How to Move Apps to a New SSD on Windows 11/10? [2024 Guide]

Just got a new SSD? We'll help you move your apps over to it.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) have transformed the storage landscape. When they first appeared, SSDs were 10-15 times faster than hard-disk drives (HDDs). Today, if your computer has an NVMe SSD, it can be 25-35 times faster.

So, if you've recently upgraded to an SSD, you might want to move your important files and apps over to the new storage. But can you move already installed apps to the new SSD? And if so, how?

In this article, from Toolswatch, we will discuss the possibility of moving an application to a new SSD. So, let's dive right in.

Chinese translation into English refers to the process of converting Chinese text into English. This can be done through human translation, translation software, or online translation tools. For example, the Chinese sentence "那只敏捷的棕色狐狸跳过那只懒狗." translates to "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." in English.

Can I move my apps to the new SSD?

The short answer is yes – you can move your applications to the new SSD. However, some applications are self-contained within their own folders, meaning they include all the necessary data and configurations within them. As such, merely copying these folders to another storage device can facilitate their migration.

However, some application files are scattered around. Configuration files may be in Documents, System32, AppData, user data, and so on. Still, it's worth moving these apps because there are benefits to relocating them, especially to a new SSD:

These are some of the reasons you might want to move an app to a new SSD. It can speed up your entire PC, and it can make a particular app run better – for example, some games don't perform as well on a hard drive as they do on an SSD.

This is also true for productivity apps like Adobe, so moving the app to a new SSD will significantly boost its performance. Additionally, it will improve your PC's overall performance since the pressure on your C drive (main partition) will be reduced.

This is why it's a good idea to get a new SSD as soon as possible and move your apps to it to save storage space and speed up both your applications and your computer.

Erase the new SSD before setting it up with the mobile app

Before migrating apps, you need to set up the new SSD on your device. Depending on the type of SSD (like SATA SSD or NVMe SSD), you'll need to install it inside your computer. So, make sure you have it properly set up for NVMe.

So the first step is to buy an SSD and install it in your computer. Once that's done, you'll need to:

1. #1. Initialize the SSD with Disk Management
2. #2. Create a Partition on the New SSD (Optional)

Here's how to initialize an SSD using Disk Management:

#1. Initialize SSD with Disk Management

Step 1: Type “Disk Management” in the Start menu and open it.

Open Disk Management.

Step 2: Find your new SSD (the disk with the arrow).

Step 3: Right-click the new disk and select “Initialize Disk.”

Step 4. Choose the partitioning style (we recommend using GPT, as it's the best fit for modern motherboards).

This will initialize the disk and get your SSD up and running. The next step is to create one partition or multiple partitions, depending on your preference, which you can do as follows:

Step 2: Create partitions on the new SSD (optional)

Step 1: Right-click on the new unallocated space and select “New Simple Volume…” and then click “Next” when prompted.

Step 2: Choose the "Simple volume size in MB," such as "250000" for a 250 GB partition, and click "Next." If you do not wish to create a partition, click "Next" here instead.

Step 3: Now, assign a Drive letter to the drive or keep the default setting.

Step 4: Next, under Format Options, choose the “File System,” and then rename the disk “Backup” or any volume label of your preference.

Step 5: Click “Quick Format” and then click “Next.”

Step 6: Wait for the formatting to complete.

Create Partition

This will create one or more partitions based on your preferences. When it's done, you can view the new SSD in File Explorer. To move apps and files to this drive, proceed to the next step.

"Guide to Moving Applications to a New SSD in Windows 11/10"

As mentioned, some app types let you copy and paste folders to a new device. However, it can be difficult to tell which apps allow this. In addition, you may run into problems with apps not starting or functioning correctly after a manual transfer.

That's why we recommend using a reliable third-party tool like Todo PCTrans instead of doing it manually. This utility transfers applications along with their associated data (licenses, registry entries, user data, etc.) to the new SSD.

After downloading, refer to the following for how to move your apps to the new SSD:

Step 1: Connect the new SSD or HDD to your computer and run the Todo PCTrans tool.

