TeraCopy Review for Windows 10/11

Copying and pasting files and folders seems like a normal day-to-day activity, right? But, things can get frustrating when you have to literally babysit file copies and lose productivity. Enter a file copy software like TeraCopy that solves issues pertaining to copy-paste. In this post, we are going to review TeraCopy for PC and see how it can ease up the job of copying files, even if there are some stubborn problematic ones.

TeraCopy

Starts from$ 29.95 per year

Free Trial

Download Here

What is TeraCopy?

In simple terms, TeraCopy is a free-to-use Windows utility. It copies and pastes files and folders from one location to another faster than Windows’ own file transfer system. 

It does this by skipping any erroneous or bad files. If there are any, it informs you about the same so that you can take action later. It also calculates the checksum values so that you don’t accidentally copy-paste identical files. 

It utilizes dynamically adjusted buffers to reduce transfer time. What’s even better is that in case there is an error in the transfer it’ll not terminate the whole transfer and will skip the problematic file only. 

We’ll also cover some of the alternatives to TeraCopy later. But, before we put TeraCopy head to head with some of the competitors in the market, you can check out who we are going to put it against in the posts that’ll follow.

Let’s break down the interface into two parts – The main interface and the context menu that pops up when you decide to paste files. 

This is the main interface of TeraCopy for PCs. It shows you the copy-paste history over time. You can even manage the history i.e. create and delete it. You can see the files or folders that have been copied from the source to the destination. At the farthest top left you can click on the Expanded View button and collapse the sidebar showing the history of transfers. 

On the right, you can access – 

• The File List that shows the files and folders transferred.
• Target destination and other “File Managers” used.
• Advanced Options related to files such as timestamps, streams, whether you want to save checksum files, etc. 
• Status of previous transfers; how much time was taken, etc.  
• Other Logs.

The above screenshot represents the context menu option that appears as you choose to paste files. What we liked is the fact that before pasting the files or folders, when the context menu appears, it gives you time to rethink if you want the operation to take place. It gives you three options where you can choose to copy-paste files with the help of Windows File Explorer. Or, you can choose TeraCopy to copy-paste files or even overwrite older files.

1. Confirm Drag and Drop

Every time you drag and drop files or folders from one location to another, TeraCopy prevents you from accidentally moving folders. It shows you a confirmation dialog, something that we have already discussed in the “Interface” section. 

2. Be In Control In Case of Copy Error

In case, an error surfaces while you are copying files, TeraCopy for Windows first tries to recover. In the worst-case scenario, if it is unable to do that, it will skip the file with issues and won’t stop the complete transfer. 

3. Increase In Transfer Speed By Eliminating Problematic Files

To ensure a swift transfer time, TeraCopy skips unnecessary files. It also shows errors that it detects during the transfer process. This way you can take action on the problematic files and only copy them. 

4. Keep the History of Directories

You can keep a history of recently used directories and transfers. This feature helps faster workflow and it even shows folders that are open in File Explorer or other file managers. You can keep the history for 1 day, 1 week, or permanently delete the history. You can even choose to never keep history or delete it.

5. Verify Files

When copying and pasting files, one thing that can be an issue is if you have copy-pasted identical files. This can hamper your computer’s storage. With TeraCopy software for Windows, you can compare the hash of source and target files. These include Panama Tiger, RipeMD, SHA-1, SHA-256, etc.

6. Preserve the Original Date And Time of the Files

When copying files from one location to another TeraCopy keeps the original date and time of file transfer. 

7. Delete Files In A Way That They Are Hard To Recover

When you open a file or files with TeraCopy and choose to delete it, you can either simply move it to the Recycle Bin from where it will still be recoverable. Or, there are two even more powerful options – You can choose to delete the file from the disk in which case it will be harder to recover or you can choose to wipe data completely. 

8. Test The Integrity of The Files

When copying a file from a less reliable source such as flash drives, TeraCopy Software lets you check the readability/ integrity of your files.

Ever since its inception in 2007, several updates have been released in TeraCopy. These updates ensure that the utility remains bug-free and new features are introduced. If you compare the older versions of TeraCopy with the latest ones, you’ll see a significant change in the interface and even in the functionality. 

To update TeraCopy, click on the About section from the top as shown in the screenshot below, and then click on Check for updates. You will be notified if there is an update available. 

Let’s compare the speed of TeraCopy with the normal copy-paste functionality of Windows 11’s own File Explorer.

To do this we’ll first be copying files worth 3.45 GB from one folder to another using Windows explorer’s own copy-paste functionality. Then we’ll copy the same files using TeraCopy and note the time difference.  

With the File Explorer’s own copy-paste functionality, it took roughly 30 seconds to copy-paste files from one location to another. On the other hand, TeraCopy took half the time and in 15 seconds the job was done. 

How To Use TeraCopy?

1. Download, install and run TeraCopy

2. When the software is downloaded, click on the Source to copy the files. Here you can add both files and folders. 

3. Select the Target where you want to paste the files. 

4. Click on the Move button to begin the copying process.

5. You can access the list of files that have been copied. Or, you can choose from previous target folders. You can even check the status of the transfer as well. 

6. On the left-hand pane, you can access and act upon the copy-paste history.

FAQs –

Q1. What is TeraCopy?

TeraCopy is a free-to-use file-copy software that comes as an alternative to Windows’ own file explorer’s copy-paste function. It comes with various features using which you can increase the copy-paste speed. 

Q2. How do I download TeraCopy?

You can visit the link mentioned above and download TeraCopy depending on the version of Windows you have. 

Q3. Is TeraCopy for Windows 11?

Yes, TeraCopy is available for all versions of Windows which also includes the latest Windows 11. 

Q4. What happens if TeraCopy encounters an error while copying files?

In case of a copy error TeraCopy will try several times to recover. And, in the worst case scenario, it will skip the file and not the whole transfer. 

Verdict –

A user might think, why would I need to install a utility like TeraCopy in the first place, when I have a high-end PC or laptop with SSD that does the same job decently fast? 

You may not notice the difference when copy-pasting a handful of files from one location to another. But, when copying several or maybe 100 GBs worth of files (let’s say in a professional setting), some of which might be problematic, a utility like TeraCopy is indeed a life savior. 

What are your views on this? Do let us know in the comment section below. For more such content – software listicles and in depth reviews keep reading Top10PCSoftware. If there’s software that you’d like us to review inside out, drop in your suggestions below. Or, you can also connect with us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Flipboard.