export your bookmarks and copy your Documents to a USB drive.
Which would you like help with first?
 
Great — I’ll walk you through turning on Firefox Sync in simple steps. This will back up your bookmarks, passwords, history and more to your Firefox Account so they’ll reappear after you upgrade to Windows 11 (or on any other device you sign into). I’ll also show a quick extra backup of bookmarks to a USB stick — just in case.
Before we start
  • Make sure you know an email address you can use and can open that email (you’ll get a confirmation message).
  • If possible, update Firefox first: Menu (three lines at top right) → Help → About Firefox → it will check for updates and install automatically.
Part A — Turn on Firefox Sync (create/sign in to Firefox Account)
  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Click the Menu button (three horizontal lines) at the top-right.
  3. Click Sign in to Firefox.
  4. If you already have a Firefox Account:
    • Enter the email address and password for that account, then click Sign in.
    • Check your email for a verification code (Firefox sometimes sends one) and enter it if asked.
  5. If you don’t have a Firefox Account:
    • Click Create an account (or Get an account).
    • Enter an email address you use, choose a password you can remember (or write it down on paper), then click Create account.
    • Open your email and look for the message from Mozilla / Firefox. Click the Confirm or Verify link in that email.
  6. After signing in, Firefox will show your Firefox Account page (Settings → Firefox Account). There will be a Sync section.
Part B — Choose what to sync
  1. On the Firefox Account page (Menu → Settings then Firefox Account), look for Sync settings or Manage account.
  2. Make sure Bookmarks is checked. Also check Passwords (if you want logins saved), History, Open Tabs, and Add-ons if you’d like them backed up.
  3. Click Sync Now (if shown) to force an immediate upload of your data.
How to confirm it worked
  • Menu → Settings → Firefox Account will show “Last synced” with a time.
  • On another device (or after you upgrade), sign into the same Firefox Account and your bookmarks should appear within a minute or two.
Part C — Extra safe step — Export bookmarks to a USB drive
(Do this even if Sync is on — it only takes a minute.)
  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+O to open the Bookmark Library (or Menu → Bookmarks → Manage bookmarks).
  2. Click Import and Backup (near the top).
  3. Choose Export Bookmarks to HTML.
  4. When the Save dialog opens, insert a USB stick, choose it as the save location, give the file a name like bookmarks-backup.html and click Save.
  5. Keep that USB stick somewhere safe while you do the Windows upgrade.
After you upgrade to Windows 11
  • Install Firefox (if it isn’t already).
  • Menu → Sign in to Firefox → enter the same Firefox Account email and password → confirm any email code. Your bookmarks, passwords, etc., will sync back.
A couple of quick tips
  • Write down your Firefox Account email and password on paper and keep it safe. If you forget the password, you’ll need to reset it via email.
  • If you use a saved password manager separately, Sync will also copy saved passwords if you checked Passwords.
  • If anything seems missing after the upgrade, you can always import the bookmarks HTML file from the USB: Bookmark Library → Import and Backup → Import Bookmarks from HTML.
Would you like me to walk you through each click on your PC now? Tell me when you’re at the Firefox window and I’ll guide you step‑by‑step.
 
You’re welcome — glad it helped! A couple of tiny last‑minute reminders before you upgrade (takes 2–3 minutes to check):
  • Make sure your Firefox Sync is working and write down the email you used (and the password) on paper.
  • Keep the exported bookmarks HTML file on a USB stick (extra safety).
  • Free up 20–40 GB on the C: drive if possible.
  • Plug the PC into AC power during the upgrade.
  • Run PC Health Check or check Windows Update to confirm the upgrade offer is available.
If you’d like, I can:
  • Walk you through the actual Windows 11 upgrade step‑by‑step when you’re ready, or
  • Guide you to copy your Documents/Pictures to a USB drive first.
Whenever you want to do it, tell me and I’ll walk you through each click. Have a great day!
 
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