AOMEI Backupper
Best Free Disk Image Software for Windows 11(All Aspects)
You will learn the best free disk image software for Windows 11 in all aspects and how to use it to create a disk image in 2 easy ways.
By Clytze Updated on August 20, 2024
Why Need Disk Image and Disk Image Software?
A disk image is an exact replica of your drive (HDD, SSD, USB, etc.), encompassing all your programs, settings, and data. This method effectively secures the data on your disks. Notably, if the disk is a system disk, it includes the operating system, system files, drivers, and everything required to boot your computer.
Disk imaging can easily resolve issues such as boot failures, system crashes, and malware infections. Additionally, it’s a crucial tool for migrating to a larger disk or high-performance SSD. To accomplish this, you’ll need the best free disk imaging software for Windows 11.
👉 Best Free Disk Image or Clone Software for Windows 11
👉 Create Disk Image in Windows 11 with Disk Backup
👉 Clone Hard Drive in Windows 11 for Quick Upgrade
👉 Disk Imaging vs Disk Cloning: Which Is Better?
👉 FAQs about Disk Imaging Software
Best Free Disk Image or Clone Software for Windows 11
For creating a disk image or cloning a disk in Windows 11, AOMEI Backupper Standard is an excellent choice. With its backup features, you can easily back up the disk and focus on long-term data protection. You can also quickly upgrade the hard drive and improve computer performance with its cloning feature.
AOMEI Backupper- For the backup method, you can enable Schedule backup and backup your disk with fixed intervals. At the same time, it will only back up changed files with incremental backup after the full backup.
- For the clone method, you can clone all kinds of HDDs and SSDs, such as different brands, different sizes, different interfaces, etc. If it is an SSD, you can further improve its performance.
100% SecureAnd either way, thanks to its user-friendly interface, you can use it smoothly in Windows 8/10/11/7/XP/Vista. The same is true for the green hand.
To get started, get the AOMEI Backupper Standard disk image software free download on your computer! For sever users, try AOMEI Backupper Server.
Create Disk Image in Windows 11 with Disk Backup
You can follow the graphic tutorial below to create disk image by the best free disk image software in Windows 11. To improve data security, it's suggested to follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy - keep at least 3 copies of your data and save them in 2 different locations, at least one offsite.
Step 1. Launch the free imaging software for Windows 11, AOMEI Backupper Standard. Then, click Backup > Disk Backup.
Step 2. Click Add Disk to choose the disk you want to make a disk image.
Step 3. Select a destination path to store your disk image. Click the inverted triangle and choose one of ways in the following:
>> Select a local path: It allows you to backup Windows 11 to an internal or external disk as long as it's recognized by Windows. And you need to connect it in advance.
>> Add Share or NAS Devices: It is to backup Windows 11 to network location or NAS. You need to add it by clicking this option, inputting the network location, and selecting a shared folder on it.
>> To backup system to cloud drive, click the folder-shapped button and select desktop folder of cloud drive you want to store backup image.
Step 4. Click Schedule Backup and enable it, then select Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event triggers or USB plug in feature.
In the Professional or higher version, you can also try different backup and cleanup methods.
>> To backup only changed files, both incremental backup (default) and differential backup are ok.
>> To automatically delete older backups, select one of the cleanup methods after enabling automatic backup cleanup.
Besides, you can also click Options to write comments, set email notifications, choose the compression level and select the splitting ways you want for your disk image.
Step 5. Confirm the backup settings and click Start Backup to create a disk image in Windows 11.
In addition, backup is a good habit to protect data, but it's time-consuming to install backup software and perform further operations if you have multiple computers or servers. Given this, you can choose to create portable version via AOMEI Backupper Technician or TechPlus.
Clone Hard Drive in Windows 11 for Quick Upgrade
If you want to clone disk to larger disk and then replace laptop HDD with SSD quickly, try Disk Clone feature in AOMEI Backupper Standard. The free version only supports cloning all the data disk and MBR system disk.
Thus, it's suggested to check the disk type (MBR or GPT) for the source and destination disk with the following steps. You will use the Windows built-in tool Disk Management for help.
- Press Win + R to open the Run window. Then, type diskmgmt.msc and hit OK to open disk management.
- Then, right-click the disk you want to clone and select Properties in the pop-up window.
- In the Properties window, select the Volume tab and confirm the partition style. It can be MBR (Master Boot Record) or GPT (GUID Partition Table).
