3 Ways to Restore Files from Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 Backup

Need to restore files from backup

You will never want to use your backup unless something bad happens and damage or corrupt your files or system. But if you lose any files, you still can restore files from backup to minimize the loss. Please stay for a while to learn the stepwise guide in the following. It may save all the files you cherish, whether it's working documents, family photos, videos, movies or other files. 

Here are three ways in total, you could use Windows backup software - File History, Backup and Restore Windows 10, or third-party software AOMEI Backupper Standard. Anyway, you need to create a backup image first. If you don't have, please refer to the following articles and backup files now. 

• To backup files with File History: Backup Specific Folders That Change Often in Windows 10

• To backup entire system with Backup and Restore(Windows 7) in Windows 10: Windows 10 Backup and Restore

• To backup files with AOMEI Backupper Standard: Backup Files with Best Free File Backup Software [5 Steps]

Then, you can continue to see below and learn how to restore files from backup with these backup and restore software.

• Method 1: Restore files from backup with File History (Full steps>>)

• Method 2: Restore files with Backup and Restore(Windows 7) in Windows 10 (Full steps>>)

• Method 3: Restore files from backup with AOMEI Backupper Standard (Full steps>>)

Method 1: Restore files from backup with File History

File history is a file backup software in Windows 8/8.1/10 to help you backup files and then restore files to a previous version or recover the deleted files in the event of a disaster. Without further ado, let's start to restore files from Windows 10 file history backup.

Step 1. Type file history in the search box, and then you will see the Restore your files with File History option. Please select this option from the result list. 

Step 2. Click the left arrow or right arrow to find the latest file version and select the files you want to restore.

Step 3. Click the green restore button to restore the selected files. If you want to restore your files to a different location, you can click the Settings icon -> the Restore to option to select a new path.

Please note that sometimes file history is not working as expected. Some users report that there is still no file on thebackup drive in a few days, but they clearly see some words, saying, "File History is saving copies of your files", which indicates the backup is running normally.

Method 2: Restore files with Backup and Restore(Windows 7) in Windows 10

Backup and Restore was introduced in Windows 7, and later inherited in Windows 8/10, which can help you create a system image backup for your computer and then restore system image to new hard drive or SSD. Also, it gives you a chance to restore individual files, because all the files on the system partition will be included in this backup. 

Then, let's get started to restore files with Backup and Restore(Windows 7) in Windows 10. Also, these steps are also applicable to restore files from backup in Windows 7 and Windows 8. 

Step 1. Type backup settings and then select it. Then, you will see a Backup page, scroll down to "Looking for an older backup?" and click Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Then, you will enter the Backup and Restore page, click "Restore my files" at the lower location. 

Step 3. In the Restore files page, click Search, Browse for files or Browse for folders to find files or folders you want to restore and select them. 

Search: You just need to type part of the name of files and select the files you want to restore. 

Browse for files: You can search the folder containing files you want to restore and then select it -> click Add Files.

Browse for folders: You can add entire folder to be restore. 

Step 4. Select "In the original location" or "In the following location" to store your files. 

Step 5. Click Restore to start the pending operation. 

Backup and Restore(Windows 7) seems to be a great choice, which not only backup system, but also backup files stored in the system partition. Thus, you can restore either system image or file backup from this backup. But it will not include files outside the system partition.

Method 3: Restore files from backup with AOMEI Backupper Standard

AOMEI Backupper Standard is a free yet professional backup and restore software to help you protect system and data on it. With it, you can backup files/partition/system/disk in Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 in simple steps. Then, you can restore files and other items per your needs. 

Please note that AOMEI Backupper Standard can only restore files from backup created by itself. If you don't have a file backup, please download this software first and create a file backup with its "File Backup" feature. 

To ensure you can restore files from backup in Windows 10 smoothly, please prepare a file backup ahead of time. If the backup image is created on the external hard drive, you need to connect it on your computer.

Step 1. Click Restore and Select Task to find the image file.

Step 2. Choose the file backup containing all your files and then click “Next”.

Step 3. Select files or folders you want to restore and then click “Next” to continue. 

Step 4. Select "Restore to original location" or "Restore to a new location" to store the files. Then, click “Start Restore” to restore files from backup on external hard drive.

Besides directly restoring files from file backup, you still can restore files from other backup solutions, such as, system backup, disk backup and partition backup.

In this way, you need to use Explore image feature. It will mount all the partitions to a virtual disk in Windows Explorer and then you can copy files in it to another location.

Summary 

That's all for how to restore files from backup in Windows 10/8/7, you have three options. File history is only suitable for Windows 8/8.1/10 users while the other two ways can be used on more system, for example, Windows 7. 

Among them, AOMEI Backupper Standard is the easiest. And it's an all-in-one backup and restore software, thus it's a better choice to protect your computer, either system or personal data.

It supports file backup, system backup, disk backup, schedule backup, incremental & differential backup, USB plug in, create bootable media etc. To unlock all the useful features, you could consider upgrading to AOMEI Backupper Professional.