Windows 11 Local PC-to-PC Migration with Windows Backup: A Practical Guide

Microsoft’s refreshed Windows Backup now includes a built‑in, local PC‑to‑PC migration path that can move your files and many personalization settings across the local network during Windows 11 setup — making the leap to a new machine faster and less dependent on external services or paid migration tools. (support.microsoft.com)

Background​

Microsoft has long offered a mix of options for moving data between PCs: OneDrive folder sync for cloud‑first users, external drive copies and File History for offline control, and enterprise tools like USMT for IT teams. The new migration flow surfaced inside the Windows Backup app is Microsoft’s attempt to restore a consumer‑friendly, first‑party migration experience — a modern analogue to older utilities such as Windows Easy Transfer — that works over your local network and is surfaced during the Out‑of‑Box Experience (OOBE) when you set up a new Windows 11 PC. (techradar.com)
This feature is explicitly designed to move user files and personalization (wallpaper, themes, many settings) from an old PC to a new Windows 11 device without uploading everything to the cloud first. It complements, rather than replaces, OneDrive and external backup strategies; there are important tradeoffs and exclusions that determine whether this flow is the right choice for you. (support.microsoft.com)

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What you need before you start​

Minimum system and account requirements​

• The old (source) PC can run Windows 10 or Windows 11 and must have the Windows Backup app available and updated. (support.microsoft.com)
• The new (target) PC must be running Windows 11, version 2024 or later; the local transfer option is unavailable on older Windows 11 builds. (support.microsoft.com)
• Both machines must be signed in with the same Microsoft account during the setup/process and that account must not already contain an existing Windows cloud backup; if it does, the setup flow will prioritize cloud restore instead of the local pairing path. (support.microsoft.com)
• Both PCs must be connected to the same local network (Wi‑Fi or wired Ethernet) and be reachable on the same subnet for discovery and the data transfer.

Optional but strongly recommended​

• Use a wired Ethernet connection or a strong, local Wi‑Fi (Wi‑Fi 5/6) to maximize throughput and reliability; large transfers over weak Wi‑Fi can be very slow or drop repeatedly.
• Plug both devices into power and pause aggressive firewall or VPN software that might block local discovery. (support.microsoft.com)
• Decrypt BitLocker‑encrypted drives or disable device encryption for any volumes you plan to include; BitLocker‑encrypted drives are excluded from transfer unless decrypted first. (support.microsoft.com)

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Exactly what moves (and what doesn’t)​

Files and settings that do move​

• All personal files located in user folders (Documents, Pictures, Videos, Desktop, etc.) across drives that are not encrypted with BitLocker will transfer. (support.microsoft.com)
• Personalization and many Windows settings — such as wallpaper, themes, and a set of system preferences — are carried over to make the new PC feel familiar.

Items explicitly excluded​

• Installed third‑party programs (classic Win32 apps) are not transferred — you must reinstall those on the new PC. Microsoft Store apps may be restored via your Microsoft account library in a separate restore flow, but many traditional desktop applications will need manual reinstall. (support.microsoft.com)
• System/OS files and folders (Program Files, ProgramData, Temp, etc.) are not moved. (support.microsoft.com)
• Saved passwords and many sign‑in credentials are not migrated for security reasons; browser and service password sync depends on each browser/service’s cloud sync. (support.microsoft.com)
• OneDrive‑stored files are skipped by the local transfer since those are intended to sync from the cloud when you sign in on the new device. Note that OneDrive’s free tier is limited (5 GB), so relying on cloud restore may require a paid plan for large libraries. (support.microsoft.com)

If your goal is to move installed applications and license entitlements with minimal manual work, consider full disk cloning or a commercial migration tool — both carry tradeoffs and potential licensing/compatibility issues.

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Step‑by‑step guide: move files from an old PC to a new Windows 11 PC​

Follow this flow for the local, networked transfer via Windows Backup. If you already completed initial setup on the new PC, the pairing flow may only be available when you first add the Microsoft account or during OOBE.

On the old PC (source)​

• Update Windows and the Windows Backup app: Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. The transfer option can be missing on older builds. (support.microsoft.com)
• Open Settings > System > Backup > Windows Backup, or launch the Windows Backup app directly. Select Transfer to a new PC (or Transfer information to a new PC).
• Note the PC name the app shows — you’ll use that during pairing on the new PC. Keep this screen accessible. (support.microsoft.com)

On the new PC (target) during setup (OOBE)​

• When prompted during setup with “Do you want to transfer information from another PC?” choose the option to transfer. You must sign in with the same Microsoft account used on the source and ensure that account does not already contain an existing Windows backup. (support.microsoft.com)
• The new PC will display a one‑time code. Back on the old PC, enter that one‑time code to pair the devices. The pairing authenticates the transfer session. (support.microsoft.com)
• After pairing, the new PC shows a selectable list of folders and settings available to transfer. Use the dropdowns to expand folders and check/uncheck items; the wizard will warn you if the new PC lacks enough free space and ask you to deselect items accordingly. (support.microsoft.com)
• Click Start transfer. A progress indicator and estimated time appear; Windows attempts to resume interrupted transfers automatically. Wait until the summary screen confirms completion. (support.microsoft.com)

After the transfer​

• Sign back into OneDrive on the new PC to re‑sync cloud files. (support.microsoft.com)
• Reinstall desktop applications and restore licenses. Export an app list via winget export on the old PC and use winget import on the new PC to automate reinstalling many apps where packages exist — this saves time but still requires re‑signing and license reactivation for many apps.
• Verify important files (open a sample) and check application data that was expected to move; keep a fallback copy of the source data until you’re satisfied.

