Where Does Windows 10 Backup Save to? Get the Full Answer

# What Is Windows 10 Backup? Windows 10 Backup is a built-in feature designed to help users create a copy of their important files, system settings, and applications to safeguard against data loss. This feature ensures that you have a safety net in case of system crashes, hardware failures, or accidental deletion. With Windows 10 Backup, you can choose to back up specific files or create a complete system image, which can be restored later to get your computer back to its previous state. Here's a breakdown of what Windows 10 Backup offers: 1. **File History**: This feature allows you to back up your personal files, such as documents, pictures, and music, to an external storage device or a network location. It creates incremental backups, so you can recover files from a specific point in time. 2. **System Image**: A system image is a snapshot of your entire Windows installation, including the operating system, installed programs, system settings, and drivers. In case of a major issue, you can use a system image to restore your PC to its exact state at the time the backup was created. 3. **Backup and Restore (Control Panel)**: This legacy feature, still available in Windows 10, lets you create a backup of specific folders or drives. It's less comprehensive than File History but can still be useful for backing up critical data. 4. **OneDrive Integration**: Windows 10 integrates with Microsoft's cloud storage service, OneDrive, allowing you to automatically sync and back up your files online. This provides an offsite backup solution and ensures your data is accessible from any device with an internet connection. To access Windows 10 Backup settings, follow these steps: 1. Click on the Start button and select "Settings." 2. In the Settings app, click on "Update & Security." 3. On the left sidebar, choose "Backup." 4. From here, you can connect a backup drive, configure File History, or explore other backup options. Remember that while Windows 10 Backup is a useful tool, it's always a good idea to have multiple backup strategies in place, including both local and cloud-based backups, to ensure maximum data protection.

Windows 10 backup includes two built-in utilities: File History and Backup and Restore. It's quite straightforward to create a backup of your Windows 10 system. A full backup in Windows 10 essentially duplicates the entire state of the operating system. All data and customizations are saved to an external device or on the network as a one-to-one backup, which is why we often refer to them as system images. A system image is a comprehensive copy of everything on the computer, including the OS installation, settings, applications, and files. These system images prove invaluable when dealing with hardware failures, virus attacks, file corruption, or other issues, as they enable you to recover files from a network drive or external drive.

Numerous articles provide clear instructions on how to create backups. However, when we wish to relocate the backup files or need to perform system image recovery, we often find ourselves unsure of how to locate them on our computer. Today, this comprehensive guide will address and resolve these issues.

Where Does Windows 10 Save Backup? Windows 10 saves backups using several methods, depending on the feature or tool you're using. Here's where you can find your backups: 1. **System Image Backup**: If you've created a system image, it's saved in the "Backup" folder within your external drive or the location you specified during the backup process. To access it, go to File Explorer, then navigate to the drive where you saved the backup, and look for the "Backup" folder. 2. **File History**: File History backups are stored in a hidden folder called "FileHistory" within your backup drive. Connect the backup drive, open File Explorer, and browse to the drive letter assigned to the backup drive. You may need to enable Hidden items in the View tab to see the "FileHistory" folder. 3. **Windows Backup (Legacy)**: For older versions of Windows Backup, backups are saved in a folder named after the date they were created, usually located in the root directory of the backup drive. Look for folders with names like "WindowsImageBackup" or "Backup & Restore." 4. **OneDrive**: If you're using OneDrive for backup, your files are stored in your OneDrive cloud storage. Sign in to your OneDrive account online or access the OneDrive app on your computer to view and manage your backed-up files. 5. **tools Todo Backup**: If you're using third-party backup software like tools Todo Backup, the backup location is determined by the settings you chose during the backup process. Check the software's interface for the location where your backups are saved. 6. **Create a System Repair Disc/USB**: A system repair disc or USB contains system files that can be used to restore your PC. These are not traditional backups but can help recover from certain issues. They're not saved in a specific folder but are rather burned onto a DVD or written to a USB drive. Remember that some of these features might require you to have set up a backup plan beforehand. If you're unsure about your backup settings, it's always a good idea to check the settings within each respective backup feature or consult the software's documentation.

1. Backup Folder Location Created by File History
2. Backup Folder Location Created by Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

Backup and Restore and File History empower users to select the destination path for backup files. If you're unsure about the storage location, the system will provide a default path. Commonly, the two backup locations are an external hard drive and a network location. Knowing how to back up your data on a Windows computer is essential to understanding where the backup files are saved. The subsequent content will elaborate on the steps to choose the backup destination.

Backup Folder Location Created by File History

File History was introduced in Windows 8 and remains the primary built-in backup solution in Windows 10. It doesn't create a full backup of the entire computer; instead, it primarily focuses on protecting personal files.

