How do I transfer files from one computer to another on the same network?

When you buy a new computer, you may think the question, "Can I transfer my personal data from the old computer to the new one?" A lot of people want to transfer their existing files to another computer so that they can keep their old data like photos, music, videos, and so on while they use the new computer.

Sometimes, you may not finish your work at the office, like doing an Excel, but you have to go home. At this time, you may bring the unfinished Excel home and continue to finish it. There are many ways (including the fastest way) for you to transfer files from one computer to another one. You can move your data using the way you prefer.

How to transfer files from one PC to another

As we mentioned above, there are many ways to move files between two computers. Not anxious now! I'll introduce 5 most commonly used ways to you.

Way 1. Using an external storage media

An external storage media, like a USB flash drive is a good helper for transferring files. Usually, you can plug the USB into the old computer, copy the files you want to transfer, and then open the USB flash drive and paste the files on. Then, plug the USB flash drive into the new computer, use the copy and paste method to move the files to the new computer.

If you are planning to bring the files home to continue your work, you can copy the files to your USB, too. Then, when you back to home, plug the USB into your computer and open the files to continue work. Besides, you still can use HDD or SSD if your computer has an extra SATA port or the USB drive cannot hold all the data.

Way 2.  Sharing your files through the network

If the two computers are on the same network, you can use your existing home network to transfer your files from one computer to another on same network.

To share files over LAN in Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to the folder with the files you want to share. Right click on the folder and select Properties > Click on the Sharing tab > Click the Share button. Follow the on-screen directions to finish file sharing.

Way 3. Using a transfer cable

You can buy a cable to transfer files between two computers. To connect two Windows computers, you can get an EasyTransfer USB cable. Then, copy files on one computer and paste them on another computer. 

Way 4. Using cloud storage

You can also use cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive to transfer files from computer to another one. It comes along with a desktop folder, you just need to copy all the files you want to transfter in it and then it will be synced automatically when there is a network connection.

Way 5. Using third-party software

Nowadays, a lot of software can help you transfer your personal data from PC to PC. And usually, it's more compatible than all the previous methods and provides you with multiple options. Take free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard as an example, you can:

Transfer files from PC to PC with external devices, network drive, NAS, cloud storage, etc.Transfer files from one computer to another automatically, without missing any changes.Transfer everything from my old computer to my new computer in Windows 11, including personal data like photos, documents, videos, installed program, operating system and system files, etc.

To get started, please download AOMEI Backupper Standard and install it on your computer. It supports Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP. For server users, try AOMEI Backkupper Server!

#1: Transfer files to a new computer

Launch this software, and click Basic Sync under the Sync tab. Then, select the files you want to transfer and the destination path. Afterward, click Start Sync. 

Depending on the way you want to transfer, you need to choose different destination paths in the following.

• Select a local path: Click it and select This PC to find the external disk (HDD or SSD), USB, etc. You need to connect it before selecting.
• Add Share or NAS Devices: It requires you to type network path and then select one of the shared folders on it. 
• Select a cloud drive: It allows you to sync local folder with Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. You need to install the corresponding desktop app of the cloud drive beforehand.

To sync changes automatically, you still need to enable schedule sync and then select Daily, Weekly, Monthly. Among them, the fastest frequency is hourly in a day. If you use a USB drive in this sync task, try the premium feature - USB plug in. It will help you automatically copy files to USB drive when connected, so you don't need to manually begin the sync task. 

Moreover, if you have an AOMEI account, you are able to transfer files between computers via AOMEI Cloud. Just backup files to AOMEI Cloud and then restore them on the new computer. You'll get 1TB free storage for 15 days after you sign up for an AOMEI account.

#2: Transfer everything from my old computer to my new computer Windows 11

 Switch to the Clone tab and then select Disk Clone. Then, select the hard drive in the old computer and new hard drive as destination. Click the SSD Alignment to accelerate SSD disk performance if it is. Afterward, click Start Clone. 

Note that the free version of AOMEI Backupper Standard only supports cloning all the data disk and MBR system disk. To clone MBR to GPT or vice versa, GPT to GPT, please upgrade to the professional version. 

And in the premium version, you still can resize partition if the new hard drive is larger to avoid unallocated space left after cloning. At the same time, it still supports converting the destination disk from MBR to GPT or vice versa. 

• Copy without resizing partitions: It will not resize the partition size.
• Add unused space to all partitions: It will reallocate the unallocated space to each partition of the target disk, appropriate for the disk size.
• Manually adjust partition size: It allows you to extend unallocated space to any partition on the destination disk you want. 

Note: MBR and GPT disks are different disk types for you to store files, programs, and OS, etc. And you can check the disk type of both drives through its properties in the disk management.

Summary

There are 5 efficient ways offered on this page to help you transfer files from one computer to another. With AOMEI Backupper, transferring files from PC to PC seems easier and simpler. If the data is changed on the source computer, it will be changed on another computer automatically based on the schedule you set.

However, the Standard edition only supports Windows PC systems. If you want to transfer files from server to server, you could consider using AOMEI Backupper Server.

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