Automatically Backup Files with a Certain File Extension [4 Steps]

The case

It is crucial to automatically backup files with file extension

File extension, a dot followed by three or four letters, such as .doc or .png, forms the end of a computer file name. And you are asked to type in the document name and select file extension when you save a documents. Besides, it help you distinguish different types of files easily.

In the use of a computer, you may change the files existing before, or save new files in the folder. In case of data loss, you try to backup the folder. However, you can’t remember to backup every day. Once you forget to backup the file, it may cause a big trouble. Thus, to prevent any data loss due to forgetting backup, it's crucial to make this schedule.

If you don't want to mess files with different extension, you can choose to backup files with certain file extension. And it is helpful to reduce backup size and backup time, since you only backup parts of files on your computer.

How to backup files with a certain file extension automatically

It's disappointed that Windows built-in tools does not allows you to backup files with a certain file extentions, thus you can only turn to a third-party backup software for help. AOMEI Backupper Professional is a great powerful software. With it, you can enable its filter settings and directly type the file extension (.png, .jpg, or .gif.) you want to include or exclude in it. And you can enjoy the following advantages: 

It supports automatically backup files with a certain file extension with 5 options, including daily, weekly, monthly, event trigger or USB Plug in feature.

It allows you to minimize backup size and disk space usage with different features, such as, automatic backup cleanup, incremental or differential backup, normal or high compression, etc. Among them, the first feature is the most thorough way, it will directly delete old backup images automatically.

It is capable of restoring files from all backup solutions (file/system/disk/partition backup), even without booting into Windows. You can choose to create a bootable media or recovery environment to boot computers into recovery environment. 

Download AOMEI Backupper now and follow the steps below to backup files with a certain file extension automatically. It covers almost all the Windows PC operating systems including Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP. For server user, try AOMEI Backupper Server.

Step 1. Install this professional file backup software and launch it. Select File Backup under the Backup tab.

Step 2. It will move to the file backup window, you can click Add Folder or Add Files to choose all files you want to backup.

After adding all files, click the "funnel" icon to open the “Filter settings”.

It will show the details for you to set a certain file extension while backing up. Either way, the wildcards are supported, and you can separate multiple masks with semi-colons, such as,*.doc;*.xls;*.ppt.*.temp;*.tmp;*.bak;*~*. *temp;temp*. After all the settings, click “OK” to go back to the “File Backup” interface.

• File Inclusion Mask: specify the files that you need to backup. 
• File Exclusion Mask: specify the files that you need to exclude. 
• The Folder Exclusion Mask specifies the folders that you need to exclude. 
• There are three more options for you: "Include subfolders", "Exclude hidden files and folders" and "Exclude system files and folders". Check them as you want.

Note: You are allowed to choose the inclusion/exclusion mask from the drop-down menu or type the file extension you want to backup or exclude manually.

Step 3. Select a destination place to store the backup image. You can choose a local space, or backup to NAS, etc.

Step 4. Click Schedule Backup to set up an automatic backup with daily, weekly, monthly or use event trigger and USB plug in feature. To prevent backup disk full at the beginning, go to Backup Scheme, set up incremental/differential backup to backup changed files only and delete old backups with automatic backup cleanup.

Step 5.  Finally, click Start Backup > Add the schedule and start backup now to launch the process.

When the process reaches 100%, click Finish to exit this process. Till now, you have already backed up files with a certain file extension for the first time and the task will run automatically at the given time in the future.

In addition, AOMEI Backupper is a powerful clone software to help Windows users transfer their data. You can use it to clone HDD to SSD, clone SSD to larger SSD and so on. 

Summary

Although Windows built-in tools does not supports automatically backing files with a certain file extension, you still can use a third-party professional file backup software to do so. And you can prevent backup disk full issue from different angle, including, reduce backup image size, backup only changed files, delete backup files, etc. All in all, it's worth trying software to protect files!