What to Do After Installing a New SSD?

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Larissa· Answered on Jan 21, 2026

It is common that people to upgrade their HDD with an SSD. But the hard drive upgrading isn't as simple as replacing HDD with SSD, as it involves many necessary steps you should take. Here are the lists of what to do after installing a new SSD.

Step 1. Verify drive detection

First of all, you should check if your computer can recognize the SSD. Access the BIOS/UEFI settings to confirm that the drive is properly detected.

Step 2. Clone Windows OS to SSD

SSD ensures a smooth and fast computer performance. If you plan to run your Windows operating system on the new SSD, you can clone the operating system from the original hard drive/SSD to the new SSD. 

EaseUS Disk Copy is an excellent disk cloning tool with advanced cloning options. You can use it to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD without reinstalling OS, and you won't lose any data by creating an exact copy of your hard disk.

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Windows 11/10/8/7

• Download and launch EaseUS Disk Copy on your computer, and choose Disk Mode.
• Select the old hard drive as the source disk, and click Next.
• Select the new SSD as the target or destination disk, and click Next.
• Confirm the notification that the cloning will erase the SSD.
• Review the SSD layout, and click OK. (EaseUS Disk Copy will automatically allocate the partition style, and notify you if the storage isn't enough.)
• Click Proceed to start cloning.

Step 3. Set SSD as the primary boot disk.

Make sure your SSD is set as the primary boot device in the BIOS/UEFI settings. This ensures that your operating system boots faster and that you can access it more quickly.

Step 4. Format old drive (optional)

If you still have your prior storage drive, you can format it to delete the operating system and other unwanted items. This will save up storage space while also possibly improving overall system performance.

Step 5. Install necessary drivers and software

Check that you have the most recent drivers for your hardware components loaded. Go to the manufacturer's website and download the correct drivers for your model.

Step 6. Customize file locations

Consider shifting the default file locations for downloads, documents, and other personal files to the SSD to optimize the benefits of your SSD. This results in faster access and better performance for commonly used files.

When you finish all the steps mentioned above, you can restart your computer, and run it on the new SSD with faster speed and improved performance smoothly.

Related Article: Do You Have to Reinstall Windows After Installing a New M2 SSD?