When your Windows 11 computer becomes slower and slower or eventually crashes after years of use, you might contemplate upgrading to a new device. The question that arises is whether you can transfer Windows 11 to another PC if you purchase a laptop without an operating system.

Don't worry. This article from tools will show you how to transfer Windows 11 to another computer while preserving the programs and files just like on the old PC. Hurry up and learn how.

#1 What Do You Need to Transfer Windows to New Computer

Windows 11 is the latest operating system (OS) from Microsoft, and more and more computer users have installed Windows 11 on their devices. Have you upgraded your old PC to Windows 11, only to find it becoming increasingly sluggish? In this case, you might be considering purchasing a new computer.

When you buy a new computer without an operating system, you might want to migrate Windows 11 from your old machine to the new one instead of doing a fresh install. But the question is, can you transfer Windows 11 to a new computer, or is it feasible to move Windows from one PC to another?

Can I Transfer Windows from One PC to Another

The answer is yes. You can move Windows 11 to another computer by doing a universal restore or cloning it to a different PC. However, there are some preparations you need to do first:

    1. Checking new computer hardware. Different hardware components like distinct motherboards, CPUs, or RAM may result in boot errors following system migration. It's advisable to choose a new PC with identical hardware as the old one or utilize a powerful tool to address hardware compatibility issues.
    2. Having a Windows license. Regardless of whether you perform a universal restore or cloning, you'll require a license to activate your Windows.
    3. Choosing universal restore software. As previously mentioned, you can clone your Windows to another PC or execute a universal restore to move Windows to a different computer. However, universal restore should be your preferred option since you might encounter compatibility issues when cloning Windows to another PC.

Best Universal Restore Software Free Download

Universal Restore software is a utility designed to assist in restoring a system image to different computers. It enables you to create a Windows system image on external hard drives and subsequently restore it to another computer or on dissimilar hardware.

But to this end, you have to use professional software because Windows has no such tool. Fortunately, Todos Backup is the exact one that can suit your needs.

Todo Backup Home is a versatile backup and restore solution designed for Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. It enables you to perform a universal restore or automate file backups, along with backing up your systems, disks, and applications. Furthermore, it allows you to store your backups in various locations, including local or external drives, NAS, Security Zone, and Cloud.

Key Features of Todo Backup Home:

Whether you want to create a backup of your data or perform a universal restore, Todo Backup tools can meet your needs. It also offers scheduled backup, smart backup, hot backup, and more.

Simply download it and give it a shot to keep your data secure and ensure a seamless transition! After downloading, let's explore how to transfer your Windows 11 to another computer. Keep scrolling.

How to Transfer Windows 11 from One PC to Another

Migrating your Windows 11 to another computer using universal restore involves two parts: creating a Windows 11 system image on a USB drive from your old PC and then restoring that system image to a different computer. If you don't have a USB drive or external hard drive, you'll need to acquire one. Here's how to proceed: 1. **Create a Windows 11 System Image on USB:** - Connect a USB drive with sufficient storage to your old computer. - Open the Control Panel on your Windows 11 machine (Settings > System > Recovery > Create a recovery drive). - Follow the on-screen instructions to create a system image backup. Make sure to select the option to save the image on the USB drive. 2. **Restore the System Image to Another Computer:** - Insert the USB drive containing the system image into the new computer. - Boot the new computer from the USB drive, which may require changing the boot order in the BIOS settings. - Choose the option to restore from the system image backup during the setup process. - Follow the prompts to locate the system image file on the USB drive and proceed with the restoration. - After the restoration is complete, your new computer will have the same configuration as your old Windows 11 PC. Please note that universal restore might not work perfectly if there are significant hardware differences between the two computers, and some driver compatibility issues might arise. It's recommended to ensure that the new computer meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 and has compatible hardware.

**Part 1. Create a system image from your old computer** In this section, you'll learn how to create a system image of your old computer to transfer its contents to a new one. A system image is a complete backup of your operating system, including installed programs, system settings, and personal files. 1. **Backup Important Data**: Before creating a system image, ensure that you've backed up any crucial files that aren't already included in the image process. This step is important in case something goes wrong during the imaging or transfer process. 2. **Connect an External Storage Device**: You'll need a large external hard drive or USB drive with enough capacity to store the system image. Connect it to your old computer. 3. **Windows 10/8/8.1**: - Go to **Settings** > **Update & Security** > **Backup**. - Click on **More options** and then **Create a system image**. - Follow the on-screen instructions to select the external storage device and proceed with the image creation. 4. **Windows 7**: - Go to **Control Panel** > **System and Security** > **Backup and Restore**. - Click on **Create a system image**. - Choose the external storage device as the location for saving the image and follow the prompts. 5. **Wait for the Process to Complete**: Creating a system image can take some time, depending on the size of your hard drive and the speed of your external storage device. Be patient and do not interrupt the process. 6. **Label and Safely Store the Backup**: Once the image is created, label the external drive clearly and store it in a safe place. Now that you have a system image, you can proceed to restore it on your new computer in Part 2.

