How to transfer your Windows 11 setup to a new hard drive — no extra app required

For users of Windows 11, the inevitable moment may arise when a hard drive upgrade becomes necessary due to space constraints or the drive nearing the end of its lifespan, typically within a three to five-year window. While a clean installation on a new drive is the ideal route, it is possible to retain the existing installation by transferring it to the new drive. This can be accomplished using the built-in Backup and Restore feature in Windows 11. Below, we delve into the steps required to move your current Windows 11 setup to a new drive.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-create-a-system-image-on-windows-11″>How to create a system image on Windows 11

To create a comprehensive backup of your Windows 11 installation, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Control Panel and select the top result to open the application.
3. Click on System and Security.
4. Navigate to the “Backup and Restore” setting.
5. Click the “Create a system image” option located in the bottom-left corner.
6. Select the “On a hard disk” option.
7. Utilize the drop-down menu to choose the destination for your Windows 11 full backup.
8. Click the Next button.
9. (Optional) Select any additional drives you wish to include in the backup.
10. Click the Next button.
11. Click the Start backup button.
12. When prompted, click No to skip creating a system repair disc.
• Quick note: You can use USB installation media to access recovery settings instead.
13. Finally, click the Close button.

Upon completion, the tool will generate a backup of your entire installation, encompassing programs, settings, and applications. You can now proceed to create a USB flash drive containing the installation files for the operating system.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-create-usb-recoverable-media-on-windows-11″>How to create USB recoverable media on Windows 11

To create a USB bootable media that allows access to the recovery environment on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Windows 11 download page.
2. Click the Download now button to save the file under the “Create Windows 11 Installation Media” section.
3. Double-click the MediaCreationTool.exe file to launch the tool.
4. Click the Accept button to agree to the terms.
5. (Optional) Deselect the “Use the recommended options for this PC” option.
6. Select the appropriate language and edition of Windows 11.
7. Click the Next button.
8. Choose the “USB flash drive” option.
9. Click the Next button.
10. Select the removable storage from the list.
• Quick tip: If your device is not listed, click the “Refresh drive list” option.
11. Click the Next button.
12. Click the Finish button.

After completing these steps, the tool will erase and create a recovery media that can be utilized to restore the system image backup onto the new drive.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-replace-the-drive-on-your-windows-11-computer”>How to replace the drive on your Windows 11 computer

With the backup and recovery media prepared, you can now proceed to replace the hard drive in your computer. The specific steps may vary depending on the device, so it is advisable to consult your computer manufacturer for tailored instructions. Generally, the process includes the following:

1. Power down the computer and disconnect any cables.
2. Remove the cover of the laptop or desktop computer.
3. Locate the hard drive, which may be a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid-State Drive (SSD), or NVM Express (NVMe).
4. Confirm how the drive is attached.

• Quick note: An HDD or SSD will have power and data cables, while an NVMe drive is typically secured directly to the motherboard in an M.2 slot.

5. Disconnect any data and power cables (if applicable).
6. Remove screws or use the latch to free the drive from the motherboard.
7. Take out the old hard drive.
8. Install the new hard drive.
9. Reconnect any necessary cables.
10. Close the computer case or laptop.

Once these steps are completed, the new drive will be installed but will not contain an operating system. You can now proceed to restore the previous installation onto the new drive.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-transfer-windows-11-installation-to-a-new-drive”>How to transfer Windows 11 installation to a new drive

To restore your previous installation from a system image backup, follow these steps:

1. Start the computer.
2. When prompted by the USB bootable drive, press any key to continue.

• Quick tip: If the computer does not initiate the Windows Setup wizard, you may need to access the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) to adjust the boot order settings. For specific details, consult your manufacturer’s support website.

3. On the “Windows Setup” page, click the Next button.
4. Click the Next button again.
5. Select the “Repair my PC” option.
6. Click the Next button.
7. Select the WinRE language (if applicable).
8. Click on Troubleshoot.
9. Click the “System Image Recovery” option.
10. Click on the Windows 11 operating system option.
11. Select the “Use the latest available system image” option.
12. Click the Next button.
13. Click the Next button again.
14. Click the Finish button.
15. Click the Yes button to confirm the deletion of the new drive.
16. Click the OK button to confirm that BitLocker has been disabled on the new drive (if applicable).
17. Click the Restart now button.

