"Change Backup Location in Windows 7: Managing Backup Files and Space Efficiency"

Why Do You Need to Change Backup Location?

As you might be aware, the built-in backup utilities in Windows 7 automatically save your backup files to the default location. Over time, as you create additional backups, the storage space on your backup drive will eventually become consumed.

So, what should you do if you wish to alter the backup location? This article will guide you on how to change the backup location in Windows 7.

There are several reasons why you might want to change your backup location. Some of these include: 1. Running out of storage space: If your current backup location is filling up, it might be necessary to shift your backups to a larger or external drive to ensure you have enough room for future backups. 2. Security concerns: You may want to move your backups to a more secure location, such as an encrypted drive or a remote server, to protect your data from unauthorized access or physical damage. 3. Accessibility: Perhaps you need easier access to your backups, either for quicker restoration or to share them with others. In this case, moving the backups to a network location or cloud service could be beneficial. 4. Organizational purposes: You might be restructuring your files and folders, and it makes sense to consolidate your backups in a new designated folder or drive. 5. Backup strategy update: You may have changed your backup strategy altogether, deciding to use a different backup software or service that requires a different location for its backups. 6. Performance improvement: Changing the backup location to a faster storage device can improve the speed of backup and restore operations. 7. Disaster recovery planning: In order to ensure better disaster recovery, you might choose to store your backups at a different physical location, away from your primary system, to minimize the risk of losing both your original data and backups in case of an event like a fire or flood. Remember to always test your backups after relocating them to ensure they're functioning correctly and your data remains safe and accessible.

• Save space on your primary drive by storing backups on a separate drive
• Enhance performance by keeping backups on a faster drive (e.g., an SSD)
• Ensure greater security by storing backups in a safer location (e.g., an offsite location)

Regardless of your reasons for wanting to change your backup location, the process is actually quite simple. Let's explore how to accomplish this.

Change Backup Location in Windows 7/10

If you've created backup files using Windows' built-in tools File History and Backup and Restore, you can follow these steps to modify the backup location settings.

There are two methods to alter the backup location in Windows 7/10: either through the Backup and Restore utility or within the Control Panel.

1. Change Backup Location using Backup and Restore (Works in Windows 7/10)

As an alternative to modifying the backup location through the Control Panel, you can also alter it using the Backup and Restore tool. Here's the procedure:

Step 1. Launch the Backup and Restore tool by navigating to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup and Restore.

Step 2. On the left side of the window, click on "Change settings".

Step 3. It will prompt you to re-choose what you want to back up and where to save your backup files.

Step 4. In the window that appears, choose the drive you wish to use as your new backup location, and then click on "Next".

If you wish to create a new folder for your backups, click on "Create a new folder," followed by entering a name for the folder. Afterward, proceed by clicking on "Next."

Step 5. On the following screen, you'll be prompted to confirm the destination for your backups. After doing so, click on "Start backup" to initiate the backup process to the new location.

2. Change Backup Location in Control Panel (Works in Windows 8/10)

You can access Windows' built-in backup tools through the Control Panel, allowing you to change the default backup location as well. Here are the detailed steps: 1. Click on the "Start" button or press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu. 2. Type "Control Panel" in the search bar and select the "Control Panel" app from the results. 3. In the Control Panel window, ensure that the view is set to "Category." If not, click on the drop-down menu in the top-right corner and choose "Category." 4. Under the "System and Security" category, click on "Backup and Restore." 5. In the Backup and Restore window, click on "Change settings" on the right side. 6. In the next window, you'll see the current default backup location. To change it, click on the "Browse" button. 7. A File Explorer window will open, allowing you to navigate to the new location where you want to save your backups. Select the desired folder and click "OK." 8. The new backup location will be displayed in the Backup and Restore settings. Click "Save changes" to apply the modification. Now, your future backups will be saved to the new location you specified.

Step 1. Click the Start button, then type "control panel" into the search bar. Alternatively, you can access the Control Panel through the Start menu by navigating to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Control Panel.

Step 2. In the Control Panel, locate the category named "System and Security" and click on it. Next, select "File History."

Step 3. In the window that opens, click on "Select drive".

Step 4. Next, choose the drive you wish to use as your new backup location, and then click on "OK".

Confirm your new backup location, and File History will begin creating a backup on the new drive. The next time you connect this new drive to your computer, File History will automatically create a backup on it.

Backup File Management Tool & Creator - Todo Backup Tools

One of the primary reasons users need to change their backup location is when the disk becomes full and they wish to switch to a new one. Fortunately, numerous third-party backup tools offer solutions to assist users in managing their backup files effectively.

With these backup utilities, users have access to more backup options. They can store their backup files on a local hard drive, cloud storage, or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Additionally, when configuring a backup schedule, users can opt to automatically delete old backup files to conserve disk space on a regular basis.

With numerous third-party backup software options available, how do you decide which one to select? A great backup tool should ideally fulfill the following requirements: user-friendly, robust, compatible with popular operating systems, and cost-efficient. According to these standards, we recommend opting for Todo Backup.

Here, we'll guide you on how to create backup files and set up backup plans using the tool Todo Backup. Download it from the button below and run it on your computer to get started.

Step 1. When you first use Todo Backup to back up files, click Create backup on the home screen, and then click the large question mark to select backup contents.

Step 2. Since you're planning to back up files and folders on your computer, proceed with the "File" backup mode. Here, you can choose to back up pictures, videos, documents, and all other file types.

Step 3. Follow the paths to locate the files, folders or directories you want to back up, select them all and click "OK".

Step 4. Now you need to select a backup location to save and keep the backup.

Step 5. Todo Backup enables users to save backup files to any device that is convenient for you, such as a local hard drive, external USB drive, SD card, network drive, or NAS drive, along with the brand's cloud drive. Personally, we recommend selecting the cloud drive over physical drives to store crucial backups due to its improved accessibility, flexibility, and security.

To access the Tools Cloud, all you need is an email registration and login.

Step 6. If you're interested in an automatic and intelligent backup schedule for the next file backup task, proceed with the "Options" setting. Here, you can encrypt a confidential file backup, compress the backup image size, or customize a backup scheme to instruct the software on when to initiate the subsequent backup.

Customize an advanced and automated backup task here:

Step 7. Click "Backup Now" to initiate the file backup process. Your completed backup files will be displayed in the left pane in a card view format.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. How to change the backup location in Windows 7?

1. Open Control Panel 2. Choose System and Security 3. Select Backup and Restore (Windows 7) 4. Under "Where do you want to save your backup?", click Change 5. Navigate to the location where you wish to save your backup, then click OK 6. Click Save settings and run backup

2. Where is my Backup file located in Windows 7?

The default location for backup files in Windows 7 is: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows.

Please follow the steps outlined above to change the location. For further details, you can refer to this post: Where Are the Backup Files Stored?

Bottom line.

That's all about how to change the backup location in Windows 7. You can follow the steps above to easily alter your backup destination.

If you're looking for an easier method to manage your backup files and conserve storage space, we recommend utilizing a third-party backup software such as Todo Backup. This tool allows you to create a backup schedule and automatically delete old backup files.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to assist you.