How do I transfer a lot of files quickly?

For large amounts of data, a fast external SSD or hard drive is usually quickest, since you are limited only by drive speed, not internet upload. For huge transfers, copying to a drive and physically moving it beats waiting on a network or cloud upload.

Can I transfer files without an internet connection?

Yes. An external drive needs no internet at all, and you can also connect two computers directly over a local network or a cable. Cloud and online methods need internet, but drive and local transfers do not.

How Do You Transfer Files Between Two Computers?

Q: What is the easiest way to transfer files between two computers?

For most people, an external drive is simplest: copy from one machine, plug into the other, copy across. For smaller amounts, cloud storage or a local network transfer works without any hardware. The best method depends on how much data and whether the computers are near each other.

Published: 31. August 2026

Live answer · Amazon.com

Pulling live prices…

Live data across PricePerGig listings. Prices may change; Updated every few hours.

📊 Stand 28. September 2026 liegt die typische HDD bei Amazon.de bei 176 €/TB bzw. 0,176 €/GB über die 2,996 von uns erfassten Live-Angebote, mit der größten Auswahl an Laufwerken um 46,3 €/TB bzw. 0,046 €/GB. Die besten Angebote bei Amazon.de beginnen bei etwa 324 € für 8TB (40,5 €/TB), 400 € für 14TB (28,6 €/TB) und 600 € für 20TB (30 €/TB). Das aktuell beste Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis bietet 16TB mit rund 28,1 € pro TB.

Sourced from real discussions on r/techsupport and r/buildapc, cross-checked against live PricePerGig listings.

Setting up a new computer, or just need to move a pile of files from one machine to another? There are a few easy ways, and the best one depends on how much data and how the computers are connected.

For most people, an external drive is the simplest and most reliable answer. Copy, unplug, plug in, copy. Done.

Let me run through the options so you pick the right one.

The table above shows the live price per TB on your marketplace for a drive that doubles as a transfer tool and a backup.

The simplest way: an external drive

Hard to beat for sheer reliability.

Copy your files onto an external drive from the first computer, unplug it, plug it into the second, and copy them across. No setup, no network fiddling, no internet needed.

This is the go-to for moving to a new computer or shifting a big batch of files. And the drive is not single-use, it becomes a backup drive afterwards, so the money is never wasted.

For large amounts of data, this is often the fastest method too, because you are limited only by drive speed.

For smaller amounts: cloud or network

If you only have a modest amount to move, you may not need a drive at all.

Cloud storage. Upload from one machine, download on the other. Easy, but limited by your internet speed, so painful for large transfers.
Local network transfer. If both computers are on the same network, you can share a folder and copy directly between them, no internet required.

These are handy for documents and photos. For huge libraries, they get slow, and a drive wins.

For huge transfers: the drive always wins

A simple truth worth remembering.

When you have a lot of data, copying to a drive and physically carrying it to the other computer beats waiting on an upload almost every time.

Internet upload speeds are usually far slower than a drive. So for terabytes of data, the humble external drive, walked across the room, is the fastest network there is.

A fast external SSD makes this quicker still, though a hard drive is cheaper for bulk.

Direct connection, no drive

One more option for the technically inclined.

You can connect two computers directly with a network cable, or use built-in migration tools when setting up a new machine. These copy everything across without any external drive.

Handy for a full computer move, though for one-off file batches, a drive is usually simpler.

The bottom line

The easiest way to transfer files between two computers is an external drive: copy, move, copy. It needs no internet, handles any amount of data, and becomes a backup afterwards.

For small amounts, cloud or local network sharing works without hardware. For large amounts, a drive beats them all. Grab a good value drive from the live prices above, and moving your files becomes a five minute job rather than an overnight uplod.

The simplest way: an external drive

For smaller amounts: cloud or network

For huge transfers: the drive always wins

Direct connection, no drive

The bottom line

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