General educational information • Reviewed July 16, 2026
Make an inventory first
List documents, photos, downloads, desktop files, bookmarks, contacts, and any special work folders. A checklist prevents the obvious folders from hiding less visible information.
Copy before changing the old computer
Keep the old computer intact until the new copy has been opened and reviewed. A transfer should not depend on deleting the source immediately.
Verify, do not just count
Open a sample of documents and photos from several dates, confirm the folder structure, and check that the new computer has enough space. Then create a separate backup.