How to Clone Windows 11 to NVMe SSD [Full Guide]

Is it worth installing Windows 11 on NVMe?

A short & quick answer: yes, it is! NVMe, or "Non-Volatile Memory Express", is an interface specification that allows storage modules to interface with your computer.

Compared with traditional hard drives or SATA SSDs, NVMe SSDs (PCIe interface) have been remarkably improved in disk reading/writing speed, system performance, power efficiency, and compatibility. That's why so many users especially gaming lovers are more inclined to install their Windows on NVMe SSDs to gain optimal experiences as well.

If you combine Windows 11 and NVMe SSD, you can enjoy both notable benefits of them. Since a clean install system on the hard drive is a time-consuming and laborious task,  you are suggested to clone Windows 11 to NVMe drives.

And this post exactly talks about how to clone Windows 11 to NVMe SSD without reinstalling. Keep reading for more details.

Preparations for cloning Windows 11 to NVMe

Effective preparations are essential before you clone NVMe drive Windows 11. Here's a breakdown of the necessary steps:

1. Back Up Important Data

Safeguard all crucial files on your NVMe drive as data will be overwritten during the cloning process.

2. Check M.2 Slot Compatibility

Ensure your motherboard has an M.2 slot that supports NVMe, such as an M.2 PCI-E x4 slot.

3. Verify UEFI Boot Mode & Firmware

NVMe boots in UEFI mode (GPT support only). Initialize a new NVMe SSD as a GPT disk or convert the MBR disk to GPT for successful cloning.

4. Confirm Capacity

Ensure the NVMe SSD has equal or larger space to accommodate data from the source disk within Windows.

5. Download Windows 11 Disk Cloning Software

To clone Windows 11 to NVMe SSD, using professional cloning software - AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is necessary. It can ensure data integrity and secure boot after cloning.

Highlighted cloning features in AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional:

✤ Disk Clone: Clone SSD to M.2 Windows 11/10 or clone SATA HDD to a new SSD/HDD without data loss.
✤ Partition Clone: Clone the specific partitions to new SSD/HDD.
✤ System Clone: Clone Windows 11 to M.2/U.2/SATA/PCle interface SSD without reinstalling.
✤ Secure Boot: Ensure successful booting from the cloned SSD drive after the process.
✤ Flexible Clone Methods: Choose to clone only used sectors (support cloning larger drive to smaller drive) or clone all sectors on the source disk based on your specific requirements.

How to clone Windows 11 to NVMe SSD

Make sure all preparations have been done and then read the guide to learn how to clone Windows 11 to SSD step by step.

Step 1: Connect NVMe to the M.2 PCI-E x4 slot and make sure it can be detected.

Step 2: Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional on your computer.

Now, we can start.

Step 1. Open the installed AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".

Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk like SSD and click "Next".

Step 3. Select the destination disk to store the data on the source disk, and then click "Next".

Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.

Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to Optimize the performance of SSD if the target disk is an SSD drive. 

Tip: If you want to clone Windows to a smaller drive, the "Clone without resizing partitions"  button will be greyed out. Then, a Note about how to boot OS from the destination disk will pop up. Read and keep it in mind.

 Step 5. After returning to the main interface, check the pending operation and click "Apply" and "Proceed" to commit the operation.

How to boot Windows 11 from cloned NVMe SSD

After completing the clone NVMe Windows 11 process, you need to set your NVMe SSD drive as the boot disk. If you don't know the detailed operations, follow these steps:

Step 1: Restart the computer and press "F2/F8/Del" to enter the BIOS setup.

Step 2: Within BIOS settings, use the arrow keys to find the "Boot" option. Here locate the "Boot Device Priority" option or a similar one.

Step 3: Adjust boot device priority by using the "+" or "-" keys, assigning the highest priority to your new NVMe drive.

Step 4: Press "F10" to save and exit the BIOS interface and restart your system.

When all these steps are completed, you can boot your computer from the clone NVMe drive.

Summary

This tutorial focuses on how to clone Windows 11 to NVMe SSD without reinstalling. To maximize your computer performance, the combination of Windows 11 and NVMe SSD is highly recommended. Resort to a reliable Windows 11 disk cloning software - AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional to complete the process.

For cloning Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012/2008/2003, the AOMEI Partition Assistant Server is a good choice.

FAQs on cloning Windows 11 to NVMe

Q1: Can you clone SSD to NVMe?

Yes, tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant can help clone from an existing SSD to an NVMe SSD. Connect the NVMe SSD properly and use the "Disk Clone" feature for the cloning process with all data intact on it.

Q2: Can I install Windows 11 on NVMe?

You can easily migrate Windows 11 to a new NVMe SSD using SSD cloning software. Alternatively, perform a clean installation of Windows 11 on the NVMe drive using bootable installation media.

Q3: Does cloning an SSD make it bootable?

To use both the old and new disks, you need to adjust the boot drive in BIOS settings. Choose the cloned SSD under the Boot tab, save changes, and restart your computer for it to boot from the cloned SSD.

Q4: Do I need to format NVMe before cloning?

Formatting the target disk before cloning helps verify the partition style. For a brand-new hard drive without saved data, formatting is optional. Always backup essential files before proceeding.