How to Back Up and Restore Your Files in Windows 10 using External Drive

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

The File History feature in Windows 10 allows you to automatically back up important files and documents to an external location. You can then recover them in a pinch.

In this guide, you will learn How to Back Up and Restore Your Files in Windows 10.

2. How to Back up and Restore

First, make sure you have a viable drive connected to, or accessible from, your PC. This could be a simple 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 anything 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 you use must always remain connected and accessible.

Set Up File History in Windows 10

 
In Windows 10, click the Start button and go 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 yet backing up any files. Click the More options link to set up a few parameters.

Click the Back up my files drop-down menu and choose how frequently you wish to back up your files, from every 10 minutes to Daily. Then click the Keep my backups drop-down menu, and select how long you want to retain your backed up files—from Until space is needed to Forever.

By default, File History will begin backing up a selection of default folders, including Desktop, Downloads, Music, and more. However, you can remove some of these folders from the mix. Scroll down the Backup options window and review the list of default folders already included in the backup. Select any folder you don't wish to back up and click Remove to exclude it.

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

 
Once you’re set, click the Back up now button at the top of the screen, and Windows will start backing up the folders and files included in your backup set. After your backup has finished, Windows displays the total size and the date and time of the backup.

Restore Files in Windows 10

Now, let’s say that important file goes missing or has become corrupted. You 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 want, then double-click the file to view it. If it's 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 it to its previous location. If the file still exists in its original location, Windows allows you to replace it, keep the original file as it is, or compare both files.

If you ever want to change your backup destination, you’ll need to first stop using your current drive. From the Backup screen under Update & Security in Settings, click More options. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Stop using Drive. Go back to the previous screen and click Add a drive so you can restart the process with a new backup destination.

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