How To Backup All Files On Windows 10

That critical and irreplaceable file you were viewing the other day in Windows is lost or won't open. Are you in trouble? Not if you lot've been using File History.

Bachelor in Windows 10 and Windows eleven, File History will automatically save specific file folders to a backup device, thus allowing you to recover a previous version of a file should it become missing or become corrupted and unusable.

In Windows 10, File History is relatively unproblematic to gear up and utilize; in Windows 11, it's more hard to observe and implement. The major limitation with File History on both OSes is that it but backs up files from specific folders, such equally Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, and Desktop, too as whatever offline OneDrive files stored on your PC. Y'all can no longer add other folders to the mix as you were able to do with previous versions of Windows.

If you need to back up whatsoever files not saved in the default folders, Microsoft suggests that you lot add together them to one of these folders. If that'south not workable, you should consider a third-party backup program with more options and greater flexibility than File History. Otherwise, here's how to set information technology up and salve your important documents, photos, and files earlier something goes wrong.

Gear up Upwards a Storage Device

SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD (Photo: Molly Flores)

First, make certain you have a viable drive continued to, or accessible from, your PC. This could exist a uncomplicated flash drive, an external drive, or a network location on a network-attached storage drive. If your drive plugs into the computer, make sure to connect it before trying annihilation else.

For a wireless network drive, it must be connected to power and properly mapped. Note that File History will automatically run on a regular basis, so any external drive y'all use must always remain connected and accessible.

Set Up File History in Windows x

In Windows ten, click the First button and become to Settings > Update & Security > Backup. Under Back up using File History, click Add a drive. Assuming you've connected a workable backup device, Windows displays a list of them. Select the location you wish to use for your backups.

File History is now enabled, though it's not still backing up whatever files. Click the More options link to set up a few parameters.

Click the Back up my files drop-downwards menu and cull how frequently you wish to support your files, from every ten minutes to Daily. And then click the Keep my backups drib-down menu, and select how long you want to retain your backed up files—from Until space is needed to Forever.

Past default, File History volition brainstorm bankroll up a pick of default folders, including Desktop, Downloads, Music, and more than. However, you tin remove some of these folders from the mix. Scroll downward the Fill-in options window and review the listing of default folders already included in the backup. Select any folder y'all don't wish to back up and click Remove to exclude it.

To exclude whatever folders not listed on the page, click the Add a binder push button under Exclude these folders. From File Explorer, select whatsoever folders that you wish to exclude.

Once you're set, click the Dorsum up now button at the peak of the screen, and Windows volition start backing upwards the folders and files included in your backup set. After your backup has finished, Windows displays the full size and the date and time of the backup.

Restore Files in Windows x

Now, allow's say that of import file goes missing or has become corrupted. Y'all tin can use your File History backup to restore it. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup and click the More options link. Scroll down to the bottom of the File History window and click Restore files from a current backup.

Windows displays all the folders that have been backed up by File History. Double-click the folder you desire, and so double-click the file to view it. If it'south the file you need, click the green button at the bottom of the window to restore the file.

If the original file is gone, Windows automatically restores information technology to its previous location. If the file still exists in its original location, Windows allows y'all to supersede it, go along the original file as it is, or compare both files.

If you ever desire to change your backup destination, y'all'll demand to first stop using your electric current drive. From the Fill-in screen nether Update & Security in Settings, click More options. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Finish using Drive. Get back to the previous screen and click Add together a drive so you tin can restart the process with a new backup destination.

If you wish to terminate using File History altogether, simply turn off the switch for Automatically back up my files on the Backup settings screen.

Ready File History in Windows eleven

In Windows 11, Microsoft removed File History from the Settings screen and moved it to the Command Panel. The quickest way to use the feature is to click the Search icon in the taskbar and search for File History, then select the result for it.

File History searches for any compatible drive continued to your PC and picks one. If you don't desire to employ the chosen bulldoze, click the Select bulldoze link and cull the drive you wish to use, so click OK.

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At the File History screen, click Exclude folders if you to remove any folders from the backup. Unlike in Windows 10, File History in Windows 11 doesn't display a prebuilt list of folders for you lot to exclude. Instead, y'all have to manually add folders. Click Add and and so select whatsoever folder you wish to exclude. When washed, click Salve changes.

Click Advanced settings from the File History screen. Click the drop-down menu for Save copies of files to prepare how often File History should run, from every 10 minutes to daily.

And then click the menu for Keep saved versions to determine how long the file backups should be kept, from Until space is needed to Forever. Click Save changes when finished.

From the File History screen, click the Turn on button to kick off the initial backup.

Restore Files in Windows 11

To restore a missing or corrupted file or document, return to the File History screen in Control Panel. Click the Restore personal files link.

From the list of backed upwards folders, select the folder with the file you wish to recover. Click the file you demand and so click the Restore push. If the file nevertheless is in its original location, Windows asks if you want to supplant it, skip it, or compare both files. If the original file is gone, Windows automatically restores it to its previous location.

If yous ever want to alter the backup destination, click the Select drive link, choose the new bulldoze, and then click OK. Windows will ask if you want to move the previous backed up files to the new location. Click Yes to make the movement.

You tin can stop File History from backing up your files at any time by returning to the feature's page in Command Panel and clicking the Turn off button.

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