What is the best way to transfer data from one desktop to another for Windows 11/10?

Method 1: External Hard Drive or USB Drive

Using an external hard drive or a large-capacity USB drive is one of the simplest and most reliable methods. Just copy your files onto the external storage from your old desktop and then plug it into your new one. If you're dealing with a large amount of data, you may need a USB 3.0 or an external hard drive with a high transfer speed for faster performance.

Method 2: Cloud Storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.)

Cloud services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox allow you to upload your files from one computer and download them onto another. While this method is convenient, it depends on your internet speed and the size of the files you're transferring. Large files may take some time to upload and download, but it's a great solution if you don't want to use external storage.

Method 3: Windows Easy Transfer or Backup and Restore

Windows 11 doesn't have a dedicated "Easy Transfer" tool like older versions, but you can use Backup and Restore or third-party software to transfer data, settings, and even applications. You can create a backup on an external drive and then restore it on your new desktop. This method helps transfer more than just files, including system settings and preferences.

The above are three of the best ways to transfer data from one desktop to another for Windows 10/11. And each method has its pros and cons, so the best one depends on the amount of data and your available resources.