Bought a new computer, and now all your photos, documents and files from the old one still need to come across? You can do that through the cloud, but that means creating an account, waiting for everything to upload, and sometimes buying extra storage once your free limit is full. There's a more direct route: take the drive out of your old computer, fit it into an external enclosure, connect that to your new computer and simply drag the files across, just like with a USB stick, except with the contents of your entire old computer on it.
Why not just use the cloud?
Nothing wrong with a cloud backup, but for a one-off move from a full old computer to a new one, it has a few practical downsides: you need an account, a stable internet connection to upload everything (with thousands of photos and videos, that can take a long time), and above a certain amount of storage, most cloud services require a subscription. An external enclosure is a one-off cost, works without an internet connection or account, and your files stay in your own hands instead of on someone else's server.
The idea in short
Every computer, laptop or desktop, has one somewhere inside: a hard drive or SSD where all your files live. Take it out and fit it into an external enclosure with a USB connection, and it behaves on your new computer like an external drive: you see all your folders and files straight away, with no installation needed. From there, you just drag over whatever you want to keep.
Step 1: can you remove the drive from your old computer?
- Desktop PC: almost always accessible. You open the side panel of the case with a few screws, and the drive sits loose, held by a couple of cables.
- Laptop: often possible through a small panel on the underside, but not always. Some recent, thin laptops (and most MacBooks from the last few years) have storage that's soldered directly to the motherboard. That can't be removed. Before you start, check whether your laptop model has a removable drive, for example with a quick search for your exact laptop model.
If your old computer still starts up normally and the drive is soldered in place, transferring files over a network or data cable is still an option (that's outside the scope of this article, which focuses on the route via a loose drive).
Step 2: what type of drive is it?
- 2.5-inch: flat and compact, almost always from a laptop.
- 3.5-inch: larger and heavier, almost always from a desktop PC.
- M.2: a narrow circuit board rather than a rectangular drive, increasingly common in newer, thin laptops. Not sure whether your laptop has an M.2 SSD? NVMe vs SATA M.2 SSD: what's the difference (and what do you need)? explains how to tell, and Turn an M.2 SSD into an external drive: step by step sets out the next steps for that drive type.
Still unsure about size, connection and speed in general? Which enclosure do I need for my old hard drive? walks through the full decision guide. Want to check a more detailed buying guide for M.2 SSD enclosures before you choose? "M.2 SSD enclosure buying guide: which one fits your drive and use?" lays out the options. Want to see the two sizes, 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch, compared in more detail, with price, speed and capacity in one table? "Hard drive enclosure: 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch, which size do you need?" lays them out for you. The rest of this article continues with a 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drive.
Step 3: remove the drive
- Turn off the old computer and unplug it from the mains, even for a laptop.
- Open the case with an ordinary screwdriver: on a desktop, usually the side panel; on a laptop, usually a small panel on the underside.
- Find the drive: a rectangular metal block, screwed in place and connected with one or two cables.
- Undo the screws and disconnect the cable(s). Keep the screws together: you won't need them for the new computer, but you will if you ever close up the old one again.
Step 4: fit the drive into the enclosure
- 2.5-inch drive: slides tool-free into the Switss 2.5" HDD/SSD enclosure: no tools needed, it just clicks into place.
- 3.5-inch drive: follow the included manual for the Switss 3.5"/2.5" HDD/SSD enclosure.
Then connect the included cable to your new computer. If you have a 3.5-inch drive, also connect the included power adapter. A 2.5-inch drive gets its power directly through the USB cable.
Step 5: copy the files
Wait a few seconds. On Windows, the drive appears in File Explorer; on macOS, on the desktop and in Finder, exactly like a USB stick does. Then copy the folders you want to keep (Documents, Pictures, Videos, Desktop, Downloads) to your new computer. With a lot of files, this can take a while: the 2.5" enclosure reaches up to 450 MB/s with an SSD and 100-180 MB/s with a hard drive; the 3.5"/2.5" enclosure reaches up to around 400 MB/s read with an SSD. A folder with a few thousand photos is usually done within a few minutes.
