Windows Backup: How to Back Up and Restore Your Apps, Files, and Settings on Windows 10/11

Just a few months ago, I reset my computer and accidentally deleted important files because I thought I had backed them up. It turns out this is a common phenomenon because 29% of data losses are caused by accidents, according to World Backup Day. 

Fortunately, I was able to retrieve most of my lost data, but the matter still stands: we need to take the computer backup seriously. 

The same study said that 30% of all PCs are already infected with malware, and 21% of people have never backed up their data before. Luckily, it all ends today! We’ll give you a step-by-step guide to backing up your data.

What Is a Backup?

A backup is a copy of your essential files, settings, or even your entire computer setup. This way, if something goes wrong, like a computer crash or a virus, you can recover your data. When it comes to backing up your data and its frequency, you need to consider:

• The amount of data you need to back up.
• How often the data changes.
• How long the backup process takes.
• Where you save your files.

For example, imagine having a year’s worth (six years in my case) of important work files or family photos. If your computer suffers a malware attack, a fatal BSOD error, or gets caught in the recent California wildfires (a bit extreme, but you get the idea), it would be a huge blow. 

That’s why you always need to consider backing up your Windows system and crucial files—whether it’s to an external drive or a cloud service—even though Windows stores them on your PC by default (we’ll get to that bit shortly).

Types of Backups in Windows

Below are the types of data backups that Windows offers. This should give you a fair idea of what works best for you:

1. Full backup

This type of Windows backup copies all your data. Nothing is left behind. The system backs up every file, folder, and system configuration each time you run this backup. 

The full backup is ideal if it’s your first time backing up your files or if you do it periodically. Or if you want to factory reset your PC, like I did. 

But there are a few pros and cons you need to consider:

2. Incremental backup

Incremental backup only backs up the files that have changed since the last backup of any type. So, let’s say you backed up your photo library, old and new, and made some edits. In this situation, you don’t have to perform another full backup.

Just use this method, and it’ll only back up the changes. It’s a good way of addressing the inefficiencies of full backups. 

3. Differential backup

A differential backup captures all changes made since the last full backup. It’s a middle ground between full and incremental backups. This means restoration is faster compared to incremental backups. It’s ideal for situations where faster recovery times are needed.

Here’s a comparison table to make it clearer for you:

Methods of Backing Up on Windows 10/11

When it comes to backing up your data on Windows 10 or 11, you’ve got a few options. These methods fall basically under two groups: built-in tools or third-party software. Here’s a brief rundown of what’s available to you:

Method 1: Windows built-in tools

• File History: This method is a simple and automatic way to back up your files. It backs up folders like Documents, Pictures, Music, and Desktop at regular intervals, so you can restore previous versions of your files in case they are corrupted or you accidentally delete them. File History is best suited for file-based and incremental backups.
• Backup and Restore (Windows 7): It allows you to back up everything, including a system image (a complete snapshot of your operating system, settings, and installed programs). You can also choose to back up files in your Libraries, Desktop, and other chosen folders, either automatically or on a set schedule. This method is ideal for a full system backup.

• System Restore: This method isn’t meant to back up personal files but instead helps you roll back your system to a previous state. This is useful if your computer is having issues after installing new software or updates. It doesn’t save documents or files but can be a lifesaver for fixing system problems. It’s a full backup plan for system settings. 
• Cloud storage automatically backs up the files you choose to store in it and makes them accessible on all your devices. That said, it has a limited amount of free space unless you opt for a subscription. 

For example, OneDrive offers 5GB of free storage, Google Drive offers 15GB for free, and Dropbox gives you only 2GB with its free plan. This method is ideal for incremental backup. 

• Windows Backup: This is a new feature introduced in the 2023 update for Windows 11, version 23H2. It offers both file-based and image-based backups. You can back up your files, system settings, apps, and even your system image to an external drive, network drive, or cloud. Windows Backup is similar to Backup and Restore (Windows 7) but with modern features. It’s ideal for full and incremental backups.

Method 2: Third-party software

Third-party tools offer more advanced features and flexibility, especially if you’re the type who wants more control or additional backup options. Here are some popular tools:

• Macrium Reflect is known for creating full system images and incremental backups. It’s a reliable tool for users who want to back up everything, including system partitions, and easily restore it all if needed. 
• Acronis True Image is a complete backup solution with cloud storage integration, ransomware protection, and powerful recovery options. It offers both full and incremental backups, together with additional security features, which is good if you prefer an all-in-one solution.
• EaseUS Todo Backup is a user-friendly tool that can backup files, partitions, and entire systems. It’s great for beginners who want a straightforward way to back up their data without going into complicated settings. It’s ideal for full, incremental, or differential backups.

