About Gadget Mouse

Windows help from the help desk side.
Written for real people.

Gadget Mouse is a practical guide to recovering, backing up, moving, and protecting the files on your Windows PC.

Meet Pat.
The person behind the guides.

Microsoft 365Windows EnterpriseZoomIT service management

I am an IT service management specialist. At work I administer Microsoft 365, Windows Enterprise, and Zoom at a university, so the questions on this site are the ones I answer every week.

A deleted spreadsheet the night before a deadline. A new laptop that needs everything from the old one. A remote worker on hotel WiFi. These are ordinary problems, and they deserve clear answers without the jargon.

Why this site exists.
Fewer lost files, less panic.

Most file disasters are fixable, and most of the next ones are preventable. The goal here is simple: help you get your work back today, then set things up so the next problem is a quick restore instead of a crisis.

What you will find here.
Four areas, all hands-on.

Data recovery

Getting deleted, formatted, or lost files back from PCs and external drives.

How to recover deleted files

Backup and storage

Simple routines with an external drive and a cloud copy.

How to back up your computer

New PC and Office

Moving files, programs, and Microsoft Office to a new machine.

How to transfer files from PC to PC

VPN for remote work

Keeping your connection private at home and on public networks.

Best VPN for remote work

How I recommend tools.
Only when they fit the problem.

Some links on Gadget Mouse are affiliate links, which means the site may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only point to software that solves the problem in the guide you are reading, and the built-in Windows options always come first.

Start with the free playbook.
It covers the first steps.

The Windows File Rescue Playbook walks you through getting deleted files back and setting up a backup routine that sticks.

Get the Free Playbook