Your Windows PC holds your life—family photos, work projects, important documents, trip memories and more. And Regular backups keep those files safe, ensure you can recover from unexpected issues like hardware failures, malware infections, or accidental data loss. Whether you’re upgrading your PC, preparing for a system reset, or just want to protect your important files, back up your Windows PC is one of the important things you need to do. This article explores why backup is important, what to back up, and the best methods to back up a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC using both built-in tools and trusted third-party solutions.
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Why Backing Up Windows PC Is Essential
Your Windows PC holds a lot of critical information — from personal documents and family photos to work projects and software licenses. Data loss can happen without warning, A backup safeguards your valuable files, documents, photos, and other data from loss due to hard drive failures, accidental deletions, or cyberattacks.
- Prevents Data Loss: Protects against accidental deletion, hard drive failure, viruses, ransomware, and natural disasters.
- Safeguards Personal Memories: Preserves irreplaceable photos, videos, documents, and other personal files.
- Protects Against Software Corruption: Allows recovery from corrupted operating systems or application installations.
- Offers Peace of Mind: Knowing your data is safe provides security and reduces stress related to potential data loss.
What Should You Back Up?
Here’s a quick checklist of items you should back up:
- 📁 Personal files: Documents, Photos, Videos, Music, Downloads
- 🌐 Browser data: Bookmarks, passwords, and extensions (especially if not synced to an account)
- 📧 Email and contact data (for desktop email clients)
- 🧩 App data, settings, and configuration files
- 🖼️ Desktop layout, wallpapers, preferences
- 🔑 Software licenses, product keys, and installation files
Use the new Windows Backup app
Microsoft recently introduced a new Windows Backup that saves your apps, settings, and some files to your Microsoft account. It uses OneDrive storage (Microsoft offers 5GB free) to back up your PC’s critical folders making it easy to set up a new PC or reset your current one.
It can also save apps, app preferences, Windows settings, accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and other passwords.
- Select Start, Type backup, and select Windows Backup from the results.
- Expand Folders and select which of your user folders you want to back up to OneDrive.
- You can back up your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music folders by toggling the switch for each folder to On.
- Once you have everything set up the way you want it, select Back up.
You can also check the status in the Settings app, select Accounts > Windows backup
Use File History for Local Backups
File History saves copies of your files to an external drive and lets you recover photos or documents in case your PC crashes or you delete something by mistake. It also keeps older versions of files so you can restore previous edits.
- First, connect an external hard drive or USB drive to your PC
- Open Control Panel-> Under System and Security, choose Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
- At the bottom of the sidebar, choose File History, then choose Turn on.
Your PC will start backing up critical folders to external storage device. You can choose Exclude Folders in the sidebar and click Add in order to back up only certain folders.
You also can choose Advanced Settings to choose how often your PC will save copies of files or how long to keep saved versions on the external drive.
📝 Note: File History doesn’t back up installed apps or system settings — only your personal files.
To restore any files, Just open the File History settings page and choose Select another backup to restore files from. You’ll then be prompted to select the files you want restored.
💡 Pro Tip: For extra protection, consider creating a full system image backup to restore your entire PC in case of major issues.
Use Cloud Storage for Online Backup
Online backup allows Quick access to files from anywhere and keeps a real-time copy of important folders. Microsoft offers OneDrive 5GB free storage to save files online, so you can get them back from any device if your PC breaks or you’re away from home.
- OneDrive – Built into Windows, 5GB free, syncs Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders
- Google Drive – 15GB free across Drive, Gmail, and Photos
- Dropbox – 2GB free, simple to use, great for sharing
Here is how to use the OneDrive app to get things done.
- Install the OneDrive app if your PC doesn’t already have it pre-installed.
- Right-click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar and open Settings.
- Under the Sync and Backup tab, select Manage backup.
- Select folders like Desktop, Documents, and Pictures to back up to the cloud.
☁️ Cloud storage is ideal for files but not suitable for full system images or app installations.
Use Third-Party Backup Software
Users who want advanced options, full control, automation, or backing up multiple systems. Third-party backup tools offer more features than Windows’ built-in options, like scheduled backups, incremental changes, encryption, and bootable recovery.
Some of the Best Windows backup software include:
- Macrium Reflect Free – Great for system imaging and cloning
- EaseUS Todo Backup – User-friendly with one-click options
- AOMEI Backupper – Supports disk/partition backup, sync, and clone
- Paragon Backup & Recovery – Powerful with recovery features and flexible backup scheduling
✅ Excellent for professionals, power users, or anyone who wants a complete backup and restore solution.
