- Microsoft gave us more details on the operation of PC-PC migration
- It will offer a useful alternative to those who do not want to restore a backup via OneDrive
- The functionality always has warnings, including the need for a Microsoft account – and it will not support PCs based on the arms initially, either
Microsoft has provided more details on how its PC-PC migration function will really work when it comes to switching to a new Windows 11 PC.
The functionality is designed to smooth the upgrade to a new PC and make it as easy as possible – although with a few warnings – and it is clear that the accent is placed on the help of Windows 10 users at Windows 11 (assuming that their equipment supports this last operating system).
Previously, the PC -PC migration was observed in the tests, and Microsoft put the shell of the experience in the version of Windows 11 (with the last update) – however, it is not yet functional.
At least we know exactly how the capacity will work thanks to a support after Microsoft has downloaded (as Thurrott.com has spotted it). So let’s dive into all the key details you need to know.
The old PC and the new PC that you transfer must be on the same network, connected via Ethernet (wired, to your router) or wireless (on the same Wi-Fi network).
The two machines must also be connected to a Microsoft account – so with the new PC, you will need to connect to an account during configuration. Once this initial configuration has been executed, you can launch the PC-T-PC migration, which will appear the PCs using a code in time.
You will then have to select what you want to transfer through the files or the settings. You can transfer almost everything in terms of files and the options you have chosen in Windows, including personalized desktop items (wallpapers or themes), but there are some exceptions.
What will not be transferred includes temporary and system files (which you would not want anyway), as well as the applications installed on the old PC, and the recorded passwords (although you can have stored them in your browser, anyway).
Once you have chosen the data and the parameters to be transferred, the process will start, providing you with a timer as an indication of the duration of the duration (hopefully, a precision – these counts are not always so reliable).
If the network connection must drop in one way or another, Microsoft says that Windows will automatically try to resume data transfer when it is backwards – although you can manually restart the process if everything else fails.
Analysis: backup or migration
The PC-PC migration function is essentially an alternative for those who have not configured a backup (recorded on OneDrive) via the Windows backup application. If you have one, you can simply deploy this backup on the new PC – if not, you can use the PC -PC migration instead (as a local data transfer method, but you must always be signed in a Microsoft account as indicated). Or at least, you can when it is completely released on the Windows 11 PCs (and 10), which should happen soon enough – I bet Microsoft wants this to be operational before Windows 10 reaches the end of life (for obvious reasons).
It should be noted that if you configure a backup on the Windows backup application – just to synchronize your device settings, in fact – you get an additional year of support for Windows 10 for free (dodging the costs of $ 30 that Microsoft had previously slapped on this option).
Thus, backup is clearly an application that Microsoft wants people to use – and I can see that the choice is a popular stop measure to return any decision on upgrade to Windows 11 until next year – but it is good to see that the PC -PC migration is offered like another way to follow, with fewer attached channels (OneDrive, although you need to use a Microsoft account).
With PC-PC migration, the main thing you are not brought to the new PC is your applications, but it is not surprising. Indeed, the backup application will not provide your applications when it restores a backup – although it can restore Microsoft Store applications, and with third -party applications, provide a link to download them for more convenience (you do not obtain this capacity with the new migration functionality).
The main difference with the new feature is therefore that migration does not require or does not use OneDrive (although it needs a Microsoft account), and there are no options concerning the maintenance of your applications (even if the use of Windows backup is also limited in this regard).
Some other notable warnings with PC-PC migration are that it does not work with discs that are encrypted with Bitlocker (they must be decrypted first), and that the devices with ARM processors are not supported either (for the moment. Since Microsoft says that the ARM PCs are not “currently” supported, I expect it to be just any more A fair of Copilot + PCS, which are the machines that Microsoft is busy trying to bring everyone to buy.
As indicated, we are still waiting for the complete PC-PC migration experience to be activated in Windows 11 (and Windows 10), but it should not be too long before it happens.
