Windows 10 is a great operating system with advanced security features and lots of safeguards. However, we can’t rule out the possibility of a system failure with any electronic device. There can be hardware or software issues which may cripple the system completely. In such cases, taking a backup is highly recommended and it becomes more so given that Windows has been prone to system failures and BSOD errors in the past. While resetting Windows 10 can solve some of these problems, in most cases, you will stand to lose your data. So to avoid any such unforeseen failures, we should take a Windows 10 backup and store it on a separate memory device like an external hard disk. For this article, we have done thorough research and found some great native and third-party tools to create Windows 10 backup. So without further ado, let’s begin with the guide.
In this article, we are going to discuss both native and third-party solutions for creating backup of your Windows 10 machines so you don’t have to lose your data.
Microsoft offers three ways to create a Windows 10 backup. The easiest method is File History which lets you back up your important files to a separate memory device. The second way is to create a complete system image which will help you recover your PC from hardware failures or OS damages. The third one is a cloud-based backup through OneDrive. So having talked briefly about the different ways, let us dive deep and learn about all the methods in detail.
Using the File History feature, we can create exact copies of drives and save it on a separate memory device. Keep in mind that this process will only backup your files and not Windows OS. In case, you want to completely create a full Windows 10 backup including system files, move to the next section. Also, you will need an additional memory storage device to store the backup. You can use a portable hard disk or pen drive to store the backup.
- On the next page, you can customize various settings like which folders to back up and the frequency of backups.
You can create a full Windows 10 backup with Backup and Restore feature. It lets you create an exact copy of your hard disk including the operating system. In case, there are hardware failures or operating system issues in the future, the full system image can help you restore your PC to the working state with all your personal files intact. Interestingly, Backup and Restore was first released with Windows 7, but it’s not in active development right now. The same functionality has been shipped with Windows 10 without any major changes. Now having said all of that, let’s begin with steps.
- Here, click on “Create a System Image”.
If you want to back up all your important files and folders to the cloud then you can use OneDrive. It comes pre-installed on Windows 10 so you will not have to manually install it. Here is how you can use it to sync your files seamlessly to the cloud.
In this section, we will learn about some great third-party applications which can create complete Windows 10 backups in a few clicks. We will talk about two awesome apps which can create a full system image and a separate app to backup your files to cloud. So having said that, let’s begin with the first app.
Macrium Reflect is the best way to clone your hard drive to an external memory device. It works very similar to the Backup and Restore feature, but provides a lot of customization and features. The great part is that you can create a single system image which can be mounted on a pen drive or hard disk as a bootable media. Basically, you will be able to clone your system to other PCs in a few clicks. Now let’s go through the steps.
Download the free version of Macrium Reflect from here. You can also go for the paid version which costs $69.95 for extra features. However, the free version is quite good and has all the necessary features required for a complete Windows 10 backup.
After the installation is complete, Macrium Reflect will open up. Here, select the drives you want to backup and click on “image this disk”.
There are also various features available in Macrium Reflect including scheduler, backup for specific folders, system image backup, etc. You can go through them and find the best way to create a full Windows 10 backup.
AOMEI Backupper is another great utility for creating a complete Windows 10 backup. The USP of this app is its user-friendly interface. If you find Macrium Reflect to be overwhelming, you can go for AOMEI Backupper. It has got almost all the features including disk, files, system and partition backup. Here is how you can use it.
Here, choose the type of backup you want to do. If you want to create a Windows 10 backup solely for the operating system, choose “System Backup” and click on “Next”.
So that’s how you can create a Windows 10 backup image using the AOMEI Backupper. You can also use the “Clone” feature, in case you are swapping new hard disk or moving to an SSD.
While local backup is great, sometimes the cloud storage solutions make things a lot easier in storing and finding our files. If you are looking to seamlessly back up important files to the cloud, Backup and Sync from Google is a great option. You can use it to upload your files and folders to Google Drive instantly. Here is how you can use Backup and Sync on Windows 10.
- After that, it will ask you to select pre-defined folders which it will automatically back up. Click on “Next” and you are all set to backup Windows 10 files.