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Performance and reliability: how fast will it be?​

Transfer time depends on the size of the data set and the network bandwidth between the two machines. Typical throughput scenarios:

• Wired Gigabit Ethernet: up to ~100–110 MB/s real‑world file transfer, so 100 GB may complete in around 15–20 minutes under ideal conditions.
• Wi‑Fi 5/6: practical throughput varies widely; expect slower speeds and more variability (minutes to hours for large libraries).
• Weak Wi‑Fi or public hotspots: may cause stalls or fail to resume reliably; use wired connection if possible.

If you’re moving very large amounts of data (multiple hundreds of GB or TB), an external SSD/HDD copy is often faster and safer — copy locally, verify, then plug into the new PC and restore. This remains the recommended fallback for high‑volume migrations.

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Troubleshooting common problems​

• Transfer option missing during setup: ensure both PCs have the latest Windows updates and the new PC runs the required Windows 11 version (2024 or later). Confirm the Microsoft account doesn’t already have an existing cloud backup stored. (support.microsoft.com)
• Pairing fails or code not accepted: confirm both devices are on the same private network and not isolated by guest network settings, VPNs, or strict firewall rules. Temporarily disable VPNs and firewall/security software if necessary (exercise caution and reinstate them afterward).
• Transfer stalls or interrupts: try switching to a wired connection, restart the transfer (Windows attempts to resume), or break the migration into smaller batches using manual external copies for the largest folders.
• BitLocker drives excluded: decrypt encrypted drives before attempting transfer; decryption may take significant time depending on disk size. (support.microsoft.com)

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Security and privacy analysis​

• The pairing code and same‑account requirement add meaningful safeguards: pairing requires a one‑time code displayed on the new PC and manual entry on the old PC, which reduces the risk of accidental or malicious device pairing on shared networks. (support.microsoft.com)
• Local network transfer avoids cloud exposure by default, but both devices still require a Microsoft account sign‑in; metadata about the backup and settings is associated with that account. If privacy is a high priority, the fully offline external drive method (copy to a local drive that you control) removes cloud associations entirely.
• Saved passwords and many credentials are not transferred, intentionally reducing risk of exposing sensitive credentials during migration. Use each service’s official sync features (browser cloud sync, password manager) to carry credentials securely. (support.microsoft.com)

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Alternatives and when to use them​

• Use OneDrive backup when you already have a Microsoft 365 subscription and your important files fit within your quota — it’s seamless for Documents, Desktop, and Pictures. Be aware of the 5 GB free tier limit for personal Microsoft accounts. (support.microsoft.com)
• Use an external SSD/HDD for very large datasets or when you want complete offline control and a quick, verifiable copy. Format as exFAT or NTFS to avoid FAT32’s 4 GB file size limit.
• Use disk cloning (Macrium Reflect, Acronis, Clonezilla) if you need everything — apps, drivers, OS — exactly as before, typically for identical hardware or when you plan to replace/upgrade drives in the same machine. Cloning across significantly different hardware may cause driver or activation issues.
• Use commercial migration tools (Laplink PCmover, Zinstall) if you want to attempt automated app migration — results vary, licenses may require reactivation, and these are paid products that should be tested first and used with a verified backup.

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Practical checklist before you begin (do this every time)​

• Create a verified backup copy of your most important files (external drive + cloud copy if possible).
• Decrypt BitLocker or device encryption for drives you intend to transfer. (support.microsoft.com)
• Update Windows on both PCs and ensure the new PC is Windows 11, version 2024 or later. (support.microsoft.com)
• Plug both PCs into power and prefer wired Ethernet for the transfer.
• Export an application inventory (winget export) and prepare installers/licenses for apps that must be reinstalled.
• Confirm your Microsoft account has no prior backup if you want the local, OOBE transfer path. (support.microsoft.com)

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Strengths, weaknesses and final assessment​

The new Windows Backup local transfer flow brings several clear benefits: it’s integrated into setup, removes the need to upload large libraries to OneDrive, and gives non‑technical users a simple wizard that retains personalization and core user files. For many users, this will dramatically reduce the friction of upgrading to a new Windows 11 machine.
However, it is not a one‑stop solution for everything: desktop applications, saved passwords, encrypted drives, and some specialized data remain outside the scope of the migration. The feature’s real‑world usefulness therefore hinges on how much of a user’s data is in user folders versus tied to app binaries or encrypted volumes. For large media libraries and complex applications, a mixed approach (local transfer for core files + external drive and manual reinstalls) will still be necessary. Independent coverage has flagged potential pitfalls — notably OneDrive’s storage constraints for the cloud path and the phased rollout variability — so treat the new local transfer as a powerful convenience tool rather than a complete replacement for a careful migration plan. (techradar.com)

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Conclusion​

Windows Backup’s PC‑to‑PC transfer capability simplifies moving your core files and personalization to a new Windows 11 PC, especially when you use a wired network and follow the checklist above. It reduces the need for paid migration utilities for the majority of day‑to‑day data, but it deliberately excludes third‑party apps, encrypted drives, and saved credentials — considerations that keep migration safe but require follow‑up work. Use the local transfer for convenience, pair it with an external verified backup for safety, and plan to reinstall and reactivate legacy desktop applications manually. When done carefully, this built‑in route cuts the most tedious parts out of a PC upgrade while keeping your data secure and under your control. (support.microsoft.com)

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Source: Mint How to use Windows Backup to move data to new Windows 11 PC effortlessly | Mint