How to migrate user profiles and Office without losing anything

The problem is that Windows and Office don't exactly make it easy. Migrate profiles, accounts, and licensesThere are limitations depending on the type of Office license, differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11, local profiles versus domain profiles, and a host of other scenarios (Outlook POP3, corrupted accounts, domain changes in Active Directory, etc.) that, if not properly planned, can result in data loss or lost workdays reconfiguring everything.

Office licenses: what can and cannot be moved

Before touching anything, it's important to be clear What type of Office do you have and how is its license managed?because that will determine whether you can move it to another computer, user, or account.

In the one-time purchase versions (Office Home & Business, Home & Student, Professional, etc.) for Office 2016, 2019 or 2021, the general rule is that They can only be installed on a single PC or Mac.However, Microsoft allows you to transfer the license to another computer that you also own. That said, you can only make this one transfer. once every 90 days, unless there is an actual hardware failure (for example, the old PC has died).

Each time you move the software to another computer you will have to uninstall it from the previous computer And it is not permitted to keep working copies in parallel. That is, legally there can only be an active device with that license at the same time, even if you have managed to install it on more.

If you want someone else to manage and share Microsoft 365 Family, you need to wait until the current subscription period ends and then purchase a new subscription with the account that will become the new owner. There is no official method for "transferring" ownership immediately.

Migrate local profiles to a new Active Directory domain

In small environments, it is very common to move from team-based workgroups with local users administrators to a properly configured Active Directory domain. The challenge is that, when the user logs in with their new domain account, see the exact same desktop, programs, and settings that he had with his old local account.

If you find yourself in a typical scenario (for example, about 10 machines with Windows 10 or 11 Pro, with heavy-duty tools like SQL Server or Visual Studio (installed and highly customized), reinstalling or reconfiguring everything manually is not a realistic option. You need to move user data, application settings, and system settings from the local profile to the new domain profile on the same computer.

These migrations typically require specialized tools. One of the most commonly used in Active Directory scenarios is... User Profile Wizard (ProfWiz), which allows you to "assign" an existing (local) profile to a new domain account, so that the user, when logging in with their domain account, loads the same profile as before.

The typical process with ProfWiz is simple: you log in with a local administrator, run the wizard, You select the local source profileYou specify the destination domain and domain user, and let the tool do the rest. If the computer is not yet joined to the domain, you can select the option to Join Domain Directly from the wizard itself, enter domain administrator credentials and it will join the machine without any problems.

Once ProfWiz finishes, the computer restarts and you can log in with your domain account. If everything went well, you'll have your desktop, documents, and settings back in your local profile. They will appear intact under the domain accountIt's a very clean way to avoid having to copy folders manually and losing sensitive settings.

Backups and transfer of user profiles in Windows

When you get a new computer or do a clean install of Windows, it's common to feel like your familiar environment has disappeared. Your user profile brings together Wallpapers, shortcuts, personal folders, and system preferences that you've been refining over time. Losing everything and starting from scratch is a real drag.

The good news is that Windows offers several ways to back up and move profiles from one computer to another. They're not perfect, but used wisely they can save you a lot of work. There's also a long list of third-party tools that automate the process and add extra features (like moving programs).

Make a copy of the profile using Windows backups

Windows 10 still includes the classic module of Backup and Restore (Windows 7)which allows you to include user profile data in a copy. It's not the most modern method in the world, but it still works well for user folder backup and some settings.

The flow is: you enter Settings, section Updates and security > Backup Then click on the option to open “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” in the Control Panel. From there, choose Set up backups, you select the destination (external disk, network drive, etc.) and continue.

In the step that asks what you want to include in the copy, you should check Let me choose To refine, select the user folders you're interested in, and if you only want profile data, uncheck the box at the bottom that says Include a system image of the unitsThis way you won't create a full disk image, but only a file backup.

After reviewing and confirming the summary, a copy of the user profile data is created in the chosen location. This backup can then be used for restore the profile on the same computer or to move it to another PC with the same version of Windows, largely respecting the personal folder structure.

Copy profiles from the Advanced System Settings

Another historical Windows option is to use the section of User Profiles in the advanced system settings. It's not as powerful as a full migration tool, but it allows you to copy the contents of one profile to another location.

Access is the classic method: right-click on “This PC”, properties, link to Advanced System Settings On the left side, within the "Advanced Options" tab, click the "Settings" button in the User Profiles block.

