Microsoft Removes PC-to-PC Migration From Windows 11 and Points Users to OneDrive-Based Windows Backup

Microsoft has removed the PC-to-PC Migration feature from Windows 11, according to an updated Microsoft support page that now states the tool is no longer available.

The removal started with the September optional update (KB5124010) and reached regular users through the October 13, 2026 Patch Tuesday update, KB5127648.

Microsoft’s support documentation now redirects users to Windows Backup, a tool that relies on OneDrive cloud storage instead of a direct connection between two computers. The company has not explained why the local transfer option was pulled.

What Windows 11 Users Lose With PC-to-PC Migration Gone

PC-to-PC Migration arrived in 2025 as a modern replacement for Easy Transfer from the Windows 7 era. The feature moved files and settings directly between two PCs over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Users paired the old and new computer with a one-time code, picked the folders to copy, and Windows handled the rest.

It was never a full system migration tool. Installed apps, saved passwords, sign-in information and some protected folders stayed behind. For setting up a replacement computer, though, it moved files between drives and folders without any cloud account or storage quota involved.

Windows Backup works differently. It requires a personal Microsoft account and backs up supported folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music) to OneDrive.

Free OneDrive accounts include only 5GB of storage, and Microsoft’s own promotional screenshot for Windows Backup shows 4.5GB of that allowance already in use. Years of photos, documents and downloads can exceed the free tier quickly.

Windows Backup does carry some extras. It can remember installed apps, Wi-Fi networks, passwords and some settings to speed up setup on a new device. Apps still have to be reinstalled, and supported files are restored from the cloud.

How to Move Files to a New Windows 11 PC Now

Users replacing a computer have three routes after the KB5127648 update:

1. Use Windows Backup with a personal Microsoft account and check the OneDrive storage quota first, since free accounts stop at 5GB.
2. Copy files manually with a USB drive or external storage device, moving the user folders to the new PC by hand.
3. Use a network share on the local network to transfer folders between the old and new computer without cloud storage.

The manual methods avoid the OneDrive requirement and the 5GB storage limit. They take more effort, and Windows does not guide users through them the way PC-to-PC Migration did, so the folder selection is left to the user.

Microsoft has not said whether a local migration option will return to Windows 11, and the support page offers no alternative beyond Windows Backup.

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft Removes PC-to-PC Migration From Windows 11 and Points Users to OneDrive-Based Windows Backup appeared first on gHacks.