How to Transfer an Ubuntu User to a New Computer

To transfer an Ubuntu user, archive the old Home folder on an external drive, create an account on the new PC, and extract the archive into a staging folder. Copy personal files and selected settings from there. This transfers Home contents, not the Linux account, password, installed programs, or system settings. Keep the old PC and archive until you verify the new setup.

Ubuntu keeps user files in /home/your-username; many application preferences are in hidden .config and .local folders. See its backup guide for details.

Before you start

• Choose a drive with room for one archive; check its file-size limit if Home is large.
• The archive contains private data. Keep it secure or use an encrypted drive.
• Finish Ubuntu setup and create the account to keep. It can use a different username.

Transfer the Ubuntu user data

Step 1: Review the old Home folder

On the old PC, open Files and press Ctrl+H to reveal hidden items. Check Documents, Pictures, and custom folders. Hidden folders may contain app settings or credentials, so protect the archive. Close apps with open data, such as email clients, before copying.

Step 2: Connect and identify the external drive

Mount the drive and confirm it appears in Files. Replace USB_DRIVE with its folder name under /media/your-username. Leave it connected while archiving. Since Home is stored in one archive file, the drive itself need not preserve Linux permissions.

Step 3: Create the archive on the old computer

Run this in Terminal as your normal user. It compresses the current Home folder, including hidden files:

tar -czf "/media/$USER/USB_DRIVE/ubuntu-home-backup.tar.gz" -C "$HOME" .

Replace USB_DRIVE with the mounted folder name. Do not add sudo, which can make restored files belong to root. Large folders take longer. See the GNU tar manual for archive options.

Step 4: Check the archive before disconnecting

Confirm the archive appears on the drive and has a plausible size. Read through its contents with:

tar -tzf "/media/$USER/USB_DRIVE/ubuntu-home-backup.tar.gz" >/dev/null && echo "Archive readable"

If it reports an error, recreate the archive. If it succeeds, eject the drive in Files before unplugging it.

Step 5: Make a staging folder on the new computer

On the new PC, confirm the archive is present. Create an empty folder in Home and extract the archive there:

mkdir -p "$HOME/old-home-import"
tar -xzf "/media/$USER/USB_DRIVE/ubuntu-home-backup.tar.gz" -C "$HOME/old-home-import"

Use the same drive-path rule as before. The staging folder lets you inspect files without replacing the new account’s contents.

Step 6: Inspect the extracted files

Open old-home-import in Files. Press Ctrl+H to inspect hidden items. Confirm expected files are present; skip unknown folders and do not run old scripts or installers.

Step 7: Copy personal files into the new Home folder

Copy the folders you need—such as Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, Videos, Desktop, and custom folders—from staging to the matching locations in the new Home folder. In two Files windows, select items, press Ctrl+C, then Ctrl+V in the destination. If asked to replace a file, compare versions first to protect newer work.

Step 8: Reinstall apps and restore selected settings

Reinstall the apps you use, then copy only the needed per-app settings from old-home-import/.config or old-home-import/.local. Do not replace either whole folder; old preferences can conflict with newer apps or the new desktop. Use each app’s sync or export/import option when available. Treat .ssh and browser profiles as credentials. Installed programs and system settings in /etc are not included; set them up separately.

Open key files and apps, and confirm you can sign in. Keep the old PC and archive until these checks pass; then remove the staging folder and archive if no longer needed.