The 5 Fastest Ways To Transfer Files From Pc To Pc

1. Using External Storage Devices

The oldest, simplest, and most common method of transferring files from one computer to another is with the help of external storage media, such as a USB. This method is not limited by the operating systems of the PCs. The procedure for this method is simple; connect the external storage media to your PC, copy the files you want to transfer to the other PC, paste them onto the device, disconnect the device, plug it into the other PC and move the files from the device to the PC’s storage. The speed of the file transfer is dependent upon the type of device you’re using and any intermediaries. So the external drive itself, its connector, the cable that connects it to a PC, and the port on the PC, all can affect the transfer speeds. If you’re plugging in a USB 3.0 drive into a USB 2.0 port, you’ll be capped by the max speeds of the USB 2.0 protocol, severely undermining the potential speeds of the drive. While portable HDDs offer good speeds, SSDs, being a more advanced technology, provide superior transfer speeds. Check out our advanced SSD buying guide for more info. In any case, be sure to use the USB 3.0 port for the best possible speeds. USB4 is the latest revision of the USB standard, but its infancy makes it quite rare to find one on any device. You can also transfer files using a SATA to USB connector if you have any spare SATA SSDs or HDDs. Once again, the speed of the transfer depends on how fast your SSD is and how fast the receiving PC will be. Even the fastest SATA device will top out at 600MB/s (megabytes, not bits) so be sure to pair it with the fastest converter you can find.

2. Using a USB Bridge

A USB bridge is a cable with a USB Type-A connections on both ends. Used for connecting 2 PCs together, it usually has its own software that must be installed on both PCs. This allows the connection between PCs to be established properly. This software may ship with the cable in the form of a CD or, in keeping up with the times, as a USB dongle. Usually though, it’s available on the internet to download. After installing the software and setting up the connection, you can simply transfer files between the systems as you would do between the PC’s own storage drives. The main disadvantages of this method are that the PCs need to be in close proximity and that the software may not be compatible with all operating systems. This method is much faster than using external storage media as the file transfer is direct. Most bridge cables are designed for high-speed transfers, but the brand you choose can have an impact. Again, use the USB 3.0 port on either device for the best possible speed.

3. Transferring files over LAN

For this method to work, both PCs need to be on the same local network, which means they need to connected to the same network via ethernet cables. Both ethernet cables should be connected to the (same) Wi-Fi router on one end and either PC on the other end. Once that’s ensured, follow these steps in Windows:

Setting up Static IP Addresses:

Similarly, this transfer method is also possible between two Mac devices.

4. Transferring Files over Wi-Fi

Transferring files over Wi-Fi is also a great method, as it can be done natively or through several third-party apps. These apps may be paid or free. Some great apps include SHAREit, FileFly, WiFi Transfer, etc. The native tool for transferring files over Wi-Fi is known as “Nearby sharing“. It requires Bluetooth along with Wi-Fi. You can check out our dedicated guide on how to turn it on in Windows 11. Otherwise, here’s how to transfer over Wi-Fi natively on a Windows PC:

This method also requires that the PCs be in close range. Additionally, a high-speed Internet is also preferred to ensure the fastest transfer, especially in the case of large files.

Cloud sharing is one of the best ways to transfer files from one PC to another, as it does not necessarily require the PCs to be near each other. The PCs can be countries apart, and still transfer files just fine. In fact, you can even enjoy PC games on Android using the cloud. Cloud sharing does require you to have a high-speed internet connection, with decent upload and download speeds. There are various cloud storage services such as Google Drive, MEGA, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc., that we can take advantage of to facilitate this method. Similarly, some browser-based file transfer services are also available. The best among them are Uppy, FilePizza, WeTransfer, amongst others. We recommend using Google Drive as it is user-friendly, secure and fast. Additionally, to ensure privacy, you can limit access to the files that you share. Regardless, here are some steps to share files through Google Drive:

Uploading the File:

Consequently, people can now access the files you uploaded and download them freely, any number of times and whenever they want. You can also keep the access restricted and add certain email addresses to only give them access to the files. In addition, we also have a detailed guide on how to transfer contents of Google Drive from one account to another with their ownership, if you need to do that. Keep in mind that Google Drive offers only 15GB of free space, but you can upgrade your storage by subscribing to a paid plan.