How to Back Up Important Windows Files

Secure your essential data on Windows using File History and OneDrive. Follow this step-by-step guide to configure automated backups.

1. Enable File History. Connect your external drive to the PC. Navigate to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > File History and select Turn on to begin backing up your user profile folders automatically.
2. Define backup folders. Open the File History Control Panel applet. Click Select drive to designate your external storage, then use the Include folders option to add specific directories that contain critical data beyond the default libraries.
3. Run the initial backup. Return to the main File History window and click the Run now button. Wait for the status bar to confirm that the file copy process has completed successfully.
4. Sync files to OneDrive. Open File Explorer and locate the OneDrive folder in the left sidebar. Move or copy your most sensitive working files into this folder to ensure they are synchronized to your Microsoft cloud account in real-time.
5. Test file recovery. Within the File History window, click Restore personal files. Browse the directory tree to verify that your data appears correctly and attempt to restore a single dummy file to ensure the integrity of the backup.