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For the Windows 11 installation-media upgrade started from within your current Windows session, choosing Keep personal files only keeps and migrates personal files. It removes installed apps and Windows settings. Microsoft does not publish a folder-by-folder definition of “personal files,” so do not assume app configuration or saved app data will survive.
What each Windows Setup choice keeps
When you run Windows 11 Setup from installation media while signed in to the Windows installation you want to upgrade, Setup offers three keep choices. Their effects are distinct:
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| Setup choice | Personal files | Installed apps | Windows settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep personal files and apps | Kept | Kept | Not specified in Microsoft’s summary |
| Keep personal files only | Kept and migrated | Removed | Deleted |
| Keep nothing | Not kept | Removed | Not kept |
The table reflects the options Microsoft documents for this Windows 11 installation-media path; it is not a guarantee that every choice will appear on every PC. See Microsoft’s Windows 11 installation options, updated February 4, 2025.
Are Documents, Pictures, and Videos kept?
Microsoft’s broad rule is that personal files are kept and migrated when you select Keep personal files only. The official instructions do not list every included folder, so they do not provide a folder-by-folder guarantee for Documents, Pictures, Videos, or other locations. Back up important files before starting rather than treating the label as a guarantee for every file on the PC.
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What happens to AppDataRoaming and ProgramData?
Microsoft’s official description does not specify whether individual application-data folders are retained. A response from a volunteer on Microsoft Q&A says ordinary files directly under a user profile remain available, while AppData folders and C:ProgramData are not retained in the active installation; it adds that old content may be moved to C:Windows.old. That is community guidance, not an official folder-level guarantee. Back up app data you cannot replace, and do not rely on Windows.old being present or complete. The question and response are dated September 13, 2026: Microsoft Q&A on files retained during this upgrade.
Do not confuse an in-place upgrade with booting from USB
The keep-files choice applies to the documented upgrade flow launched from inside the running Windows installation. Booting the computer from installation media is a different route: Microsoft describes it as a fresh installation and warns that it wipes the existing Windows installation, including files and installed apps. If preserving data is the goal, do not boot from the media unless you have confirmed that the installation path and choices are right for you. See Microsoft’s description of Windows 11 installation routes.
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How to proceed without risking important data
- Back up first. Copy important personal files and hard-to-recreate application data to a separate location. Microsoft suggests an external hard drive, USB flash drive, or cloud location in its installation-media reinstallation guidance.
- Start Setup from Windows. For the in-place upgrade path described here, launch the installation media’s Setup program while signed in to the existing Windows installation; do not boot from the media.
- Review the keep choice. Select Keep personal files only only if you accept that installed apps will be removed and Windows settings deleted. Plan to reinstall apps afterward.
- Stop if the choices differ. Confirm the exact option shown in Setup before continuing. If the expected keep choice is unavailable or the setup flow differs, stop and consult the instructions for that installation rather than assuming the consequences.
Which information is certain—and which is not?
- Microsoft explicitly states: personal files are kept and migrated; apps and Windows settings are deleted for this option in the documented Windows 11 upgrade path.
- Not defined by Microsoft: a complete list of folders or application-specific data covered by “personal files.”
- Community guidance, not a guarantee: a Microsoft Q&A volunteer says AppData and ProgramData are not kept in the active installation and old content may appear in Windows.old.
One Microsoft reinstallation page summarizes “Keep personal files only” as preserving personal data and settings while removing apps. That differs from the more detailed Windows 11 installation instructions, which explicitly say Windows settings are deleted. For this Windows 11 upgrade question, follow the detailed Windows 11 instructions and do not count on settings surviving.
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