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup on your computer, and click Create Backup on the home screen. Then, hit the big question mark to select backup contents.

Backup Outlook mail Step1 backup outlook mail step1

Step 2. To back up your Windows operating system, click "OS" to start the backup task.

Backup Outlook mail Step2 backup outlook mail step2

Step 3. Your Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions will be selected automatically, so you don't need to make any manual selections here. Next, you'll need to choose a location to save the system image backup by clicking the highlighted area.

System Backup

Step 4. The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, network, cloud, or NAS. Generally, we recommend using an external physical drive or cloud to store system backup files.

Backup Outlook mail Step4 backup outlook mail step4

Step 5. If interested, you can access customization settings like enabling an automatic backup schedule for daily, weekly, monthly, or event-based backups, as well as creating differential and incremental backups through the Options button. Click "Backup Now" to initiate the Windows system backup process. When complete, the finished backup task will be displayed on the left side in a card format.

backup outlook mail step 5

**Part 2. Restore the system image to your new PC** This part will guide you through the process of transferring the system image you created onto your new computer. 1. **Connect the Storage Device:** Plug in the external hard drive or USB drive containing the system image to your new PC. 2. **Boot into Recovery Environment:** - For Windows 10/8: Press `Win + X`, then choose `Windows PowerShell (Admin)` or `Command Prompt (Admin)`. Type `bootrec.exe /setrecoverypartition active` and press Enter. - For Windows 7: Insert the Windows installation disc and restart your PC. Boot from the disc and select your language, then click on `Repair your computer`. 3. **Choose System Image Recovery:** In the Advanced Repair Tools, select `Troubleshoot` > `Advanced options` > `System Image Recovery`. 4. **Select the System Image:** Choose the storage device with the system image and follow the prompts to proceed. 5. **Restore Options:** You'll be asked if you want to restore system settings and personal files. Select the appropriate option based on your preference. 6. **Wait for the Process to Complete:** The restoration process may take several hours, depending on the size of your system image and the speed of your storage device. 7. **Reinstall Drivers and Software:** After the restoration is complete, you might need to reinstall drivers specific to your new PC and any software that wasn't included in the system image. 8. **Update and Personalize:** Update your operating system to the latest version and personalize your settings as needed. Remember, restoring a system image will overwrite all existing data on your new PC, so ensure you have backed up any important files before proceeding.

* To perform system recovery on a non-bootable machine, try to boot the computer through the Todo Backup emergency disk.

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup tool, and click "Browse to Recover".

Click Browser to Recover Click Browse to Recover

Step 2. Navigate to your backup destination, and select the system backup file you need. (The system backup file created by AOMEI Todo Backup is a .pbd file.)

System recovery step2

Step 3. Select the recovery disk. Make sure that the partition style of the source disk and the recovery disk are the same.

system recovery step3

Step 4. You can customize the disk layout as per your need. Click "Proceed" to start system backup restore.

System recovery step4

Once you've completed the process, you'll need to activate Windows 11 on a different computer. After that, you can use Windows 11 on the computer in question without any issues.

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To conclude

That's all about how to transfer Windows 11 to another computer. In this article, you've learned how to move your Windows to another PC by performing a universal restore, which can help resolve compatibility issues. To achieve this, you'll need to utilize specialized universal restore software.

< strong >< strong >Tools Todo Backup < /strong >< strong >Home< /strong >< /strong > is a backup and recovery utility with powerful universal restore features. It can help you transfer an operating system from one PC to another and back up essential data on your computers. So, what are you waiting for? Just download it and give it a try!

Frequently Asked Questions on Transferring Windows 11 to Another Computer

**1. Can I use the same Windows product key on multiple computers?** No, you cannot use the same Windows product key on multiple computers. Each Windows license is intended for use on one device only. If you need to install Windows on more than one computer, you will need a separate product key for each machine. Activating Windows with the same key on more than one device violates Microsoft's licensing terms and can lead to activation issues or legal consequences.

The answer is typically no, as the same Windows product key cannot be used on multiple computers. Generally, a single Windows product key can only be used concurrently on one computer. When you activate Windows using a product key, it becomes tied to the hardware of that specific computer.

**2. Will I lose Windows 11 if I reset my PC?**

Resetting will reinstall Windows 11, but you can choose whether to keep your files or remove them first. You can reset your PC from the Settings menu, the sign-in screen, a recovery drive, or installation media.

**3. Will I lose everything if I downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10?**

Before downgrading from Windows 11, you must first back up all your data or anything you wish to save, as the process will erase everything on your drive. Therefore, creating a backup is essential. You will also need a USB flash drive as your installation media.