When was the last time you backed up your files? How many irreplaceable photos important documents are stored on your PC? Backups tend to be forgotten until it’s too late. Don’t wait until your files are gone to back up Windows 10. Start today and be prepared.
Back Up Windows 10 Regularly
Hard drive failures, viruses, and physical damage could all destroy your files. With 76% of files being erased due to hardware/system malfunctions and human error, it’s vital to back up Windows 10 files now before the worst happens.
Half of hard drives die within five years, so it’s not enough to leave your files on your PC’s hard drive. Multiple backups, including an off-site or cloud backup, offer the most protection.
With average use, you should back up Windows 10 weekly. Only 9% of people perform weekly backups and 18% do it monthly. A shocking 18% of people never perform backups.
Know Your Backup Options
You can manually back up your files by copying and pasting them onto an external drive or a cloud service. The alternative is to use backup software.
If you’re using a backup drive, the drive may have software included. Some cloud services have software to back up files immediately or on a regular schedule.
To back up Windows 10, use the built-in Windows 10 Backup tool. After some initial setup, it’s easy to use and makes sure your files are backed up on a regular schedule.
Using the Windows 10 Backup Tool
Set up your initial backup:
Go to Start > Settings > Update & security > Backup > Add a drive. You’ll need to have a wired, wireless, or flash drive already in place to store your backup.
Choose your backup drive. By default, all files in your user folder (C:) are backed up each hour.
Select More Options under Add a drive to change the backup schedule and which files or folders are backed up. This gives you more control over your backups.
If you need to restore a file or files:
Connect your backup drive and type Restore Files in the search box or Cortana.
Choose Restore your files with File History.
Locate the version of the file or files you want, select it, and choose Restore.
Right-click the file and choose Restore To to store the file in a new location.
Restoring Windows 10
System Restore is a way to back up Windows 10 each time you install new updates, drivers, and programs. Some Windows 10 systems don’t have this feature enabled by default.
Enable System Restore by right-clicking Start and selecting Control Panel.
Choose Recovery > Configure System Restore > Configure and select Turn on system protection.
Select the amount of hard drive space to use and press Apply.
You can also create a manual restore point by pressing Create in the configuration window.
Restore Windows 10 from an early restore point by going to Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore > Next.
Choose a restore point, select Next, and choose Finish. Your PC will reboot after it’s finished.
Resetting Your PC to Its Original State
You’ll need to back up Windows 10 before resetting your PC to its original state. Windows 10 provides three options to reset your PC:
Keep my files: Reinstalls Windows 10, but keeps personal files
Remove everything: Removes everything and reinstalls Windows 10 (back up Windows 10 personal files first)
Restore factory settings: Reinstalls your system to factory settings, including the original operating system (may not be available)
Go to Start > Settings > Update & security > Reset this PC > Get Started and choose the best option for you. Follow the prompts to reset your PC.
If you removed personal files, restore your files using a recent Windows 10 backup.
The post It’s Time to Back Up Windows 10 Before It’s Too Late appeared first on Digital Care.