Whether you have photos, documents, videos, or even favorite apps on your laptop, it's important to have things backed up in case something goes wrong with it. Thankfully, Windows 11 offers numerous different ways to back up your system. You can back up individual files with File History, copy folders to the cloud with OneDrive PC folder backup, use a new Windows Backup app, or create a system image of your PC. We are here to share an overview of all four methods for you.

This guide will cover backing up files and apps. System settings are already backed up to the cloud through your Microsoft account on Windows 11.

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Use the Windows Backup app

Microsoft recently introduced a new straightforward way to back up your PC. As long as you're comfortable uploading files to the cloud and you have a paid OneDrive subscription (or free storage space included as part of Microsoft 365), you can use the OneDrive-powered Windows Backup app to back up your PC's critical folders. It can also save apps, app preferences, Windows settings, accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and other passwords. Let's see it in action.

  1. Press the Windows key, search for Windows Back up and hit Enter.
  2. Check your OneDrive storage capacity in the bottom left corner.
    Windows Back up app
  3. Expand Folders, check their size, and enable the toggle.
    Enable backup folders
  4. Select Backup, and Windows should start backing up your files and preferences.
    Start backup

Back up your PC with OneDrive PC folder backup

If you prefer an old method, use the OneDrive app to get things done. This backup can include anything you might have stored in the standard Desktop, Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos folders. This backup happens automatically and is one of the simplest ways to back up your PC, but it will not back up applications.

  1. Install the OneDrive app if your PC doesn't already have it pre-installed.
  2. Open the OneDrive settings app by selecting the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray.
  3. Select Help, then Settings.
  4. In the Sync and back up tab, select Manage backup.
    manage backup in OneDrive
  5. You can back up the folders you see here. Just toggle any folder that says Not backed up and select Save changes. The folder will start backing up.
    Save changes in Backup

Once the backup is complete, files will begin to sync to all Windows 11 PCs you might own in the same locations across devices. You can also access the files from OneDrive on the web.

Back up your PC with File History

Another way to back up your PC is with File History. This function lets you pick and choose individual files and folders that you want to back up. In this option, you'll be using an external HDD or SSD connected to your PC. Note that this method does not back up applications.

  1. Connect the SSD or HDD you have for backup storage.
  2. Search for and select Control Panel in the Start Menu.
  3. Switch it to Category view under View by.
  4. Under System and Security, choose Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
    Backup and restore in Control Panel
  5. At the bottom of the sidebar, choose File History.
    File history in Windows 11
  6. Make sure your connected SSD or HDD is on the list, then choose Turn on.

Your PC will start backing up critical folders to this HDD or SSD. 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 HDD or SSD. Since your PC will be monitoring these folders for changes, the caveat with this is that your HDD or SSD will have to be connected in order for these backups to stay fresh.

You can restore files you added to File History to any Windows PC when needed. 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.

Backup your PC with a system image

Creating a system image is the most advanced way of backing up your PC. This method creates a carbon copy of your PC and is the best way to back up your PC. With this method, you'll be backing up all of your apps, settings, and files exactly as they are on your PC. This option doesn't let you restore individual files, but it's helpful for when something goes horribly wrong with your PC and you need a copy of the way you left it, when you need to start over and reinstall Windows freshly on the device. You can create a system image to either an HDD or SSD, a DVD, or a network location.

How to start the system image backup

  1. Connect the SSD or HDD you have for backup storage.
  2. Search for and select Control Panel in the Start Menu.
  3. Once the Control Panel is open, switch it to Category view under View by.
  4. Under System and Security, choose Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
    Backup and restore in Control Panel
  5. Choose Create a system image.
    Creating a system image in Windows 11
  6. Pick the location where you want to save the system image, then choose Next.
  7. You can select or deselect drives that you don't want to be included in the backup. Then choose Next.
  8. Then click Start Backup. The backup will take a while.

Once the backup is complete, you'll be notified when it's ready.

How to restore from a system image backup

To restore from this backup, you're going to have to reboot your PC.

  1. If your PC is bootable, plug the HDD or SSD with the system image into your PC.
  2. Head to Start > System > Recovery.
  3. Click Restart now under Advanced Startup.
    Restart now in advanced setup
  4. Once your PC reboots, choose Troubleshoot.
  5. Choose Advanced options > See more recovery options > System Image Recovery.
  6. Follow the steps on the screen, making sure you choose Format and Repartition disks.

In the event that your PC is not bootable and you have to reinstall Windows completely, you can restore it from this image. Here's how:

  1. Boot from the Windows 11 installer.
  2. Choose Repair your computer.
  3. Go to Troubleshoot > System Image Recovery.
    Windows 11 restore from system image backup
  4. You'll be prompted to pick your HDD or SSD from a list. Press Next and follow the steps on your screen to restore everything from your backup.

Keep your essential data safe

Losing important files and data due to a system glitch or an error is the last thing you want from your Windows PC. Thankfully, Microsoft offers multiple ways to back up your data in no time, so that you can have some easy peace of mind. OneDrive remains our recommended choice for backing up your data. If you don't have sufficient space or aren't comfortable with online storage, use the Control Panel to save your data to an external drive. If your Windows device is slowing down, you should also consider freeing up space on your PC.

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