How to Back Up Your Windows 11 PC

How to Back Up Your Windows 11 PC

Almost every repair guide says "back up first" before a reset, a disk repair or a registry change. This guide shows how to do that on Windows 11, using only what is built into Windows and a spare external drive. It takes about 20 minutes to set up, and after that most of it runs on its own.

A good backup has two copies of what matters: one in the cloud and one on a drive you keep at home. If one fails, the other is still there.

What Needs Backing Up

• Your files: documents, photos, videos, music and anything on the desktop. These can't be replaced.
• Your settings and app list: nice to have, because they save time on a new or reset PC.
• Windows itself: it can be reinstalled for free, so it matters least.

Also note where your files actually live. Many people keep projects in C:\Work or in a Downloads folder, which the standard backups may skip.

Method 1: Windows Backup (OneDrive)

The Windows Backup app is built into Windows 11 and backs up to your Microsoft account.

1. Make sure you sign in with a Microsoft account: Settings > Accounts > Your info.
2. Open Start, type Windows Backup and open it.
3. Expand Folders and turn on Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music as needed.
4. Expand the other sections and turn on what you want: installed apps, accessibility, accounts, Wi-Fi networks and passwords, personalization, language preferences and other Windows settings.
5. Select Back up.

Your folders now sync to OneDrive. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage; if your folders are larger, you'll need more storage or should use Method 2 for the big folders (videos are usually the problem).

When you set up a new or reset PC with the same Microsoft account, Windows offers to restore your apps, settings and files from this backup.

Good to know: OneDrive sync is not a separate copy. If you delete a file on the PC, it is deleted in OneDrive too (it stays in the OneDrive recycle bin for a limited time). That's why a second, offline copy is still worth having.

Method 2: File History (External Drive)

File History copies your files to an external drive or network folder and keeps older versions, so you can go back to yesterday's copy of a file you broke today.

1. Connect an external drive with enough free space (at least as big as the folders you back up).
2. Open Control Panel > System and Security > File History.
3. If your drive isn't picked, select Select drive, choose it and select OK.
4. Select Turn on.

File History backs up the folders in your libraries plus Desktop, Contacts and Favorites. To add another folder, right-click it, choose Show more options > Include in library, and add it to a library.

Under Advanced settings you can change how often it saves copies (every hour by default) and how long it keeps them.

To restore: open File History and select Restore personal files, browse to the file and the date you want, and select the green restore button. If you deleted something without a backup, see our guide to recover deleted files in Windows.

Method 3: A Plain Copy to an External Drive

Simple and easy to check:

1. Connect the external drive.
2. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\<your name>.
3. Copy the folders you need (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Downloads, and any folder you keep elsewhere) to a dated folder on the drive, for example Backup 2026-10.
4. Open a few files from the drive to make sure they copied correctly.
5. Eject the drive and unplug it.

Keeping the drive unplugged between backups protects it from ransomware and power surges that could hit the PC.

What About a System Image?

Older guides recommend a full system image from Backup and Restore (Windows 7) in Control Panel. The tool still exists in Windows 11, but Microsoft lists System Image Backup as deprecated and recommends a third-party full-disk backup product if you need one. For most home users, backing up files and settings (Methods 1-3) plus a clean Windows reinstall is simpler and more reliable than restoring an old image.

Don't Forget These

• Browser data: sign in to Chrome, Edge or Firefox sync so bookmarks and saved passwords follow you.
• Email: web mail (Gmail, Outlook.com) is stored online. If you use classic Outlook with a POP account, your mail may only be in a local .pst file; copy it too.
• Licence keys and app installers: note product keys for paid software you'd need to reinstall.
• Photos on your phone: they are usually backed up by Google Photos or iCloud, not by the PC backup.

Test Your Backup

A backup you've never restored is only a hope. Every few months:

• Restore one file from File History to a different folder and open it.
• Check the OneDrive website to see that your folders are there and recent.
• Open a few files on the external drive copy.

Still Not Sure?

If your PC is already showing problems (freezing, disk errors, a slow or noisy drive), back up your most important files first, before trying any fix. A failing drive can stop working completely, and copying files off it gets harder each time.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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See Also:backup windows 11 file history