How to Prepare a Windows PC for a Backup

You should get your PC ready if you want your Windows 11 or 10 backup to go well. Most users forget these steps, but that shouldn’t be the case. Let’s quickly go through them:

• Update your OS. Make sure your system is fully updated. This helps avoid potential compatibility issues during the backup process. Go to Settings and click Windows Update > Check for updates. 

Read more: Ultimate Guide: How to Manually Check and Install Windows Updates

• Clean up your files and folders. Properly organize your files by getting rid of unnecessary files. Not only will this make the backup faster, but it’ll also keep your backup drive tidy.
• Decide on what you need to back up. Determine what needs to be backed up. While it’s easier to simply back up everything, focusing on the most crucial files will save you time and space.
• Choose where to perform the backup. Before you start the backup, carefully select the most appropriate place to back your system to. Most users generally use external hard drives, but you can also go for cloud storage. Choose what works for you.
• Update your drivers. It’s important to update your drivers to reduce any system issues or hardware changes, especially if you’re using the external drive. Sometimes, your driver may respond slowly or won’t even show up. Updating your drivers will rectify these issues.

Different Storage Options to Consider for Windows Backups

Where to back up your Windows system is a very crucial factor to consider. You need to know what works best for your needs. Whether you prefer external hard drives, cloud services, network storage, or keeping your data on your PC, each option comes with its pros and cons.

Let’s break down each method to help you choose the right one:

The best option depends on your lifestyle, needs, and priorities: 

• For ultimate security and privacy, go for an external hard drive. It’s offline, easy to use, and doesn’t involve any cost. Just remember to store it in a safe place and update it regularly. 
• If you’re always on the move, go with cloud storage for its accessibility and ability to sync across devices. It’s also a perfect secondary backup option to complement other methods. 
• For households and small offices, go for a NAS setup. It allows different users to back up their data automatically without accessing files anytime within your local network.
• If you want to save time and effort, you can back your system up to the same computer. But it should only be a temporary backup; don’t rely on it as your sole backup because it’s vulnerable to theft, hard drive errors, and many other unforeseen circumstances.

One more thing: Store your drive separately from your computer. So, even if something happens to your computer like theft or something else, your drive will still remain safe.

How to Perform a Windows Backup on Windows 10/11

In this section, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process on how to back up your Windows system.

Method 1: Using Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

• Open the Control Panel by typing it into the search bar and pressing Enter.

• Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

• Click on Set up backup.

• A pop-up window will show up. Here, you can choose your preferred storage, even though Windows will suggest saving your backup to an external drive. If you prefer the network option, click on Save on a network. In this example, we’ll choose an external drive.

• Next, you have to decide whether to allow Windows to choose what to back up or do it yourself.

• After checking the data you want to save (assuming you selected the Let me choose option), click Next.

• In the next window, check the schedule section and see if the time and day work for you.

• If not, click on Change schedule, make the necessary adjustments, and click OK.

• When you’re done, click Save settings and run backup. You’ll see the progress bar right after this. You can click View Details to get more specific details of the Windows backup.

How to restore files using Backup and Restore (Windows 7) 

To restore your files, open the Control Panel again, go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7), and click on Restore my files under Restore. A pop-up window will appear to select the backup you want to restore from and follow the prompts to complete the restoration.

• Open the external hard drive, right-click on the backup file, and select Restore Options.

You can choose between three options: Restore my files from this backup, Restore files for all users on this computer, and Manage space used by this backup. 

The option Restore my files from this backup will recover your personal files from the external hard drive backup. 

In contrast, Restore files for all users on this computer allows you to recover files for all user accounts on the system. This is a better option if you have multiple user accounts on your computer. 

Meanwhile, the Manage space used by this backup option lets you control the storage space allocated for backups. With it, you can delete older backups or adjust the storage settings to ensure efficient use of your backup drive.

• A pop-window will appear. Click on Search, Browse for files, or Browse for folders.

• Then, select your preferred backup and click on Add files.

• All the files or folders you select will be listed on the left. Then, click Next.

• Choose the location you want to restore the files, either in the original location or search for a specific location. When you’re done, click on Restore to complete the process.

Method 2: Using File History

• Search for File History in the Windows search bar and open the app.