The drive doesn't appear, or your old computer no longer starts up
If the drive doesn't appear on its own, check Disk Management (Windows: right-click the Start button) or Disk Utility (macOS: Spotlight search). If the drive is listed but without a letter, assign one manually (that erases nothing). If you get a pop-up asking you to initialize the disk, click Cancel if it should still have files on it: initializing wipes the entire drive.
Did your old computer already fail to start before you began? That's usually not a problem: as long as the drive itself isn't broken, you can still just remove it and read it via the enclosure on your new computer, even if the rest of the old computer no longer works. Want a more detailed troubleshooting guide for reading a loose old drive? "Reading an old hard drive: how to view the files on a loose HDD or SSD" walks through that step by step.
What if you're giving away or reselling the old computer afterwards
Copying files erases nothing from the old drive: they simply stay there. If you're planning to give away, resell or hand in the old computer, it's a good idea to wipe the drive first. Simply deleting files isn't enough for that: it makes them invisible, but not necessarily unrecoverable. A thorough, secure wipe is outside the scope of this article. In any case, bear this in mind if you're leaving personal files on the old drive.
Bonus: you don't need to throw away the enclosure
Once you've transferred everything, you can just keep using the enclosure: with the old drive still in it as an extra backup, or empty and ready for the next time you want to transfer files. Want to know more about what you can do with an old 2.5-inch laptop drive as an external drive? Reusing an old 2.5-inch laptop drive as an external drive goes into that in more depth. Would you rather just replace the SSD in your current laptop instead of buying a whole new computer? "Replacing an SSD in your laptop: what do you do with the old drive?" answers exactly that question.
Frequently asked questions
Does this also work if my old computer is a laptop?
Yes, as long as the drive is removable. For most laptops, that's possible through a small panel on the underside; on some recent, thin models, the storage is soldered in place and it can't be done.
I have no technical experience: is this difficult?
It takes a screwdriver and some unhurried time, but no specialist knowledge: undoing screws, disconnecting the cable(s), fitting the drive into the enclosure, connecting it. If you're unsure about your specific computer model, look up how to reach the drive on that model before you start.
Will I accidentally erase files from my old computer?
No. Copying itself erases nothing: the files stay on the old drive, even after they're also on your new computer.
What if my old computer no longer starts up?
You can usually still remove the drive and read it via the enclosure on your new computer, as long as the drive itself isn't faulty.
Does a drive come with the enclosure?
No. Both enclosures are supplied without a drive: you fit your own drive from the old computer.
How much warranty do I get?
2-year manufacturer's warranty, with Dutch customer service.
Next step
Now know which type of drive your old computer has? Check the specifications and current price: Switss 2.5" HDD/SSD enclosure for a laptop, or Switss 3.5"/2.5" HDD/SSD enclosure for a desktop PC. Does your (newer) laptop have an M.2 SSD instead of a 2.5-inch drive? Check out the Switss M.2 SSD enclosure with heatsink (€18,99, checked 24 July 2026).
Assumptions
- The following passages are general, accurate technical knowledge about Windows/macOS,
not sourced from a Switss product page (those only give the generic FAQ about
preparing a new/empty drive, which is a different situation than an
existing drive with files already on it):
- that some recent, thin laptops (and most MacBooks from the last few years)
have storage that's soldered directly to the motherboard (in "Step 1: can you
remove the drive from your old computer?");
- the behaviour of File Explorer on Windows and the Desktop/Finder on macOS as soon as an external
drive is connected (in "Step 5: copy the files");
- the reference to Disk Management (Windows) and Disk Utility (macOS) and the
workings of the initialize dialog (in "The drive doesn't appear, or your old
computer no longer starts up");
- the note that simply deleting files makes them invisible but not necessarily
unrecoverable (in "What if you're giving away or reselling the old computer afterwards").