- Similarly, check the disk partition tyle of the destination disk. If it is still MBR, you can clone hard drive in Windows 11 for free. If not, please upgrade to the professional version of this software and then clone GPT to GPT, GPT to MBR or vice versa.
Then, follow the steps below to clone hard drive in Windows 11 for free.
Step 1. Open the AOMEI Backupper Standard, click Clone > Disk Clone.
Step 2. Choose the disk on Windows 11 as the source disk. Then, click Next.
Step 3. Choose the destination disk to store the disk image. Then, click Next.
Step 4. Confirm your operations and click Start Clone. If it is an SSD disk, click SSD Alignment to accelerate the reading and writing speed of it.
Also, you can use either Sector By Sector Clone or Edit Partitions (supported by premium versions) during the cloning process. The previous one is to clone all sectors, whether they are used or not, so you won't miss any hidden partitions.
While for latter one, it is to change the partition size or convert disk type of the destination disk. Thus, you can avoid unallocated space after cloning and boot failure due to disk type.
- Copy without resizing partitions: It will not resize the partition size.
- Add unused space to all partitions: It will reallocate the unallocated space to each partition of the target disk, appropriate for the disk size.
- Manually adjust partition size: It allows you to extend unallocated space to any partition on the destination disk you want.
- Convert the destination disk from MBR to GPT: It helps to convert the partition style of the destination disk if it is different from the source disk.
Disk Imaging vs Disk Cloning vs Disk Backup: Which Is Better?
Disk imaging creates a compressed file of the entire disk, requiring restoration for use, and is ideal for long-term data preservation. Disk cloning, on the other hand, directly copies data to a new disk, making it ready for immediate use, which is perfect for quick upgrades. Disk backup focuses on selected files or folders, offering a more flexible approach to data protection with generally smaller file sizes and faster execution times. Each method has its strengths, so choose the one that best suits your needs:
| Feature | Disk Imaging | Disk Cloning | Disk Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Principle | Creates a compressed image file of the entire disk, requiring restoration for use. | Directly copies data to a new disk, ready for immediate use. | Backs up selected files or folders, not the entire disk. |
| Data Integrity | Preserves current data and can include future changes with scheduled backups. | Copies only existing data; destination disk is fully overwritten. | Protects selected data, with options for regular or continuous backups. |
| Size | Typically smaller due to compression and selective backups. | Exact size of the original disk with no compression. | Generally smaller, depending on the data selected. |
| Usage Time | Requires more time due to imaging and storage needs. | Faster as it directly transfers data without extra storage. | Varies by data size, but usually quicker than imaging. |
From the above, you can see the biggest advantages of disk imaging are data integrity and image size. While for disk cloning, the biggest advantage is its portability and less time usage. You can select one of them to start the process with the all-in-one complete software - AOMEI Backupper.
Tips for Maximizing Your Disk Imaging and Cloning Experience
To make the most of your disk imaging, cloning, or backup process, understanding key features and terms is crucial:
1. Incremental Backup: Backs up only the files that have changed since the last backup, saving time and space.
2. Differential Backup: Backs up all changes since the last full backup, offering a balance between speed and redundancy.
3. Sector-by-Sector Clone: Clones every sector of your disk, including empty and hidden ones, for an exact copy.
4. SSD Alignment: Aligns partitions during cloning to an SSD, optimizing performance and lifespan.
5. Schedule Backup: Automates regular backups, ensuring consistent data protection without manual effort.
6. Bootable Media: Creates a bootable USB or CD/DVD for system recovery in case of boot failure.
FAQs about Disk Imaging Software
#1. Does Windows 11 have disk imaging software?
Yes, Windows 11 includes the Backup and Restore tool, which can create disk images.
#2. Does Windows 11 have built-in disk cloning software?
No, Windows 11 lacks native disk cloning software, but third-party tools like AOMEI Backupper can handle this task, like migrating the hard drive to another disk or migrating the HDD to SSD.
#3. What is the difference between disk imaging and disk backup?
Disk imaging creates a full copy of an entire hard disk, while disk backup focuses on individual files and folders.
Summary
Disk imaging or cloning is essential for resolving computer issues and ensuring smooth operation. This article introduces the best free disk imaging and cloning software for Windows 11, AOMEI Backupper Standard. Depending on your needs—whether long-term data protection or a quick system upgrade—you can choose the appropriate method and get started with this all-in-one software.
Besides, you can deploy images to multiple computers simultaneously as long as you use the Technician or Techplus edition. You can download this software to explore more useful features.
