I'm tasked with helping 20 users transfer their settings and preferences to new Windows 11 laptops, but I don't have admin privileges or the option to use any additional software. We're already using OneDrive for file backups and Exchange for email, but we can't use a Microsoft account for backing up user settings. I've started gathering key Registry Keys and the locations of preference files, but it's a bit challenging to find all the necessary information. I'm not interested in transferring installed programs or files, just their user settings like MS Office configurations, taskbar setups, and date/time formats. I found a PowerShell script that might help, but I'm hoping there's a straightforward solution from the community. Any suggestions on where specific applications save their preferences would be super helpful!
4 Answers
Honestly, there’s no easy built-in way to do it without admin rights or a Microsoft account sync. You're doing the right things—try exporting relevant registry keys and the AppDataRoaming folders with PowerShell, then dump them to OneDrive for import on the new laptop. The GitHub script you found is a good base; just tweak it for your users’ Office and Explorer settings. It's a task lots of people seem to tackle independently; you'll likely end up creating a mini tool for user settings!
Make sure to clearly communicate what you'll be transferring: Mail, contacts, calendars, desktop files, documents, and saved passwords/bookmarks in Edge. Most other settings should be configured via Group Policy or Intune, so users can enjoy a fresh start for anything else!
It would be great to invest in a professional backup solution instead of relying on OneDrive and Exchange. Your IT department should ideally have this in place, especially since it's often required for compliance. You might want to discuss this with management because handling this alone could complicate things for everyone in the future. IT needs to take responsibility for these migrations too!
Totally on board with this!
Check out this guide on Windows Backup—it could be a solid starting point for you: [Back up and restore with Windows Backup](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/back-up-and-restore-with-windows-backup-87a81f8a-78fa-456e-b521-ac0560e32338).
Mandated by law to backup workstations? Haha, I don't think that's a thing. Just make sure users save their work in designated spots like OneDrive. They can jot down specific preferences they want to keep.