Tutorial: How to Transfer Files from Windows 10 to Windows 11

Can I transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

“I have two computers, Windows 10 and 11. I wonder can I transfer files from my Windows 10 to my Windows 11?”

-Question from Quora

Can you transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11? The answer is definitely YES! Transferring files between computers are not difficult, there are so many options. But how can you choose the way that suits you the most among so many file transfer options?

How to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11

In this post, we will demonstrate how to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11. We'll divide the options into two sections to help you quickly find the most efficient path for you.

Part 1 options are appropriate for users who need to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 over internet. Part 2 options are appropriate for users who need to transfer files between computers on LAN or WiFi. You can make your decision based on your personal circumstances.

• Part 1. Transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 over internet
• 1. Remotely transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 via free file transfer software
• 2. Send files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 using email
• 3. Windows 10 to Windows 11 file transfer via cloud storage services
• Part 2. Transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on LAN or WiFi
• 1. Share files between Windows 10 and Windows 11 via Nearby Sharing
• 2. Transfer files between Windows 10 and Windows 11 using a LAN cable

Part 1. Transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 over internet

When you work from home, you sometimes need to remotely. That’s when you need to transfer files between computers over the internet. Here are some options.

You may occasionally need to remotely move files from office computer to home computer if you work from home. When such happens, online file transfers between computers are necessary. Here are a few choices.

Option 1. Remotely transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 via free file transfer software

The easiest and fastest way to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is to use the free remote file transfer software AnyViewer.

★Benefits:

Wide compatibility. It works with several Windows versions, including the newest Windows 11 and Windows 7.

High efficiency. You don’t even need to appear in front of the computer which contains the files you want to achieve file transfer with AnyViewer.

Fast speed. It transfers files at a really fast speed, even if transferring large files over the internet. For example, it only costs about 20 seconds to transfer a 2 GB zip file from the local to the remote computer if they are on LAN.  

Improved security. The file transfer process is secured by Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) encryption, protecting your data from leakage.

Multiple features. As a remote desktop tool as well, it also allows you to easily control and manage another computer remotely. Besides, it is also a screen share tool.

Step 1. Download, install, and launch AnyViewer 3.0 or above on both Windows computers. If your version is lower, please upgrade first. 

Step 2. On the Windows 10 computer, go to Log in, and then click Sign up. (If you already have signed up on its official website, you can log in directly.)

Step 3. Fill in the signup information.

Step 4. Then you can see you successfully logged in to AnyViewer. Your device will automatically be assigned to the account you’ve logged in to. After this, log in to the same account on Windows 11.

Step 5. Choose your Windows 11 computer, and then click File Transfer.

Step 6. Then a File Transfer dialog box will appear. You’re able to transfer files between devices freely by clicking the arrows after choosing the target files. You can also double-click the target file to achieve transfer.

Notes:✎...

To transfer files freely, it is highly recommended to upgrade your account to a professional or enterprise plan. Here are what a professional or enterprise plan can bring to you:

Faster file transfer speed. Transfer speed for a free account is 500 KB/s, and for a paid account is up to 10 MB/s.

Increasing numbers of files are being transferred at once. For a free account, 100 files can be transferred at a time; for a paid account, this number is unlimited.

Larger size of a single file that can be transferred. The maximum size of a single file that can be transferred for the free account is 100 MB, and for a paid account is 1 TB.

Option 2. Send files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 using email

Another option to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is to use email. Here we’ll take Gmailas an example.

Step 1. Open Gmail official site on Windows 10 computer, and create and sign in to your email account. On the main page, click Compose.

Step 2. Then type in the email addresses that have been logged in to Windows 11 computer behind To. Click the attachment icon below to choose the files you want to transfer. Click Send to start sending picture files to the Windows 11 computer.

Step 3. On the Windows 11 computer, open and sign in to your email application to check and download the files.

Option 3. Windows 10 to Windows 11 file transfer via cloud storage services

Cloud storage service is also a way to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Technically, cloud storage service is more like a backup tool allowing you to back up and sync your files to your cloud and then download it whenever and wherever you want. Here we’ll take Google Drive as an example.

Step 1. Open the main interface of Google Drive, find and click My Drive in the left sidebar, click My Drive again, and select Upload files or Upload folder in the expanded menu.

Step 2. For example, click Upload files, and a window will pop up automatically. Select the files you want to upload and click Open in the lower-right corner.

Step 3. You can see the file upload progress in the lower right corner. After the upload is completed, you can find the file in the main interface.

Step 4. Open Google Drive on the other computer and log in to the same Google account. Find the file you’ve transferred, right-click the file, and select Download in the expanded menu to realize remote picture transfer between different computers.

Part 2. Transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on LAN or WiFi

You have two additional alternatives in addition to the three stated above if your Windows 10 and Windows 11 are connected by LAN, WiFi, or are in close proximity to one another. Let’s look at how to transfer files from Windows 10 computer to Windows 11 computer on LAN or WiFi.

Option 1. Share files between Windows 10 and Windows 11via Nearby Sharing

The first option to share files between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is to use the Nearby Sharing. You should be informed before you begin that this method only works with Windows 10 and Windows 11, and that both devices need to be linked to the same network.

Step 1. Navigate to: Settings> System> Shared Experiences, and then turn on the Nearby sharing button.

Step 2. Select the sharing pattern based on your own need from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. You can click Change to choose the folder location where you prefer to store the files being transferred to your PC.

Step 4. Go to the file explorer, right-click the desired file you want to transfer, and then select Share in the context menu.

Step 5. Select the Windows 11 device you want to transfer files to from the pop-up window.

Step 6. Then the Windows 11 device will receive a notification. Click Save & Open to start the file transfer.

Option 2. Transfer files between Windows 10 and Windows 11 using a LAN cable

Step 1. Connect Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers with a LAN cable.

Step 2. Go to Control Panel> Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings. Click on the drop-down-icon next to All Networks. 

Step 3. Check the following settings and then click Save changes.

• Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in the Public folders
• Use 128-bit encryption to help protect file sharing connections (recommended)
• Turn off password protected sharing

Step 4. Then go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Change adapter settings. You can see a list of Network connections, right-click on the Ethernet network, and select Properties in the context menu.

Step 5. In the pop-up window, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties at the bottom.

Step 6. On the Windows 10 computer, check Use the following IP address and type in the following IP address.

IP address: 192.168.1.1

Subnet mask: 225.225.225.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.2

Step 7. Do the similar steps above on the Windows 11 computer and type in the following IP address.

IP address: 192.168.1.2

Subnet mask: 225.225.225.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Step 8. If everything is configured correctly, you can see two computer names under the Network menu on your Windows 10 computer.

Step 9. Right-click on the folder you want to transfer, hover on Give access to and then select Specific people.

Step 10. In the sharing window, choose Everyone from the drop-down window and click Add button, and finally click Share.

Step 11. The next time you will be asked if you want to enable file sharing for public networks. Depending on your requirements, select No to transfer files for a private network or Yes to send files for all public networks.

Step 12. Once you shared the folder successfully, you can see its network location of it.

Step 13. Now go back to another computer where you want to access the file. Open the Network panel and double-click the computer name to check the target folder. Then you can transfer the files by simply copying and pasting.

Closing words

This post primarily introduces 5 options to transfer files from Windows 10 to Windows 11 depending on whether your Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers are on the same network or not, you can choose different methods.

Among all these methods, we highly recommend you use AnyViewer. It can be used under any circumstances. Besides, it is fast even for transferring large files. If you would like the fastest way to transfer files, please give it a try.