Upon completion, the tool will restore the old installation of Windows 11 onto the new hard drive. After the computer restarts, you will be prompted to create a new PIN for your account. Simply follow the on-screen instructions. If BitLocker was previously enabled, encryption will resume, requiring one additional restart to complete the process.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-reconfigure-partition-after-recovery-on-windows-11″>How to reconfigure partition after recovery on Windows 11

While the built-in backup tool facilitates the transfer of the Windows 11 installation to a new drive, it retains the same partition layout as the old drive. Consequently, if you have upgraded to a larger hard drive, you may find some unallocated space remaining. The recovery partition is typically configured at the end of the partition containing the operating system, making it impossible to extend the partition to utilize this unallocated space.

In such cases, you have two options: you can either create another partition to store files and specific applications or delete the recovery partition, expand the installation drive to utilize the unallocated space, and recreate the recovery partition.

Create a data partition

To create a partition with the remaining space, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Navigate to the Storage page on the right side.
4. Click on Advanced storage settings under the “Storage management” section.
5. Click the “Disks & volumes” setting.
6. Select the drive to create a new volume.
7. Select the Unallocated space, click the Create volume button, and choose the “Create Simple Volume” option.
8. Confirm a drive label in the “Label” field.
9. Select the drive letter from the “Drive letter” drop-down menu.
10. Select the NTFS option from the “File System” drop-down menu.
11. Click the Format button.

Upon completion, you will have a new drive available for storing files.

Expand the setup partition

If your goal is to increase the installation drive’s size using the unallocated space, you will need to delete the recovery partition, expand the Windows 11 setup drive, and recreate the recovery partition at the end of the drive. This process may seem daunting for many users. Therefore, a more practical approach would be to create a new partition for data storage using the unallocated space and then transfer your files to this new partition.

Should you choose to proceed with these instructions, it is advisable to create a full backup of your computer beforehand. Additionally, you will need to disable BitLocker by navigating to Settings > System > Privacy & security and toggling off the “Device Encryption” option.

To extend the setup partition on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command to disable the Windows Recovery Environment and move the “winre.wim” file from the “Recovery Partition” to the “Recovery” folder within the current Windows 11 installation, then press Enter: reagentc /disable
4. Type the following command to run the DiskPart tool and press Enter: diskpart
5. Type the following command to display the available disks and press Enter: list disk
6. Type the following command to select the system drive and press Enter: select disk 0
7. Type the following command to view the partitions on the drive and press Enter: list partition
8. Type the following command to select the current partition for recovery and press Enter: select partition X

In the command, replace “X” with the correct number for the Recovery Partition on your installation.

9. Type the following command to delete the recovery partition and press Enter: delete partition override
10. Open Start.
11. Search for Disk Management and select the top result to open the application.
12. Right-click the (C:) drive and select the “Extend volume” option.
13. Click the Next button.
14. Subtract “1024” MB (1GB) from the total amount of space to extend the main partition.
• Quick note: The 1GB of unallocated space will be reserved for the new Recovery Partition.
15. Click the Next button.
16. Click the Finish button.
17. In Command Prompt, type the following command to create a new partition for the recovery environment and press Enter: create partition primary
18. Type the following command to format the partition with the NTFS file system and press Enter: format fs=ntfs quick
19. Type the following command to designate the new partition as the Recovery Partition and press Enter: set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac override
20. Type the following command to set the attribute to prevent users from deleting this partition and press Enter: gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
21. Type the following command to exit from the DiskPart tool and press Enter: exit

Once you complete these steps, the new Recovery Partition will be created at the end of the drive, and the final command should confirm that WinRE is enabled. Lastly, remember to re-enable BitLocker by navigating to Settings > System > Privacy & security and toggling on the “Device Encryption” option.

More resources

For in-depth guides, troubleshooting tips, and the latest updates on Windows 11 and 10, explore our comprehensive resources.