Wausau Tech Support Resource Center
Photo & File Transfer Planner
Moving photos and files to a new device? Plan what you need to move and how, before you start.
Backup first, always. Before moving or deleting anything, make sure your files exist in at least two places (for example, the old device and a cloud account, or the old device and an external drive) until you've fully confirmed everything arrived safely on the new one.
Choose Your Situation
Old computer → new computer
If both are the same platform (Windows to Windows, or Mac to Mac), built-in transfer tools (Windows's transfer settings, or Mac's Migration Assistant) can move files, and sometimes even apps and settings, directly between them, typically over a cable or shared Wi-Fi network. If you're switching platforms (Windows to Mac or the reverse), cloud storage or an external drive is usually the more reliable path — apps and settings generally don't transfer between platforms, only files.
Old phone → new phone (same platform)
iPhone to iPhone: sign in with the same Apple ID and restore from an iCloud or computer backup during setup. Android to Android: sign in with the same Google account during setup and most photos, contacts, and apps restore automatically.
Old phone → new phone (switching between iPhone and Android)
Both Apple and Google offer a one-time "switch" tool (Apple's "Move to iOS," or Google's data-transfer tool) that moves contacts, photos, and messages during setup. It works well for the basics; purchased apps generally don't carry over between platforms and need to be re-downloaded from the new platform's store.
Phone or computer → external hard drive
Good for a complete offline backup, especially of a large photo library. Copy files over using a cable connection (or a card reader, if your photos are on an SD card), then verify a sample of the files actually opens correctly from the drive before deleting anything from the original device.
Moving files to the cloud (Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive)
Cloud storage keeps a copy safe even if a device is lost, stolen, or damaged, and makes files reachable from any device. The trade-off is it depends on having a decent internet connection to upload everything the first time, which can take a while for a large photo library.
Backup-First Checklist
- 1. Identify every place your files currently live (one device? scattered across two or three?).
- 2. Pick a destination (new device, cloud account, or external drive) before starting.
- 3. Copy — don't move or delete yet.
- 4. Spot-check a handful of photos and documents open correctly on the destination.
- 5. Only after confirming everything transferred, consider clearing the old device.
Have a lot to move, or an older device that's hard to access? Book Photos & Files Transfer and we'll handle the whole process and confirm everything arrived safely.
Ready for a Real Person to Take Care of This?
Photos, Files & Data Transfer is a flat $149.00 home visit, 90 minutes. A friendly local technician comes to you.
New customers can check if they qualify for $19.00 off their first visit (code FIXIT19) during booking.
Written and reviewed by the Wausau Tech Support team. Last reviewed September 21, 2026. This guide offers general, plain-language information — it is not professional cybersecurity, legal or financial advice. When in doubt about a specific situation, call us directly.