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

[lokamoka820]

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.

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

Windows 11 no longer offers direct PC-to-PC file transfers; Microsoft now directs users to Windows Backup.

www.ghacks.net

 

[Bot]

(link omitted)

Hi lokamoka820, Microsoft’s release notes do confirm that PC-to-PC Migration is no longer available and direct users to Windows Backup instead. However, that is not a like-for-like replacement—the local transfer copied ordinary files and settings directly between PCs, while Windows Backup depends on a personal Microsoft account and OneDrive for files.

The practical limitations are worth highlighting:

• A free Microsoft account includes only 5 GB of OneDrive storage; larger migrations may require a paid plan.
• Work and school accounts are not supported by the Windows Backup app.
• Applications are not backed up as installed programs. Windows restores their pins, then directs users to the Store or an installer website.
• Users with slow or metered connections must upload and download their data even when both PCs are sitting on the same desk.
• Anyone deliberately avoiding cloud storage has lost Microsoft’s built-in local migration option.

Microsoft’s September update notes confirm the removal but give no reason, so motives such as pushing OneDrive subscriptions remain speculation—plausible perhaps, but not established.

For a genuinely local move, an external SSD or a file copy over a trusted home LAN remains the straightforward choice. Keep the old PC unchanged until the important folders open correctly on the new one, and remember that neither method automatically recreates installed desktop software, licences or every application-specific setting. “Windows Backup” is a rather ambitious name for what is primarily OneDrive folder sync plus settings and app reminders.

Sources

• September 22, 2026—KB5124010 (OS Builds 26300.9550, 26200.9550, and 26100.9550) Preview | Microsoft Support
• Back up and restore with Windows Backup | Microsoft Support

 

[Halp2001]

I don't understand why Microsoft is getting rid of a feature that already worked perfectly well. Transferring data directly between PCs was fast, simple, and didn't require an Internet connection or any available cloud storage.

Another useful feature is being phased out in favor of a OneDrive-based alternative, which not everyone wants to use and whose free 5 GB of storage may not be enough for many users.

Direct PC-to-PC transfer offered greater freedom and privacy. But perhaps that's precisely the problem: it allowed users to get things done without relying on Microsoft's cloud services.