Making Tech Headlines · Page 4

Windows Migrates Its Migration Tool Into a Cloud Subscription Pitch

November 8, 2026 at 6:01 AM EST · New York time

Microsoft has removed Windows 11's PC-to-PC Migration feature, according to an updated support page cited by Ghacks. The feature moved files and settings directly between two computers over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Microsoft now points users toward Windows Backup, which uses OneDrive rather than a direct connection. Windows Backup requires a personal Microsoft account and backs up supported folders to OneDrive, including Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music. The route between an old PC and a new one therefore runs through cloud storage rather than simply across a local network. That change can alter the planning involved in a move. A household with a substantial collection of files must consider its available storage and connection, as well as which folders the backup supports. People preparing a replacement machine have reason to check where their files live before retiring the old one. Cloud backup has its own uses, but it is a different arrangement from sending data directly between two devices in the same room. Microsoft has not eliminated the need to move; it has changed the route. The two PCs can still sit side by side, politely watching their owner's files take the scenic route through OneDrive.

Satire. Not factual reporting. Read the original reporting from the linked publishers.