In the window that opens, you'll see the different profiles defined on the machine. Choose the one you want to back up and press [button name]. Copy to ... To select the destination folder, Windows will copy the profile contents (user folders and some settings) to the specified location, making it ready for reuse or saving as a backup.

Transferring user and data in Windows 11

With Windows 11, Microsoft has slightly changed its philosophy. Instead of insisting on classic backup tools, it promotes... synchronization through your Microsoft account and manually copying the user folder. This has limitations, but it's the official approach.

On the new PC you must log in with the same Microsoft email address that you used on your old computer. This allows you to recover some of the customization (themes, background, language, some passwords, etc.) associated with the account.

At the same time, on the old computer, go to File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\your-usernameFrom there, copy the contents of your user folder (Documents, Pictures, Desktop, Downloads, etc.) and transfer it to the new computer by any means you want: USB drive, network, even email if the volume is not huge.

On the new PC, paste that data. on the same user path under the equivalent account. This helps make your new profile look quite similar to the old one. Microsoft does warn, however, that Not all components are migratedSome system files and deep settings are left out.

There are important details that this method does not capture: the installed applications Some advanced settings and many drivers may need to be downloaded again (for example, from the Microsoft Store), and errors may occur when copying special files; usually, simply pressing "Skip" is enough to continue.

What is not transferred using the manual method

Manually migrating the user folder does not copy everything. Some system components are sensitive and require additional steps. specific management or reinstallation:

• The third-party applications (Adobe, editing suites, games, specialized software) must be reinstalled on the new computer; simply copying folders is usually not enough.
• The licenses and activations Software that depends on hardware (much professional software and some games) may need to be disabled on the old computer or you may need to contact the manufacturer's support.
• Los device drivers The files from the previous PC are not copied, and in many cases they would not even be compatible with the new hardware.
• Some advanced program settings and local game profiles do not carry over if they are outside of typical user folders.
• The VPN, security certificates and passwords Data stored locally on the system is lost if it is not explicitly exported.

Free tools for migrating profiles between PCs

If you don't want to do everything manually, there are several applications created specifically for that. Copy user profiles between computers or Windows installationsMost people create a file with the profile data and then restore it on the new PC.

User Profile Wizard (ProfWiz)

User Profile Wizard is one of the best-known solutions for reassigning or transferring profiles. It has a The free version is sufficient for many home or small office scenarios, and paid editions with advanced features.

The beauty of ProfWiz is that it can Migrate an existing user profile to another account (for example, from a local user to a domain user) without losing settings. In its commercial versions, it also allows you to save migration templates, migrate multiple computers to an Active Directory domain at once, change profile names, manage VPNs, etc.

The basic usage sequence is simple: you open ProfWiz with a local administrator session, choose the profile you want to migrate, and mark whether it will go to a domain or a local computer and select the destination account. Optionally, you can specify whether you want to disable or delete the original account.

Then you define that the new profile is the default loginYou launch the migration and wait for the automatic process to finish. This may take several minutes depending on the amount of data. Once finished, the tool restarts the computer, and the user can then log in with their new account while keeping their old profile.

Internally, what it does is join the computer to the domain (if applicable) and Link the new user's SID to the existing profileso that Windows loads that same profile for the domain user, instead of creating a new blank one.

Transvis

Another very popular alternative is TransvisIt is also free for individual use. It is designed to create a compressed copy of user profile and restore it on another machine or in a clean reinstallation of Windows.

Its interface is quite simple, designed so that anyone can export their profile without too much trouble. When you open it, you choose the option "I want to transfer data to another computer," then select the profile to exportYou assign a name to the copy file and the location where it will be saved.

The system allows you to protect that copy with a encryption passwordThis is highly recommended if you're going to move the file on a USB drive or over the network. Then you just have to wait for the process to finish; the time will depend on the size of the profile.

On the new PC, reinstall Transwiz, transfer the backup file, choose the option "I have data I want to transfer to this computer," and select the file. Enter the password, choose the destination user account on which you want to restore the profile and you can even assign a new name.

Once you click Next, the tool will import data and settings. This may take a while if the profile is large. When finished, it will ask you to restart, and when you log back in, you'll have Your session is configured almost the same as on the old computer..

AOMEI Backupper

AOMEI Backupper is primarily a solution for backup and syncHowever, it can be used to transfer user profiles between computers by synchronizing folders.

