[Free] Backup SSD to HDD in Windows 11/10/8/7 Automatically

Learn how to backup an SSD to internal or external hard drive (HDD) partition to keep OS safe in case the SSD fails for Windows 11/10/8/7 with free SSD/HDD backup software.

By @Delia Last Updated November 26, 2024

“So I have an ssd, and the only thing on there is the OS, so should how do I back it up to an EXTERNAL HDD and can I use that as an boot drive if my SSD died, or should I just clone my SSD and leave it in an anti-static bag, what is a good method to deal with a dead SSD, and plz give instructions on how to boot from that or something along those lines.”

– Tom's Hardware Forum

Nowadays many people get used to installing Windows operating systems and frequently-used applications on SSD. This is due to a consensus - a solid-state drive (SSD) is faster than a mechanical hard disk drive (HDD), especially in writing & reading.

However, at the same price point, a hard disk drive usually has more storage space than an SSD. Many users prefer to store large or infrequently used files on an external hard disk drive. It's also a wise decision to save the backup image of an SSD to an HDD.

Best Free SSD Disk Backup Software - AOMEI Backupper Standard

To backup SSD to HDD easily, you need the best free SSD disk backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard. And you can enjoy the following advantages:

AOMEI Backupper
Easy Free SSD to HDD Backup Software
  • Backup SSD disk automatically: It supports backup disk with daily, weekly, or monthly frequency. Thus, you don't need to manually create a backup for the SSD disk and worry about data loss due to forgetting the backup.

  • Backup only changed files on the SSD disk: By default, this software uses Incremental Backup as the default backup method, which backup only changed files since the last backup. This saves much backup time and disk space. And you can enjoy more disk space saviors, such as normal compression, intelligent sector backup, etc.

  • Multiple backup destinations: It allows you to backup SSD to HDD and other devices recognized by Windows, such as an external hard drive, USB drive, network drive, NAS, etc.

  • Other useful features: It is able to create a bootable media with USB or CD/DVD to boot the computer and perform offline system or disk restore. This is especially useful when your computer does not boot.

Please download this software and explore it more yourself. For server users, try the AOMEI Backupper Server.

How to Backup SSD to HDD in Windows Step-by-Step

Before backing up SSD to HDD in Windows 10, you need to connect HDD and check if has enough space to store everything on the SSD disk. If it is a laptop, you need to disk connector to connect it.

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper. Select "Disk Backup" under the "Backup" tab.

Note: If there is only one partition (namely C drive) on your SSD, you also can select "System Backup".

Step 2. You can change "Task Name" as you want. Select the SSD you want to backup and select the HDD disk or partition on it to save the SSD backup image:

Step 3. When the SSD and HDD partitions have been selected, you are almost done. You can click "Start Backup" to backup SSD to HDD.

Notes:โœŽ...
 This only backup item on the SSD when you backed it up, not including changes made later.
 To keep all changes made later, you need to set Schedule Backup and backup SSD to HDD automatically.
 You can choose among Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event trigger, and USB Plugin. The last two premium features are available on the professional version.

By default, this software will create one full backup and incremental backups if you set a scheduled backup task. This may result in a backup disk full issue in the long run.

Thus it's suggested to enable Backup Scheme and delete the backup file automatically. You have 3 options, By quantity, By time, By daily/weekly/monthly. You need to upgrade now (5% off for one computer) before using it.

Besides, you still can enable email notifications after the task is finished. Comment, split, compress the backup image, or select a backup mode, etc.

Powerful Tip for Transfer Data from SSD to HDD

Now, you can feel free to do your own things, this software will create disk backup for SSD and be sure there is always enough space to store new backups. You don't need to worry about computer failure and data loss due to many reasons.

Besides, this software still provides you with another way to achieve the same effect - clone SSD to HDD in Windows 10 with the Disk Clone feature, and you can directly use the cloned drive without restoring. If you want the best performance, it's suggested to clone SSD to larger SSD or migrate the OS from the SSD to another SSD.

Further Reading: Why Backup SSD to HDD

Whether you're working with sensitive documents, creative projects, or valuable media files, having a reliable backup solution is key to protecting your information from unexpected disasters. One of the best ways to ensure your data is safe is to back up your SSD to an external HDD. Now that you know the best backup options, let's discuss the benefits of backing up your SSD to an HDD:

  • Enhanced PC Performance with SSDs: Upgrading to an SSD provides faster boot times, improved file transfer speeds, and an overall boost to system performance. Meanwhile, an HDD backup offers a budget-friendly way to handle large storage needs without compromising performance.
  • Reliable Data Recovery: Since the backup files on an HDD are separate from your operating system, you can rest assured that your data remains safe even if your SSD encounters issues. In the event of an SSD crash or system failure, your files are easily recoverable, giving you one less thing to worry about.
  • Full System Protection: By creating a full system clone of your SSD—including the operating system, applications, and personal files—you can quickly restore everything to a new drive if something goes wrong. This makes recovering from a hardware failure or system crash quick and painless, minimizing downtime and ensuring you're back to work in no time.

So, why wait? Secure your data and increase your peace of mind by backing up your SSD to an external HDD today using the best free backup software available.

AOMEI Backupper

Best free Windows backup software to prevent PC data loss.

Summary

You can easily backup SSD to HDD in Windows 10 or other systems with the help of the best free SSD disk backup software - AOMEI Backkupper Standard. It allows you to make this task run automatically and backup only changes to save backup time and disk space.

You can enjoy many premium features on the professional version to free up your hand, for example, delete old backup images automatically with By quantity, By time, or By daily/weekly/monthly cleanup methods.

Besides, it is still a disk cloning software, you clone large HDD to smaller SSD, replace laptop HDD with SSD, clone SATA to NVMe, clone NVMe to NVMe, etc.