Summary
Summary
- Microsoft removed Windows 11’s built-in PC-to-PC Migration feature and now directs users to Windows Backup instead.
- Windows Backup relies on OneDrive, which offers only 5GB of free storage and requires users to upload their local files to the cloud.
- You can still transfer files with an external drive or network share, but Windows no longer provides a simple, guided local migration option. Microsoft has removed Windows 11’s PC-to-PC Migration feature, the built-in protocol for transferring files directly from an old computer to a new one over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. The company’s official support page now says the feature is “no longer available” and directs users to Windows Backup instead. The change first appeared in September’s optional update and rolled out to everyone through October’s Patch Tuesday update. While there are some benefits to using Windows Backup, its dependency on OneDrive brings many critical limitations. Microsoft replaced PC-to-PC Migration with 5GB of cloud storage And made an already tedious part of buying a new PC even worse Buying a new PC is a joyful experience, except for the part where you have to move everything from the old system to the new one. Windows 11 previously included a PC-to-PC Migration option inside Windows Backup that, although far from perfect, could move documents, photos, and videos from one computer to another, regardless of how large the transfer was. Microsoft made it unavailable after September’s preview update. Microsoft’s replacement relies on its not-very-popular cloud service, OneDrive. Windows Backup uploads your folders from the old PC to OneDrive and makes them available after you log into the same Microsoft account on the new PC. This assumes everyone is comfortable putting their local files in the cloud, which is far from the case. Even if you make peace with that, the next obstacle will leave you scratching your head. Unless you subscribe to a larger storage plan, your OneDrive cap sits at a whopping 5GB — enough for perhaps one-third of the footage from your favorite cousin’s destination wedding. Sorry to break it to you, but there’s even more friction when it comes to using OneDrive. As we’ve previously discovered when reinstalling Windows, restoring your desktop from a OneDrive backup can cause headaches for days. It can initially show placeholders for files that haven’t finished downloading, leaving files visible but inaccessible. This is especially true if you have a slow internet connection or no connection at all. You can still copy everything manually with an external drive or network share. Windows also retains other built-in backup tools, although they are scattered across Windows Backup, File History, and the aging Backup and Restore interface.