How to Back up Important Files on Windows 10

This article describes steps one can take to back up important files and folders in Windows 10.

To back up your file in Windows 10 simply means making copy of your file and storing them somewhere for safekeeping. In the event you lose the original file on the computer, you can go to restore the file from the backup location.

It’s always good to have a backup copy of your important files. Keep copies of your files on another drive in case something happens to the originals — on an external hard disk, for example.

A good location to store backup file is on a USB drive, external hard drive, CD/DVD or an online storage.

How to Back up your Files

The easiest way of backing up your files is to let Windows manage the backup process for you. A number of different backup applications are available, but Windows 10 comes with a built-in tool that can help you backup your files.

Alternatively, you can manually copy the file to a backup location instead of using an application. However, allow Windows to automatically backup your important files is the best method.

What to back up?

Your priority should be to backup important files as well as those that would be difficult to replace. Your personal files like documents, emails, financial documents, family photos and others that would be irreplaceable.

Other less important data would be your profile settings, installed software and system settings. These you can replace, but might spent sometime on settings back to the way there were.

Windows 10 Backup

Windows 10 comes with a built-in backup tool. Select the Start​  button, select Settings  > Update & security  > Backup  > Add a drive, and then choose an external drive or network location for your backups.

Click Start –> Settings

windows 10 default apps installation location

Then go to Settings & Security group

windows 10 settings update

Select the Backup. on the left menu. Windows will not allow you to backup to a folder location on the computer. You must add an external USB / Network drive to backup to. Insert a USB drive to your computer and Windows should identify it and allow you to backup to it.

Click Add a drive  > Select a drive

When you select a drive, all is set. Every hour, Windows will back up everything in your user folder (C:\Users\username). To change which files get backed up or how often backups happen, go to More options.

When you’re done, save and exit.

This is how to setup backup on Windows 10 computers.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully configured a backup plan on Windows 10 desktop.