This article is written for Windows 10 users who want to backup and restore OS, programs, and personal files in order to transfer files or protect data.
Backing up your Windows 10 device is crucial for several reasons. We have summarized some of the common causes as follows:
π» Protection against hardware failure. Computers can fail at any time due to hardware problems such as hard drive crashes, power surges, or even theft. By backing up your data, you can ensure that you don't lose important files and data in the event of such an event. πΎ Protection against viruses and malware. A backup copy of your data can also protect you from viruses and malware that can corrupt or delete your files. If you have a backup, you can easily restore your data and avoid losing important files. π¨ Recover from accidental deletion. People may accidentally delete files, documents, photos or other important data. If you have a backup, you can easily recover lost data without any hassle. 𧱠Data protection during system updates. Sometimes, computer updates can lead to data loss. Backing up your data before installing any updates will ensure that you are protected against any data loss. π Peace of mind. Backing up your computer can give you peace of mind knowing that your important data is safe and secure.
In conclusion, backing up your Windows 10 device is crucial to protect your important data and avoid its loss. Therefore, it is recommended to back up your computer regularly to ensure that your data is always safe and secure.
Backup utilities are necessary for users to protect their data and systems, it allows to make exact copies of them and you can restore them quickly in case of a disaster. In Windows 10, you can find two free backup software in the backup settings, namely File History and Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
In addition, you can still try third-party backup software, such as AOMEI Backupper Standard, which is described in detail below. Before backing up your Windows 10 computer, you should pay attention to the following points.
The free yet powerful Windows 10 backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard, is able to backup files, system, disk, partition and then restore them. Also, you are allowed to create bootable media in case of system failure or hard disk crashes. And you can enjoy the following features in this software:
Here is an example of backing up Windows 10 to an external hard drive to show you how to use this software. Please download this software and install it on your computer. Then, connect the external hard drive to your computer and make sure it can be detected.
(PS: If you're a Windows Server user, please try AOMEI Backupper Server edition.)
β To create system image backup in Windows 10:
Launch this software, click "System Backup" and select external disk as destination path, then click "Start Backup". This software will automatically select the C: drive and boot-related partitions when creating system image backup in Windows 10.
Now you may already get a copy of your system, but this is a single backup task (also called manual backup), which will not include changes made later.
β To backup them continuously:
Set Schedule Backup in this software. You have 5 options, namely, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event trigger, USB plug in for different backup purposes.
Incremental backup does a big favor of saving backup time and disk space in the scheduled task. However, in the long run, your backup disk is still fulfilled and you need to delete old backup image manually or automatically.
The previous one may result in all the subsequent backups being invalid if you delete backup in the middle. In this case, you can choose to use differential backup or enable automatic backup cleanup methods in the Backup Scheme to delete backup file automatically.
β To restore Windows 10 backup image:
Anyway, you have a copy of the system partition and can restore Windows 10 from backup with the following steps. Click "Restore" and "Select Task", choose a system image and destination path, then click "Start Restore".
Notes β... • If your backup is not recognized, you need to click "Select Image File" instead of "Select Task". • If you are restoring OS to different computer with dissimilar hardware, you are supposed to upgrade to use "Universal Restore", which can resolve the driver incompatibility of different computer and ensure secure boot.
β To start up non-system computer:
If you want to restore system without booting into Windows, you can choose to create bootable media with USB or CD/DVD, or make a recovery environment to boot your computer from it. The last one is able to add a boot menu on the current computer and does not require any storage device.
Windows 10 File History is a built-in feature that allows users to automatically back up their personal files and folders to an external drive or network location. The feature first rolled out in Windows 8 and has since been updated in Windows 10 to offer more advanced backup options.
To automatic backup files on Windows 10 to external hard drive or network location, type backup settings and select it, then click " + " button next to Add a drive, and choose external hard drive or network drive as backup locations, finally click "More options" and "Back up now".
By default, the schedule backup interval is "Every Hour" and backup retention is "Forever". If you think that such a frequent backup will take up too much space, you can change it to a longer interval and shorter retention time. Also, you can exclude or backup certain folders by clicking "Add a folder" under related header.
To restore files from backup in Windows 10, you can type "restore files" in the search box and selecr "Restore your files with File History", use the left arrow or right arrow to find your files and click the green button to restore your files to original location. Also, you can use "Restore Previous Versions" from the context menu. It's much easier.
Windows 10's "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" feature allows users to create backups of their important files and system settings, similar to Windows 7's "Backup and Restore" feature. Accessible through the control panel, this feature allows users to create data backups and restore them in case of system failure or data loss.
Notes β... • The default schedule backup is 7:00PM every Sunday, and you can modify it to your preferences by clicking "Change schedule" at the last window. Also, you can click "Change settings" later at the first page of Backup and Restore (Windows 7). • To manage backup space, go to "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" and click "Manage space", then you will see two link, namely Data file backup and sytem image, just click the button below to free up disk space.
To restore Windows 10 from backup, you need to prepare a repair disc or recovery disk and ensure you have a working system image backup. Then, restart your computer and boot from the bootable media, click "Next" > "Repair your Computer" > "Troubleshoot" > "System Image Recovery" in order, select Windows 10 and "Use the lastest available system image (recommended), finally follow on-screen instructions to finish the rest of steps.
β Is Windows 10 built in backup any good?
Honestly, Windows 10 backup software is a very popular choice for users and it indeed help you protect personal files and system to some extent. But some users report the following problem during use:
β How do I backup my Windows 10 for free?
β How do I back up everything on my Windows 10 computer?
You can clearly see the differences between Windows 10 backup utilities and choose them based on backup items and other options. It pretty much looks like this below:
