Clone one laptop to install on a 2nd laptop

A lot depends on the specs of both pcs windows is good at finding new drivers but not 100% Second problem if you clone it then it may not activate and there may not be any drivers. 3rd thing is if the 10 is running in legacy mode and 11 will be in uefi secure tpm mode it can give problems.
Before you attempt anything you must activate 11 and take a full disk image in case it all goes belly up.
You want to change from the latest version of windows to one which will soon be out of support were there may be kno more drivers made and software may refuse to run.

We need a screenshot from both pcs diskmanager showing all details and pc specs of both in order to give best advice.

best advice is dont do it

Agunat said:

Best Buy told me that I could buy a copy of Windows 10 and they would install it. Does that sound good to go?

No. They are giving you bad advice.
Your Windows 11 licence is also a Windows 10 licence. You do not need to buy anything.
You can make a Windows 10 installation disk of your own [as we all do these days].

First, I urge you to make a system image of your computer with its Windows 11 OS as soon as you have activated it. Then you'll be protected against any problems during the Windows 10 installation.
And back up the drivers before starting anything else. That will save you time & effort.

There are TenForumsTutorials explaining what you need to do.
1 Download Windows 10 ISO File -TenForumsTutorials [one of them, the MS MCT tool, achieves both steps 1 & 2 in a single operation]
2 Create Bootable Installation USB - TenForumsTutorials
Then
3 Check that your activation is 'with a digital licence' as most of us have these days - Settings, Updates, Activation. If it is then you do not need to enter a Product key at any stage of the reinstallation [or, indeed, ever again].
4 Backup and Restore Device Drivers - TenForumsTutorials - This will save you time & effort after the reinstallation is complete [but is not compulsory].
5 Clean Install - TenForumsTutorials

Agunat said:

would that leave intact the apps and data that I have on the computer now?

No, everything on the disk will be overwritten.



Any questions?


All the best,
Denis

---

Welcome to TenForums.

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You already have a Windows 10-11 licence.
Don't buy another one.


Denis

I currently have an old laptop running Windows 10 and I bought a new laptop running Windows 11 last week. I would like to transfer all my information, including Windows 10 to the new laptop.

Your possible options: (caveats as above)

a. Clone and transfer your entire O/S, accounts, installed programs.
If both PCs use UEFI - the new one will- then this is relatively easy unless you run into driver problems of one sort or another.

There would be no need to buy another license.

-> Is your old laptop BIOS/MBR or UEFI/GPT?

- there's a tutorial to help you find out if you don't know.

If it uses legacy BIOS, then you CANNOT simply clone and put that disk into the new laptop.

b. If you wish to install Win 10 on the new laptop, this would be a clean install - and you'd start from scratch without programs, accounts etc. Again there's a possible issue with drivers but relatively minor.

No new license needed.

If you went that path you could then use 2 3rd party programs to transfer your user acounts and installed programs to that new build.

However please be aware that no new updates will be provided for Win 10 after Oct 2025.

Your question has already been comprehensively addressed.

I would rather buy Win 10 and have Best Buy install it if possible (at no charge with the service I have from them), I see a couple of Win 10s for sale on Amazon. One is offered for $49.99 and says it is: "Windows 10 Professional Compatible 32/64 DVD with Key Install, Recover, Restore, Repair DVD Plus Drivers Pack"

Another one for $59.99 says it is: "9th & Vine Compatible Windows 10 Home 32/64 bit USB With Key. Install, Upgrade, Recover, Repair and Restore Plus Windows Drivers USB. 2 Pack"

Don't do this

Look - if you want a free Win 10 install disk - see
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10

and create one for free.

Of course, niether mentions using it to "downgrade Windows 11"

Well it wouldn't.

Why? 'cos you can't 'downgrade' from Win 11 (keeping accounts, programs etc) unless you're reverting an upgrade you've recently done. i.e. the expectation that it would is meaningless

And once again... you don't need to buy another license.

And again is your old PC legacy BIOS or UEFI?

Would either one work for me? Is either preferable?

NO.