How to Clone SSD to HDD Windows 10/11 (Keep All Files & Apps)

Nowadays, many users want to clone HDD to SSD for better performance, such as faster boot time and higher durability. However, this doesn't mean HDDs go out of data storage devices. Instead, HDDs are cheaper and allow you to have more storage space. Whether you plan to switch from SSD to HDD or create a backup of SSD on HDD, you can clone SSD to HDD. EaseUS will walk you through how to clone SSD to HDD Windows 10/11 without losing data.

Best SSD to HDD Clone Software Free Download for Windows

You can clone an SSD to an HDD on your Windows, but you must use professional SSD-to-HDD cloning software because Windows 10/11 does not have preinstalled cloning settings. Selecting the right software to clone SSD to a hard drive will save time and effort and avoid issues like boot or data loss. If you want a safe and reliable disk cloning program, EaseUs Disk Copy will never disappoint you.

Free Download

Windows 11/10/8/7

EaseUS Disk Copy is reliable and efficient cloning software that lets you clone HDDs or SSDs from different manufacturers. It lets you clone hard drives with different sizes, so you can clone a larger SSD to a smaller HDD or clone a larger HDD to a smaller SSD. If your original hard drives have bad sectors, it can help you copy a hard drive bit for bit to skip the bad sectors. With EaseUS cloning software, you can benefit from:

EaseUS clone software can help you clone a hard drive with 3 simple clicks due to its simple UI design. If you want a simple yet powerful cloning solution, download it on your PC and use it to clone disks.

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Stepwise Guide to Clone SSD to HDD Without Losing Data

After downloading the EaseUS Disk Copy, you can clone SSD to a hard disk drive. Some tips deserve your attention before cloning:

Before cloning:

• If your computer has only one slot, connect the target disk to your machine via a USB-to-SATA/NVMe adapter.
• If your computer has an extra slot, install the target disk into the empty slot properly, and make sure it is compatible.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Disk Copy and choose Disk Mode.

Install EaseUS Disk Copy cloning software on your Windows computer, then launch it and select Disk Mode from the left panel.

Step 2. Select the source drive.

Select the drive you want to copy, then click Select.

Step 3. Choose the target disk.

Choose the disk that you want to clone data to, and click Select. Note that the used space of the source disk should be less than the target disk capacity.

*At this step, you can also click the option "Save as an image file" to store your disk as a compressed image file, which can be restored without any data loss.

Step 4. Adjust disk layout.

Specify the target disk layout as your preference. You can choose among:

• Autofit the disk: makes some changes by default on the destination disk layout so that it can work at its best.
• Copy as the source: create a 1-to-1 copy of your source disk; the layout is the same as the source disk.
• Edit disk layout: allows you to manually resize/move the partition layout on this destination disk.

*If the target disk is an SSD, the option "Auto-alignment to 4K" will be checked automatically to optimize the performance of your SSD.

Step 5. Start cloning.

Click Proceed, and a message will appear, warning you that data will be lost. Confirm the message by clicking Continue.

Now, it will start executing the cloning task.

*The time it takes to clone a hard drive depends on how much data is on the source disk, and it will also be affected by the disk types, USB connection, etc.

If you want to use the HDD as your boot drive, you must replace the hard drive. If you use a desktop, you can install the HDD in the disk slot, restart your computer, and go to BIOS settings to set it as your first boot drive. After that, you can format the old SSD to use as your storage device.

If you use a laptop, you need to replace the hard drive manually: open the back case with a screwdriver, locate the old SSD and unplug the power cables and other wires, remove the old SSD from the disk tray, and install the HDD. After these steps, restart your laptop, which will boot from the HDD.

To Wrap Things Up

This article describes how to clone SSD to HDD on Windows 10/11 with everything you need to know. Using EaseUS Disk Copy, you can clone SSD to HDD with several simple clicks without losing data or reinstalling Windows. As one of the best disk cloning software, EaseUS Disk Copy has much to be pointed out. Free download it on your computer to explore its features and clone a hard drive.

Free Download

Windows 11/10/8/7

FAQs on How to Clone SSD to HDD on Windows 10/11

1. How long does it take to clone SSD to HDD?

The time to clone SSD to a hard disk drive depends. It will take longer if your original hard drive has a large amount of data. In addition, the disk cloning software you use and the connection cables will also affect the cloning speed.

2. How do I copy from SSD to HDD?

To copy files from SSD to HDD, you can manually copy and paste files. However, the manual procedure can only copy the basic files, not system files or programs. You'd better perform disk cloning if you want to transfer everything from your SSD to an HDD. To this end, EaseUS Disk Copy comes to help.

3. What's the best way to clone a drive with Windows 10?

Using EaseUS Disk Copy is the best and most effective way to clone a hard drive with Windows installed. You can also clone a hard drive for free using free disk cloning software like Clonezilla and Rescuezilla. 

4. How to move Windows 10 from HDD to SSD?

Cloning can help you migrate Windows from HDD to SSD without reinstalling Windows. All you need to do is find a reliable disk cloning tool to help you. You can also clean install Windows 10 onto the new SSD. To do this, you need to download the Windows 10 ISO file, use the Windows Media Creation Tool or Rufus to make a bootable USB, and then apply it to install Windows 10 on the new SSD.