"Windows 10 File History Not Working [Solved 2024]"

File History is a built-in Windows tool that backs up different versions of files in folders like “Libraries,” “Desktop,” “Documents,” and “Contacts.” Each backup is saved to the designated backup drive. Once set up, File History will regularly save copies of your selected items.

Although File History is a designed feature of Windows, it's not flawless. There have been reports from users encountering error messages while using File History. In this article, we'll compile some very common issues with File History not working and show you how to resolve them with step-by-step guides.

File History fails to work properly when various error messages are encountered

Before we explore solutions, let's look at some file history issues you might encounter. You might see the following error messages or notifications:

• "File History has not backed up any files because your privacy settings are turned off for backups." • "We couldn't back up some files, but we'll try again soon. No changes have been made to your backup." • "File History was unable to back up these files. Please try again later: (list of file names)." • "File History is turned off." • "Unable to start the Windows 10 File History service." • "Unable to enable File History. The system cannot find the specified path."

When you see any of these error messages or notifications, it means that File History isn't working correctly on your computer. You'll need to resolve the issue to get File History up and running again.

How to Fix Issues with File History Not Working - Step-by-Step Guide If you're experiencing problems with File History not functioning properly, follow this step-by-step guide to troubleshoot the issue: 1. **Check File History Status**: First, ensure that File History is enabled on your Windows system. Press `Win + S`, type "File History" in the search box, and select "File History Settings" from the results. In the new window, confirm that the feature is turned on. 2. **Connect External Drive**: File History usually requires an external hard drive for backups. If not connected, plug it in and make sure Windows recognizes it. If already connected, try disconnecting and reconnecting to ensure a proper connection. 3. **Update Drivers and System**: Make sure your Windows system and all drivers are up to date. Press `Win + I` to open "Settings," then choose "Update & Security" > "Windows Update" to check for available updates. 4. **Verify Storage Space**: Ensure your external drive has enough space to save File History backups. If space is insufficient, clear some files or increase storage capacity. 5. **Troubleshoot**: In "File History Settings," click the "Troubleshoot" link to run Windows' built-in troubleshooting tool, which will automatically detect and fix issues. 6. **Reset File History**: If the above steps don't help, reset File History settings. In "File History Settings," click "More options" and then choose "Clear all file history data." This will delete existing backups but may help resolve configuration issues. 7. **Disable and Re-enable File History**: Turn off File History and then turn it back on. Go to "File History Settings," disable the feature, wait a minute, and then re-enable it. 8. **Check Firewall and Security Software**: Sometimes, firewalls or security software can block File History. Make sure they aren't preventing Windows from accessing the external drive or related services. 9. **Create a New Backup Source**: If the current backup source is problematic, try selecting a new library or folder as the backup location. 10. **Contact Microsoft Support**: If none of these steps resolve the issue, you might need to contact official Microsoft support for expert assistance. Follow these steps one by one, and you should be able to address problems with File History not working correctly.

In this section, we'll provide solutions to these issues, which you can try if they apply to you.

Solution 1: Restart File History

This solution should fix most hardware issues. If your backup drive is working correctly and has enough storage space, try using this method to restart File History.

Step 1: Click the Start button, type “services.msc” in the search box, and press Enter.

Input “service.msc” in the Run dialog box

Step 2: Find the “File History” service in the list, right-click it, and select “Restart.”

Step 3. Restart your computer and check if File History is working properly.

Solution 2: Check and change the new File History drive

This solution is if your File History drive is full.

Step 1: Open Disk Management or File Explorer and check how much space your File History drive is using.

If space is insufficient, stop using the current drive as a backup drive.

Step 3: Connect the new backup drive to your computer, and reset File History.

You can also delete old File History backups. After you click “Stop using this drive,” go to your backup disk and delete the “FileHistory” folder.

Solution 3: Review the file's version history

This solution applies if users are unable to find any backed-up versions of their folders in the library. It seems that File History didn't back up all the files they added.

There are several workarounds for this problem.

1. First, try turning off File History and then turning it back on. This will force File History to restart.
2. Second, try removing the folder from the included list and then adding it back.

Solution 4: Decrypt BitLocker Drive Encryption

Sometimes, if your computer is protected by BitLocker Drive Encryption but the File History drive isn't, File History might not work correctly. To fix this problem, you need to turn off BitLocker on your computer.

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, choose “Control Panel,” and then click “BitLocker Drive Encryption” under “System and Security.”

Step 2: Right-click the drive you want to decrypt, and select “Turn Off BitLocker.”

Step 3: Type your password to unlock the drive, or use a smart card to unlock it.

Slickly Backup Your Files with a Free File History Alternative

If all else fails, it's time to look for alternatives, such as a free tool like Todo Backup. It's a free backup utility that can save your files to multiple destinations, such as external hard drives, cloud services, NAS, and more. You don't have to worry about it not working since it's user-friendly and has great tech support.

It also ensures backing up disks/partitions and creating a system image to restore the device to a previous state in case of a system crash or hard drive failure.

Furthermore, Todo Backup offers various backup types, such as compressed backup, differential backup, and incremental backup, which are not available in File History. By utilizing these features, you can create more customized backup strategies and save storage space.

Actions speak louder than words. Download the trial and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Here is a brief introduction to the features of Todo Backup.

• Backup operating system, disks/partitions, and all file types
• Support for full, incremental, and differential backups for fast backup and recovery while minimizing disk space usage
• Create bootable rescue media to perform backups or restore when your computer fails to start
• Schedule automatic backups daily, weekly, monthly, or event-based
• Allow users to save backups to physical hard drives, network drives, NAS, tape, and cloud storage
• Consistently recommended by top reviewers on authoritative websites and YouTube

Check out the Best Free Backup Software of 2022 from TechRadar.com as featured on TechRadar.com

Translation: Top 5 Best Free Windows Backup Software on YouTube [2022]

Why am I getting an error with File History?

There can be many reasons why File History is not working correctly. Connection issues or insufficient space on your backup drive could be to blame. Here, we'll list a few common causes of File History problems. Check if any of these apply to why you can't use File History.

• 1. Poor connection between the File History backup drive and the computer
• 2. Insufficient space on the backup drive for File History content
• 3. Issues with Windows updates

First, a “bad connection” could refer to several scenarios. Either your computer is not recognizing the connected backup drive, the computer recognizes the drive but you can't write data to it, or the backup drive is damaged or not properly connected. Any of these issues could result in a “bad connection,” and you'll need to determine which one applies.

Second, File History regularly saves copies of your content, and if you've set it to back up too frequently or you're backing up a large amount of data and not regularly clearing out old File History backups, the backup drive may run out of space over time.

The last reason is not your fault, nor is it a File History problem per se. Several users have reported that after updating their Windows system, the File History feature stopped working. It's just a bug that comes with the Windows update, so there's nothing to worry about. Perhaps it will be fixed in the next update, but we'd be remiss not to tell you that Microsoft has been nudging its users towards using third-party Windows backup and recovery software, not just for files, but also for the OS. As one of the possible solutions on this page, we'll introduce you to the advantages of the best File History alternatives as a last-resort fix.

What Are the Best Free Backup Software in 2022?

Choosing the best backup software isn't easy – you need to consider backup quality, interface, and convenience when restoring backup files...

Final Thoughts

This article focuses on how to fix issues with File History not working. You have five viable methods to try to resolve the problem. Work your way through them until File History is functioning correctly. Given the limitations of File History in safeguarding your computer, don't hesitate to try a free backup software alternative!