How to transfer files between PCs in the new remote PC app in win 8.1?

October 21, 2013 10:06 AM

Is there a way to transfer files using the remote PC app in windows 8.1? If not, what is the best way to transfer files flawlessly and fast? Thank you.

I got access using a remote PC app in for my PCs, and it is a nice addition to windows 8.1. However, I need to transfer files between the PCs but could not find a way to do so.

posted by omaralarifi to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

If you're just using Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection functionality, you can copy-paste files across - it's not the fastest, but it works. As I recall it's a bit fussy, but right-click->"Copy" on one machine and right-click->"Paste" on the other should do it. It kind of sounds like you're using a third-party application, though - Remote Desktop isn't new with Windows 8.1, it's been around since Windows XP - and if it's something else, then copy-pasting may well not work.

The easiest way to share files between computers that aren't directly connected is probably with something like DropBox, which gives you 2GB of space free and has clients for Windows/OSX/Linux/Android/iOS. It's only as fast as your internet connection, but it's secure, easy, and flexible.

There are other options, but it really depends on your situation: i.e. which operating system your computers are running, whether they're close enough to each other that you can connect them with a cable, what size of files you're looking to transfer, etc. DropBox is a good solution for 90% of problems like this.
posted by spielzebub at 11:21 AM on October 21, 2013

I'll second dropbox. I use it to keep my job hunt stuff synced among my netbook, laptop, tablet and phone. Nearly instantaneous for me, but we have a pretty good internet connection.
posted by kathrynm at 11:38 AM on October 21, 2013

I don't fully understand your set-up, but can you just go buy a USB thumb drive, and copy the files from computer A to the drive, and then stick the drive in computer B? If you don't need to do it that often and have less than 2Gb of data to transfer, that might be the easiest way.
posted by benito.strauss at 1:15 PM on October 21, 2013

If you want something slightly more integrated with Windows 8.1, you might try using SkyDrive instead of Dropbox.

Also, if you install the desktop SkyDrive client, you can check a box in the Settings for "Let me use SkyDrive to fetch any of my files on this PC" on any computer with the client installed and then you can use the SkyDrive web interface (and I think the Metro interface in Windows 8.1) to access files remotely as long as the PC is turned on.
posted by Aleyn at 10:02 PM on October 21, 2013