What happens to my files if I replace Windows?

A normal full installation of Zorin OS or ChromeOS Flex can erase Windows, your applications and every file on the internal drive. Copy and verify everything important before installation begins.

Your documents do not automatically follow you merely because both systems have a folder called Documents. Windows applications also do not become Zorin or Chrome applications; they must be replaced, reinstalled where compatible or accessed through the web.

What should be backed up?

Documents, photographs, videos and music.
Files stored on the Desktop and in Downloads.
Browser bookmarks and any passwords not securely synchronised.
Email archives stored only on the computer.
Accounts files, templates, fonts and specialist-project folders.
Licence information and recovery keys.

Cloud storage is not always a backup

OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox may hold your files online, but confirm that synchronisation has completed and that you can sign in from another device. A shortcut or cloud symbol is not the same as a verified copy.

Use more than hope

Copy files to an external drive, then open a selection directly from that drive. For irreplaceable information, keep a second independent copy. Count folders, check dates and include hidden corners such as old email or accounting backups.

Do not install until the backup is verified. Google explicitly states that installing ChromeOS Flex erases existing data on the device. Zorin installation choices can also erase the disk. Data recovery afterwards may be impossible or very expensive.

Will the files open afterwards?

Common photographs, PDFs, videos and ordinary documents usually transfer easily. Files created by specialist Windows software may require that original program or an export into a standard format. Test these before removing Windows.

What about keeping Windows as well?

Dual-boot arrangements can preserve Windows alongside another system, but they add complexity and are not suitable for every computer. They are not a substitute for backup; changing disk partitions always carries risk.

My rule

First preserve the data, then prove the new system supports the work, then install. Reversing that order creates the sort of excitement nobody requested.