• On the left pane, click Select drive.

• From the list of drives, choose the one you want to use to back up your files and click OK.

• After choosing a drive, return to the previous window and turn File History on.

• Just like with full backup, you can also set a schedule for backup. If you want, you can click Advanced settings to do that.

• Click on Save copies of files. Here, you will select how often you want to back up your files.
• The second option, Keep saved versions, decides how long Windows will keep your backup files.

• When you are done, click Save changes.
• If there are some folders you don’t want to back up (maybe to conserve space or to save time), you can click Exclude folders.

• Click Add to select the folders you want to exclude.

• Click the folders and click Select Folder. You can only select one at a time.

• As you add the files, you will see them appearing in the box. When you are done, click Save changes to start the process.

How to restore files using File History 

Restoring files via File History is quite straightforward. Go to the folder that contains the file or folder you want to restore and right-click it. Then, select Restore previous versions from the context menu. 

A window will pop up showing you different versions of the file or folder that are available. Use the left and right arrows to browse through the versions and click Restore once you find the file you want to restore your system from.

Now, I’ll show you how to restore from a backup using File History. Let’s again use an external drive in this example: 

• Plug in the external drive where you backed up your files, type File History in the Windows search bar, and open the app.
• Click on Restore personal files.

• You can choose to restore a file or folder or multiple files or folders from the backup.
• After you have selected what to restore, click on the green restore icon, and Windows will restore your files.

• Click the left arrow and right arrow icons to browse between different versions of your files and folders by date.

Method 3: Using System Restore

• Type create a restore point in the search bar and click on the best match.

• Click on Create to initiate the process.

• A pop-up window will appear; give the restore point a name and click Create to start the process.

Method 4: Using cloud storage

There are several reliable cloud storage providers to choose from. We’ll go with OneDrive for this example, but the steps are essentially the same for all cloud storages:

Using the manual backup method

•  Type OneDrive in the search bar and click on the app to open it.

• Sign in with your Microsoft account if you haven’t already, or create an account if you don’t have one yet. 
• Open File Explorer and go to the OneDrive folder. Then, copy and paste or drag the files or folders you want to back up into this folder. If you see a green check mark, it means the transfer is complete.

• Remember that if the OneDrive folder is on the same drive as your original files, dragging the files will actually move them, not copy. The safest way is to copy and paste them into the OneDrive folder.

Using the automatic backup method

• Open File Explorer and right-click your OneDrive in the library section. Then, hover on OneDrive and select Manage OneDrive backup.

• Select the files to be backed up automatically and click Save changes.

• If you want to verify your backups, go to onedrive.com, sign into your account, and confirm your files are available in the cloud.

Related read: How to Fix OneDrive Not Syncing on a Windows PC?

Method 5: Using Windows Backup

This method is only available on Windows 11 and later. Also, keep in mind that Windows Backup is powered by OneDrive. So you’ll have to enable OneDrive before beginning this step, and you might need a paid OneDrive subscription.

Here’s how it works:

• Type Windows Backup in the search field and click on the app to open it.

• Expand the categories and toggle the ones you want to back up. When you’re done, click Back up.

Method 6: Using third-party backup software

For this example, we’ll show you how to create a Windows backup using Macrium Reflect.

• Download the software from the official website and install it.

• Click on Backup and select Backup Windows.
• The software will detect and choose all the Windows partitions to back up. Make sure to only choose the part you want to back up.

• In the Folder section, click on the black folder icon and choose where you want to store your backup. You can select an external HDD or any other device with enough storage. Just don’t use the drive where Windows is installed. After everything, click OK.

• Choose a backup name in the Backup File Name section and click Next.

• Select a template for your backup plan from the drop-down menu under Select a Template for your Backup Plan.

• Click the Advanced Options link if you want to further customize the backup plan. You can check the backup’s compression level, add password, verify file system, etc.

• Go through the summary to see if everything is as you want it. Then, click Finish to complete the backup creation.

Complete the Windows 10/11 Backup the Right Way

The backup on Windows 10 and 11 is a fairly easy thing to do. However, make sure to verify if it has actually copied everything. I had to try several times before completing the backup because my external hard drive wasn’t displaying. 

If you encounter a similar issue, try updating your drivers and checking for file system errors (Properties > Tools > Check). You may have to reformat the drive to resolve the issue. 

So, check if everything is working after the backup before you can call it done. If you have any questions or comments, let us know in the comment section below.

FAQ