Setting Up Linux on a New Laptop: Tips for File Transfer

If you’ve got an external USB backup drive and you regularly back up your files, that’ll definitely make things easier! You can pick up a nice external drive—like a 22TB USB3 HDD. For your new setup, just plug in your backup SSD and drag your files over. That way, you'll ensure all those important docs and photos make it to your new machine without a hitch!

Transferring your files like docs, videos, and music shouldn't be a problem—you can do that through your network or with hardware. But if you're thinking about moving programs, that’s a different story since programs written for Windows won't run on Linux without some kind of emulator. Some apps, like Microsoft Office or Adobe products, might not work well, so you'll want to find Linux alternatives that can get the job done for you.