When you buy a new computer, you'll desire to transfer most of your existing files over to the new calculator. Whether y'all want to take all your data with yous or only the essentials, there are quick and elementary ways to transfer files from PC to PC.

Depending on what you're working with, some methods are better than others. As a rule of thumb, it's faster to utilize any method that uses a robust physical connection (like swapping hard drives or transferring over LAN) instead of quick-and-easy solutions (like moving files over Wi-Fi or using a USB bulldoze).

Obviously, this is the way most people do it. Stick a USB flash bulldoze in i computer, copy the data. Stick the same drive in the other estimator, so paste the data. Simple. Or you could apply an external difficult drive if you have more information than tin can fit on a flash drive.

brown WD portable drive

If both computers have USB iii.0 ports, y'all might want to consider investing in one of the fastest wink drives effectually. When you have a lot of information to move, speed becomes important!

In that location'southward a quicker manner to do this, though. First, bank check if the estimator you lot want to motility data to has an eSATA port or an available SATA slot. If it does, disconnect the hard drive from the original estimator and connect it to the new computer. In one case done, it'll prove up as another drive on the target PC. You lot tin and then transfer data over SATA, which is much faster than USB.

For computers close to each other, there are 2 main means to share files and folders. The first is to fix upward a local expanse network (LAN), and then y'all can use one PC to browse the other'south hard drives. The second is to employ software to transfer files over Wi-Fi.

Sharing a Network Drive

All the major operating systems have a congenital-in option to fix a home network. This lets devices on the aforementioned router (continued via Ethernet or Wi-Fi) recognize each other permanently. So when you need to transfer files betwixt computers, you don't need to prepare a new connection each time; information technology'due south ever on, as long as both computers are on.

We have a simple guide showing how to share files between Windows and Mac. The process also works with Windows-to-Windows and Mac-to-Mac. If you're on Linux, the card system depends on your operating system. Merely once you're in network settings, y'all'll find that it's similar to how you lot ready upwards a home network on MacOS.

Sharing With Software

If both the computers are on the same Wi-Fi network, you can transfer files with some simple software. It's an easy mode to share without setting upwards a habitation network and is ideal for temporary networks. There are several apps for sharing large files instantly. The best, in our opinion, is Send Anywhere.

Send Anywhere has an app for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Information technology fifty-fifty has a spider web app and a Chrome extension for use on Chrome OS. Send Anywhere only works, and it'southward fantastic how piffling setup it needs.

You can too employ information technology to transfer files from ane computer to phones and tablets. And the all-time affair virtually it is it'due south completely free.

Download: Ship Anywhere for Windows | macOS | Linux | Android | iOS (Gratuitous)

3. Apply a Transfer Cable

For computer-to-computer transfer, you need a USB bridging cable or a USB networking cable. It'due south faster than using drives since the copy-and-paste procedure happens simultaneously between the connected systems. When using external drives, you are basically transferring between three drives; simply cables reduce that to two drives.

Windows to Windows: If you're transferring files from ane Windows calculator to another, plug the USB cable on both computers. Wait until both computers recognize the cable and they automatically install drivers.

In one case you've installed the USB cable's driver, download and install the data transfer software for both computers. Once ready, launch the transfer app on both computers, and you can now brainstorm transferring files.

Mac to Mac: Yous can connect ii Mac computers via the proprietary Thunderbolt cable. In one case you do that, both computers should notice each other, and transferring files is a simple as dragging and dropping them between systems.

Windows/Mac/Linux to Windows/Mac/Linux: Use an Ethernet cable to build a local area network without a router. Make sure it's a crossover Ethernet cablevision (i.e., the color patterns on one stop don't match the other). Ready network sharing on both computers, and you lot're skilful to go.

4. Connect the HDD or SSD Manually

ssd hdd drives stacked up

If you lot're transferring from an former computer to a new ane, your old PC might not be functional anymore. Or you lot might want to install a new hard drive to supplant an old one. But how do you lot get your former data, then?

Hd drives (HDD) and some Solid Land Drives (SSD) use standard SATA cables to connect to the motherboard. If y'all have a spare SATA or eSATA (external SATA) port, connect your quondam hard drive there. The operating organization will recognize it every bit a new drive. Then get-go transferring. It'southward the fastest of all solutions.

Unlike a PC, finding a spare SATA port on a laptop is hard. Y'all could instead employ other solutions like using an external enclosure or a USB docking station.

You also might desire to plow the one-time hard drive into external storage. Investing in an external case for the old bulldoze will let you copy all the data from it, and after that, yous become to use the onetime drive as portable external storage.

5. Use Deject Storage or Web Transfers

The final option is to use the internet. Since more than and more users at present use cloud storage to save their files, this is probably the easiest way to sync your files between computers. However, this may take quite some time, from several minutes to several days, depending on the quality of your internet connection.

You can cull from 1 of the several deject storage providers like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive. They all work besides as each other to become the job done.

Cloud drives are an splendid option since the size of the files is nigh unlimited, every bit long as you take plenty storage infinite. Plus, if both the computers are syncing folders locally, then equally ane uploads files, the other will download simultaneously.

If speed is what you want, though, then attempt FilePizza. What makes it special is that it'south a peer-to-peer app. And then as i calculator uploads the file, the other downloads it immediately. There is no waiting between the two. And you don't demand to exist subscribed to the same cloud drive. It'southward all in the browser.

What's Your Preferred File Transfer Method?

Any one of these methods will let y'all to transfer files from PC to PC quickly. Remember, when moving a lot of information, you're better off with a wired connection between computers. But if it's simply a few gigabytes of information, then feel gratis to utilize one of the wireless options instead.

We hope you lot like the items nosotros recommend and talk over! MUO has chapter and sponsored partnerships, so nosotros receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won't affect the cost you pay and helps us offer the best production recommendations.

The 8 Best USB-C Cables for Charging and Information Transfer

Read Adjacent

About The Author

Mihir Patkar (1302 Articles Published)

Mihir Patkar has been writing on technology and productivity for over 14 years at some of the pinnacle media publications across the world. He has an academic background in journalism.

More From Mihir Patkar