Before utilizing File History to back up your files, you need to initially decide where your backups will be saved. You have the option to select a drive or include a network location.

Select a File History drive

[[backup_and_restore|Backup Folder Location Created by Backup and Restore (Windows 7)]]

Unlike File History backup, you can utilize the Backup and Restore feature to effortlessly copy your entire operating system, along with files and settings. On the other hand, File History is limited to backing up files only.

Once you click on Backup Now, you'll arrive at this screen. Here, you need to select the destination where you wish to save your backup. You have various options available, like a hard drive, DVDs, or a network location. Choose one of these options to save your Windows 10 backup.

Where Does Windows 10 Backup Save to with Third-party Software?

Where you want to store your Windows backups largely depends on the tool you choose. This is why third-party software has an advantage, as it offers more backup options. Once you become familiar with the built-in Windows tools, you'll notice that neither of them includes a method to back up files to the cloud. Furthermore, they lack advanced features. Hence, many users prefer to opt for third-party software. One exceptional backup tool is Todo Backup.

Todo Backup is a straightforward and highly reliable comprehensive free backup software that is easy to use. It caters to all Windows users by enabling them to back up their files, data, partitions, and even entire systems. Furthermore, backups on Windows can be stored on the cloud, network, NAS, or local drives, depending on the specific user's needs. For businesses: It is recommended to save your backups on NAS drives or in the cloud for optimal security. For individuals: You have the option to select a USB flash drive or a hard disk as your backup destination.

The main features of Todo Backup are outlined below:

• User-friendly interface
• Automatic backup
• Incremental backup, differential backup, and partition backup

Here, you can find out where Windows 10 saves the backup during the backup process.

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup and choose "Create Backup" on the home page, then click "Select backup contents".

Step 2. Click "OS" among the four available categories to begin the backup process.

Step 3. The system partition will be selected automatically, and you just need to choose the location.

Step 4. You can save the backup file to your Local Drive, Cloud, or NAS. You can also connect an external hard drive to store the system backup files.

Step 5. You can customize the settings in "Options" at the bottom left corner. After that, click "Backup Now", and the process will start.

*After the backup is complete, you can check the backup status, recover, open, or delete the backup by right-clicking the backup task on the left.

Conclusion:

In summary, the location where Windows 10 backup is saved depends on the tools you select and your preferred storage destination. Frankly, the optimal choice is to opt for third-party software that offers multiple backup options. This way, you can have various choices based on specific circumstances.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Windows 10 backup include everything?

Windows 10 supports a full backup feature, which creates a copy of everything on your computer, including installation files, settings, applications, and all your files stored in the primary drive, as well as those located in different directories.

2. Where can I locate my backup files?

When using File History to back up your files, the system will automatically create a folder named "FileHistory" on your computer. If you forget the storage location of your backup file, you can search for "FileHistory" within File Explorer.

3. How do I automatically back up my files to an external hard drive in Windows 10? To automatically back up your files to an external hard drive in Windows 10, you can use the built-in feature called "File History." Here's a step-by-step guide: 1. **Connect the External Hard Drive**: Plug in your external hard drive to your Windows 10 computer using a USB cable. 2. **Turn on File History**: - Click the Start button, then select "Settings" (the gear icon). - In Settings, choose "Update & Security." - On the left side, click "Backup." - Under "Back up using File History," click the "More options" link. 3. **Select the Backup Drive**: - In the File History window, click "Add a drive." - Select your external hard drive from the list of available drives. 4. **Configure Backup Settings**: - If desired, you can choose to "Turn on" File History now, or you can customize the settings first. - To customize, click "Configure backup" and adjust settings like how often backups occur, how much space to use, and which folders to include. 5. **Start the Backup Process**: - Once you've configured the settings, click "Turn on" to start backing up your files. - File History will now automatically save copies of your files to the external hard drive at your specified intervals. 6. **Run a Manual Backup**: - You can also run a manual backup anytime by clicking "Backup now" in the File History settings. Remember that your files will be backed up continuously as long as the external hard drive is connected and File History is turned on. To check your backups or restore files, return to the "Backup" section in "Update & Security" settings and click "Restore files from a current backup." Keep in mind that File History doesn't create a complete system image; it's designed for file-level backups. For a full system backup, consider using the "Create a system image" option in the "Backup and Restore" settings.

1. In File History, navigate to backup settings, click on the "Add a drive" option, and choose an external hard drive. 2. Enable the "Automatically back up my files" option, and then click "More options." 3. The default backup frequency is set to "Every hour." You can adjust the backup interval from as short as 10 minutes to daily.