Transfer everything from old computer to new computer with Windows 11
Transfer programs and files to new computer
Transfer files from one computer to another
Research data: Windows and migration statistics
Transfer Microsoft Office to new computer
Restore programs and files from a broken or dead computer
Transfer directly from an old hard drive
Transfer to new computer using a USB hard drive
Corporate Windows 11 migration
User Profile Migration to new PC / new domain
How To Migrate Local Profiles to Azure AD
Migration to Server 2019 / 2016
Transfer everything from old computer to new computer with Windows 11
Transfer programs and files to new computer
Transfer files from one computer to another
Research data: Windows and migration statistics
Transfer Microsoft Office to new computer
Restore programs and files from a broken or dead computer
Transfer directly from an old hard drive
Transfer to new computer using a USB hard drive
Corporate Windows 11 migration
User Profile Migration to new PC / new domain
How To Migrate Local Profiles to Azure AD
Migration to Server 2019 / 2016
Transfer programs and files to new computer
Transfer files from one computer to another
Transfer Microsoft Office to new computer
Restore programs and files from a broken or dead computer
Transfer directly from an old hard drive
Transfer to new computer using a USB hard drive
Move To New PC - Compare Options
Migration Kit Pro - Advanced Transfer
Transfer programs and files to new computer
Transfer files from one computer to another
Transfer Microsoft Office to new computer
Restore programs and files from a broken or dead computer
Transfer directly from an old hard drive
Transfer to new computer using a USB hard drive
Updated June 2026 · 2 minute read
USMT: How to Use Microsoft’s User State Migration Tool – and Its Limits
USMT (User State Migration Tool) is Microsoft’s command-line tool for migrating user profiles, files and OS settings from one Windows computer to another. It is aimed at IT departments doing volume deployments – and it is powerful, but it has real limits. Here is how it works, and what to use when it is not enough.
How USMT works
- Download USMT as part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK).
- On the old computer, run ScanState to capture the user state (profiles, files, settings) into a migration store, controlled by XML configuration files (MigApp.xml, MigDocs.xml, MigUser.xml).
- On the new computer, run LoadState to apply the captured state.
- Customize the XML files for anything non-standard you need included or excluded.
What USMT does not migrate
- Applications. USMT migrates some application settings – but not the applications themselves. Every program must be reinstalled on the new computer first, with the right version, or its settings are discarded.
- Local printers, drivers and hardware-related settings.
- Passwords for some applications and network shares.
It is also command-line only, with no progress UI, and the XML configuration takes real time to get right. For a handful of machines, that overhead is usually bigger than the migration itself.
The alternative: migrate applications, profiles and files together
To migrate the whole user environment – applications included – use Zinstall Migration Kit Pro. It transfers the applications themselves, along with profiles, settings, personalization and all files – no reinstalls, no XML authoring, no command line.
It handles the scenarios USMT is typically used for: new PC, new Windows version, domain changes – and the ones USMT can’t, like recovering the environment from an old hard drive.
(or contact us for more info and volume discounts).
Video tutorial – user profile migration to a new PC
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