Installing new computer, need to backup the system

For a new Windows 11 PC, the native backup solution to use is Windows Backup.

Windows Backup is a built-in system component in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that provides a single interface to back up:

• Selected files and folders (for example, Desktop and Documents)
• Settings and preferences
• Credentials and many installed apps (for supported scenarios)

Backups are stored with a Microsoft account and can be restored when signing into a new PC, making it suitable for moving to or rebuilding a Windows 11 system. Windows Backup is primarily focused on consumer devices using a personal Microsoft account (such as *@outlook.com or *@live.com).

For full system recovery (bare-metal scenarios), use the Recovery Drive utility in addition to Windows Backup. Recovery Drive creates a USB recovery media containing system files and OEM customizations so the PC can be restored to factory state, but it does not include personal files, so those should be backed up separately with Windows Backup or another data-backup method.

If moving from an older PC, Backup and Restore (on Windows 7/8.1) can be used with an external drive to copy files, but for a new Windows 11 system, Windows Backup plus a Recovery Drive covers the native tools.

References:

• Back up and restore with Windows Backup
• KB5032038: Overview of Windows Backup as installed in Windows 10 and Windows 11
• Move files using Backup and Restore
• Transfer your files and settings to a new Windows PC
• Backup, restore, and recovery in Windows
• Recovery Drive