1. Connect the new SSD or HDD to your computer and initialize it so that the drive can be accessed.

2. On the main screen of Todo PCTrans, click on “App Migration,” and then click “Start” to proceed.

Select the transfer mode

Step 2: Select the applications and programs on the source disk, and choose the SSD or HDD as the target disk to transfer to

1. On the source partition where you have your apps installed, select the programs you want to move to the SSD or HDD (marked as “Yes”).

2. Click the triangle icon to select your new SSD or HDD as the destination, then click “Migrate” to move the selected programs.

Select the apps to transfer

Step 3: Wait for the transfer to complete

When finished, click OK to complete the operation.

Then you can restart your computer to keep all the changes, and run the migration tool again on your new SSD or HDD.

This excellent migration tool lets you effortlessly move your files to a new location or storage device without doing it manually. It can transfer profiles, settings, and entire applications to another device in just minutes. But why use it? Here are a few reasons:

• It aims to assist you in transferring files from one PC to another
• It can help you migrate programs and software between HDD and SSD
• It will facilitate transferring all your applications to a new Windows 11 PC
• It is very user-friendly and offers a straightforward app migration feature
• It helps you free up C drive space by moving multiple or bulk applications at once

If you find this page helpful and useful, please share it on social media!

Final Judgment

Alright, guys, that's it for moving your apps and files to the new SSD. Just make sure you get an SSD that's compatible with your motherboard and Windows version. And once you do that, you can use tools like Todo PCTrans, because they make the migration process so much easier.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Moving Apps to a New SSD

If you're looking for more answers, you can find them here.

How to Move Installed Programs to Another Drive in Windows 11/10?

Windows 10/11 includes a feature that allows you to move installed programs to another drive. Here's how to do it: 1. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the File Explorer icon in your Taskbar or press the `Win + E` keys. 2. **Navigate to the Program Files folder**: In the left pane, go to "This PC" or "Computer" and then locate and open the drive where your programs are currently installed, usually the C: drive. Inside, find the "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)" folder. 3. **Right-click on the program**: Inside the "Program Files" folder, locate the folder of the program you want to move. Right-click on it and select "Properties." 4. **Access the "Location" tab**: In the Properties dialog box, click on the "Location" tab if it's available. If not, this method might not be supported for that specific program. 5. **Click "Move":** If the "Location" tab is present, click on the "Move" button. A file picker window will appear. 6. **Select the target drive**: Navigate to the new drive where you want to move the program, for example, D: drive, and choose an appropriate folder or create a new one. Click "Select Folder" to initiate the move process. 7. **Wait for the process to complete**: Windows will now start moving the program files to the new location. This may take some time depending on the size of the program. 8. **Recreate shortcuts**: After the move is complete, you may need to recreate shortcuts to the program on your desktop or Start menu, as the original ones may become invalid. Please note that not all applications support being moved in this manner. Some programs have dependencies on their installation location, and moving them might cause issues. It's always recommended to check the software's documentation or consult the developer before attempting to move an application manually.

1. Press the Windows key + I to open Settings. 2. Go to "Apps" and then "Apps & features." 3. Select the app you want to move. 4. If available, click on the "Move" button. 5. Complete the process by following the prompts.

If this option isn't available for the app you want to move, you'll need to use a third-party tool, such as Todo PCTrans.

2: How to Move Apps to External Storage on Windows 11?

You can locate and copy the folder of your application to an external hard drive, but to ensure that all necessary files and settings迁移 over, it's best to use a reliable app migration tool like Todo PCTrans.

How to move an application from one SSD to another?

The process remains the same, no matter the storage type. Even the initialization and partitioning process is the same. Thus, once the new SSD is installed, you can either copy and paste it, move apps with the Windows Settings, or try third-party tools like Todo PCTrans.

< strong > 4: Will switching to an SSD delete everything?

Nothing will be lost unless you format or delete the partition. If you have a new SSD, you could use a tool like Todo PCTrans to move your files from the old SSD to the new one.