It offers a free version and paid editions (personal PC, business, unlimited licenses), and works with older systems like Windows 2000, XP, and 7 up to current versions. Its added value is that it's not just for one-off migrations: it also helps with protect data with scheduled backups (daily, weekly or monthly) of files, system, disks and partitions.

To move profiles, you usually first create an environment with two teams (origin and destination) and a shared folder on the network or NAS. Then, from AOMEI on the source, select the "Synchronize" option and, within that, the basic synchronization, adding the paths of the folders as source folders. user profiles to migrate.

Next, select the previously created network share or NAS as the destination. Once the paths and options are configured, initiate the synchronization process so that the profiles are copied to the share.

On the target computer, simply point the reverse synchronization (or folder restoration) from that shared resource to the corresponding user paths in Windows. This makes AOMEI a reliable method for transfer profiles and keep them synchronized if required.

Other PC-to-PC migration solutions

In addition to profile-focused tools, there are programs designed to perform a complete migration from one PC to anotherincluding not only the user profile, but also applications, licenses, and deeper configurations.

PCmover Express

PCmover Express is a classic Windows migration tool. It's designed for moving files from one computer to another. files, settings and user profiles on systems from Windows XP and Vista to Windows 11.

It's currently a paid solution, although for years it had free versions sponsored by Microsoft. Its main strength is its assistant. guides the process step by stepmaking the experience quite user-friendly even for non-technical users.

To use it, install it on both computers, close everything that is running, disable power-saving options and scheduled tasks that may interrupt the process, and ensure that both computers are connected to the same network (or linked by a direct cable).

From there, the application detects the other device, displays what will be transferred, and initiates the migration. The user simply selects the desired options, and the software moves the selected items: from personal folders to user settings, depending on the user's license.

EaseUS All PCTrans

EaseUS Todo PCTrans is another very popular utility for moving data and user accounts between different versions of Windows. It has free version with limited features and more complete paid editions, and supports migrations between Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, even between different versions.

One of its advantages is the flexibility in the transfer method: you can create a image file whatever you want to move or work with directly via networkwhich is usually more convenient if both teams are on the same LAN.

The typical procedure is to install the tool on both PCs, connect them to the same network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and on the source computer, select the "PC to PC" option. Then, indicate whether that computer is the "old PC" and search for the destination, either by automatically detecting it via IP address or by adding it manually.

To connect, enter the user credentials of the destination device and, once paired, choose from the menu what do you want to transferUser accounts, settings, personal data, etc. By clicking on "Transfer", the application moves the selected items, rebuilding users and settings on the new device with minimal effort.

Use Zinstall WinWin to migrate Office 365 and other programs

When the goal is to clone not only the profile, but also Full Office 365 suite with Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other programsOne interesting option is Zinstall WinWin. It's designed to move software and data as a single unit.

With this system, the transfer includes applications, settings, documents, emails, Outlook accounts, PST files, presentations, spreadsheets, and other dataYou can even drag other non-Office-related programs, leaving them fully functional as before.

One strong point is that it can also handle migrate keys and serial numbers Office 365 licenses present on the old computer, provided the license is valid and passes subsequent validation. This is very useful when you don't remember the serial number or don't have the original installation media.

The usage is relatively straightforward: download Zinstall WinWin on both machines, run it on the new PC and let it automatically detect the old computer over the network (if they share a router or connection, no extra configuration is needed; otherwise, simply connect them to the same network or link them by cable).

If you want to fine-tune what gets migrated, you can open the advanced menu and select specific applications and filesIf you prefer the easy option, you can let the program transfer everything. Once you click "Go" on the new computer, the process will begin, and after a variable amount of time depending on the amount of data, you'll have Office 365 and the rest of your software up and running on the new PC.

USMT (User State Migration Tool) for corporate environments

In medium and large organizations, Microsoft recommends using USMT (User State Migration Tool), a set of command-line tools designed to automate the migration of user status and application settings during massive Windows deployments.

USMT is based on two key executables: ScanState.exe, which captures user data and settings on the source computer, and LoadState.exeThis restores that data to the destination computer. The behavior is controlled by XML files such as MigDocs.xml and MigApp.xml, which define which documents and applications are migrated.

By default, the tool is designed to migrate all system usersHowever, it also allows for very fine filtering using command-line parameters. Users cannot be defined in the XML files; only options like /ui (include) and /ue (exclude) in the commands can be used.

