One of the best features of Windows 10 and 8 is the ability to automatically synchronize settings, purchased apps and almost all system customizations . Synchronization means that this data is saved online on your Microsoft Windows account so that it is also recoverable from other computers.
In practical terms this synchronization allows not only to have the same data on every PC with Windows 10 and 8, but also to give a blow to the typical problem for which, when buying a new PC or reinstalling the old one, then all the settings and customizations had to be replaced.
Here we see how easy and convenient it is to activate the synchronization of settings in Windows 10 and how, in Windows 8.1 you can take advantage of Onedrive to save online almost everything that is in memory on your computer.
READ ALSO: Synchronize and upload folders in Onedrive
First of all, to make synchronization of settings and data work in Windows 10 and 8 there are two basic requirements, to log in to Windows with a Microsoft account and to have Windows 10 and 8 activated regularly with license.
Then log on to the computer using the Microsoft login username and password which also gives you access to Onedrive, a free 7 GB online space.
However, keep in mind that synchronization of settings is not counted within the limits of Onedrive.
Without therefore changing your username, open the settings of Windows 10 and 8 from the side menu that appears by moving the mouse to the right and then click on Change PC settings.
In the user section, switch to a Microsoft account and enter your username and password.
Once this is done, to access the synchronization settings in Windows 10, go back to Settings -> Accounts again and move to the Synchronize settings section.
In Windows 8.1 you must instead go first in the Onedrive section and then on Synchronize settings .
Here you will find some switches to configure including one to activate and deactivate synchronization in general and then all the settings that you want to save in your online profile, so you can keep them even when you change your computer.
You can synchronize:
- Themes : colors, screen background, lock screen, and Microsoft account image.
- Desktop customization: Windows themes, backgrounds and taskbar settings.
- Passwords stored in Internet Explorer, passwords used within applications, passwords for the home group or passwords used to connect to other computers or network devices.
- Accessibility: settings for support tools.
- Language preferences
- Application settings such as Mail, Music, Contacts etc.
- Browser: Edge settings, history, favorites etc. (in reality the synchronization of the Edge settings must be activated from the Edge itself, in its Settings section by pressing the button at the top right with three dots).
- Other Windows settings.
By default, Windows 10 synchronizes (on the internet) everything that has been activated, every time you change one of the settings.
If you are using a laptop or tablet, you can block synchronization for connections on consumption.
In Windows 10 and 8.1 the syncing options are all part of OneDrive .
You can then see the total storage space available in your account, with a link to purchase additional storage space.
The file box allows you to check the OneDrive settings and, above all, allows you to save computer files in Onedrive automatically, so as to always have a copy of the important files that you can also recover from other PCs or, in the future, from the new computer.
You can then save Windows document folders , photos and videos to OneDrive.
Photos are uploaded online, privately, automatically when saved to the Onedrive Photo Album folder.
These synchronization features might seem nothing special at first, but in reality they are fundamental.
Having most of the settings automatically synchronized becomes essential in the painless transition to a new computer, it makes it less important to have to make regular backups of the computer or important files and then, in theory, allows you to use any computer as if it were your own, every once you log in with your Microsoft account.
The Personal Computer is then transformed into a transfer tool between the user and his data saved online on the "cloud" cloud.
