One thing to sit up for: Tech firms might want everybody rely completely on cloud storage and on-line providers, however many customers want sharing information over native networks. In a nod to those cussed “offline” holdouts, Microsoft is reintroducing a function that first appeared within the Home windows ecosystem sixteen years in the past.
There was a time when Home windows 7 customers may simply switch information and folders between PCs utilizing the “Home windows Simple Switch” software. Microsoft later eliminated this handy function – together with many others – in newer variations of Home windows. As an alternative, the corporate shifted its focus to favor OneDrive and different cloud storage platforms for dealing with file and knowledge migration.
Nevertheless, the Simple Switch software could also be poised for a comeback in an upcoming Home windows 11 replace. Prolific Home windows Insider construct explorer “phantomofearth” not too long ago shared screenshots of a brand new Home windows Migration movement within the Backup app, which now contains an choice to switch information to a brand new PC over an area community.
Home windows Backup can now switch information, apps, settings, and even credentials to a different PC over an area WiFi community, serving to customers arrange new machines extra rapidly. The method requires coming into a passcode on the receiving PC – a standard sense safety safeguard on any platform.
This is a little bit of the Home windows Migration movement within the newest Dev construct, 26200.5600 (additionally in Beta 26120.3964). That is within the precise Backup app, not the UI reconstruction we noticed earlier this 12 months. pic.twitter.com/rwImzRJoJE
– phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) Might 13, 2025
Phantomofearth notes that the newest Home windows Dev construct (26200.5600) contains the brand new migration movement. The choice additionally seems in Beta 26120.3964. Longtime Home windows customers – particularly Home windows 7 fans – have welcomed the return of this Home windows Backup function, which carefully resembles the unique Simple Switch utility.
The present Home windows Backup app helps migration to OneDrive, which supplies simply 5 gigabytes of free storage. Including an choice to switch information and settings on to an area PC will please many customers, although it nonetheless lacks an offline various. Some customers need the flexibility to repeat knowledge by way of an exterior USB drive since native networks can generally be unreliable.
After all, there are third-party backup instruments for transferring knowledge between programs. Whereas Macrium Replicate Free is now restricted to trialware, options like Veeam Agent, Paragon Backup & Restoration, and Hasleo Backup provide all of the options of Home windows Backup – solely significantly better.