A simple example would be migrating all accounts and settings to the new machine. On the source machine, as an administrator, you would run a ScanState on a shared network store; on the destination machine, using LoadState, you would restore the data from that same store. This is a very useful model in standardized deployments with system images.

USMT also supports more complex scenarios, such as moving specific accounts from one domain to another (for example, from Contoso to Fabrikam) using /mu parameters, allowing you to maintain consistent identities after domain changes or mergers.

Outlook: Move profiles, PST files, and settings between computers

Outlook is by far one of the most delicate parts of any migration. Simply copying a couple of folders isn't enough: you need to understand it. the account type (IMAP or POP3), the PST/OST files, and where Outlook stores its settings.

With IMAP accounts, email is kept synchronized with the server, so almost always it's enough to reconfigure the account in the new installation so that everything downloads again. You don't usually need to transfer the OST files unless you're using local folders.

With POP3 accounts, it's a different story: downloaded email usually only stays on the PC and is sometimes deleted from the server once received. If you set up a POP3 account from scratch on a new computer without transferring its PST files or without properly configuring the retention options on the server, You run the risk of losing years of mail.

The prudent strategy is to start by making one updated copy of the PST fileMake sure all folders are synchronized, or if it's a POP file, that nothing recent is missing. This PST file contains emails, calendars, contacts, and other items, but it doesn't include account settings (servers, ports, etc.), which are stored in the Outlook profile and the Windows registry.

In some advanced cases, you can export the entire Outlook profile from the Windows Registry and then import it into a new installation. The paths vary depending on the version: for Outlook 2010, under Windows Messaging Subsystem; for Outlook 2013, in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook\Profiles; for Outlook 2016 and 2019, in the 16.0 branch, and so on.

The procedure would be to locate the appropriate Profiles key, export it to a .reg file From the source computer, copy that file to the new system (where Office/Outlook must already be installed), open regedit on the new computer, navigate to the corresponding Profiles directory, and import the file. This will recover account definitions, data paths, and many preferences.

Passwords are not included in that profile, so you will have to reinsert them Keep them handy, which means storing them securely in a password manager or another safe location. There are utilities for recovering passwords stored on older computers, but using them carries security risks and is always at your own risk.

Fix and recover corrupted user profiles in Windows

Another common situation is encountering an error message when logging into Windows 10 or 11. The user profile is not loading.This indicates that the profile may be corrupted, affecting settings, preferences, and data linked to that account.

Before taking drastic measures, it's advisable to try to recover the damaged profile. The usual approach is to start the system in safe mode or log in with another account with administrator privileges to be able to work from a stable environment.

One way to recover a broken profile is to manually edit the Windows registry in the branch HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileListEach subkey represents a user account, identifiable by the ProfileImagePath value, where the path and username are displayed.

Once the entry corresponding to the problematic profile has been identified, the value is reviewed. State and it is set to 0, and the existence of is checked RefCountIf it doesn't exist, a DWORD value named RefCount is created and also set to 0. After closing regedit and restarting, in many cases Windows reloads the profile correctly.

If we prefer not to touch the registry, or if the trick doesn't work, the alternative is to create a new user account (local or Microsoft) and then manually copy the data from the corrupted profile to the new one (Documents, Desktop, etc.). It's slower and more cumbersome, but it's usually safer for those who aren't comfortable editing the registry.

What does a user profile include and why does it matter in migration?

A user profile is not just a folder of documents. It encompasses Personal folders (Documents, Pictures, Downloads, Desktop), desktop settings, application preferences, user-associated registry keys, and sensitive data such as certain passwords and certificates.

When you migrate a profile, you are essentially trying to rebuild the user experience as it was beforeThis includes how applications and the operating system behave. Without a good plan, it's easy for users to miss custom views, templates, email signatures, or program settings that aren't immediately obvious.

On the other hand, it's important to remember that, although many tools copy data and settings, Installed programs and some parts of the system are not usually migrated.This means that, after the migration, it is necessary to check that key applications are reinstalled and correctly configured, especially in professional environments where a configuration failure can impact productivity.

When planning a PC move, domain migration, or hard drive replacement, understanding what can be moved, what needs to be reinstalled, and what needs to be configured from scratch is key to minimizing surprises and headaches. Using the right tools, respecting Office license limitations, and making backups beforehand makes the process much smoother and safer for your data. Also, if you're getting rid of the old equipment, remember securely erase data before handing it over.