All Three Windows 10 Backup Options You Should Know

The importance of meticulously maintaining and safeguarding all data is crucial for many individuals. In situations such as hardware failure, performing a factory reset, virus infections, driver issues, or even unintentional deletion, valuable files can be lost. Due to these potential risks, the majority of users prioritize backup strategies to ensure the protection of their data on their Windows computers.

Along those lines, there are various Windows 10 backup options available to explore. Here, we present some of the top solutions - familiarize yourself with them for future reference.

What Are the Available Backup Options in Windows 10?

In every iteration of Windows, backup features are provided for secure photo and file management. In Windows 10, these are the primary options available: 1. File History: This feature allows you to automatically back up your files to an external drive or a network location. It creates versions of your files at regular intervals, so you can recover previous versions if needed. 2. Backup and Restore: A more traditional backup tool, it lets you create a complete system image or backup specific files and folders to an external storage device. You can then restore the entire system or individual files in case of data loss. 3. OneDrive: Microsoft's cloud storage service integrates with Windows 10, enabling you to store your files online and access them from any device. It also offers automatic syncing and version history for files, providing a backup option. 4. Windows Settings > Update & Security > Backup: Here, you can set up automatic backups to OneDrive or another location of your choice, ensuring your important files are regularly saved. These tools cater to different needs and preferences, providing a range of options for managing and safeguarding your photos and files in Windows 10.

• Cloud backup - This method involves using cloud services to provide increased storage capacity for Windows 10 files. The backup process operates over the internet, enabling account synchronization across multiple devices, allowing you to access it from anywhere. Instant data recovery is possible, and no additional hardware is required.
• Network drive or external hard drive backup - Users have the option to secure their data backup on a network drive or an external hard drive. This is one of the Windows 10 backup options that can be accessed offline. It also allows for storing large file types for faster retrieval.
• Legacy backup - This solution is designed to back up and restore the Windows operating system in contemporary systems. It is easier to manage, and users can transfer their Windows 7 backups to cloud-based backup solutions.

1. What is Cloud-based Backup?

When it comes to cloud-based backup, this refers to cloud backup software or cloud service providers that offer users the benefit of backup storage. Those with accounts on cloud platforms can save their Windows 10 files to the cloud backup. This is accessible via the internet and offers the advantage of larger storage capacity, faster access, and robust data protection.

Moreover, users can grant permission to others to access their files via cloud servers, and they can also share them directly across different platforms and devices. This method enables users to back up various types of personal files, such as spreadsheets, documents, images, presentations, music, contacts, and videos. However, not all cloud-based backup solutions support the storage of app data or system files.

Examples of cloud-based backup solutions/apps: 1. Google Drive Backup and Sync 2. Microsoft OneDrive Backup 3. Apple iCloud Backup 4. Dropbox Backup 5. Amazon Photos Backup (part of Amazon Prime) 6. IDrive 7. Backblaze 8. Carbonite 9. Acronis True Image 10. pCloud Backup 11. SpiderOak ONE 12. Zoolz Cloud Backup 13. CrashPlan+ 14. Sync.com Backup 15. Iomega StorCenter Cloud Storage (now part of LenovoEMC) These services allow users to securely store and backup their data, files, and even entire system images on remote servers, ensuring data safety and easy accessibility from anywhere with an internet connection.

There are specific categories of cloud backup applications and software tools that offer significant advantages of cloud-based backup. These are primarily available in two main types.

1. Standalone Cloud Storage Providers

These include service providers that offer cloud storage to users. Individuals utilizing these platforms receive a specified amount of free cloud storage, along with features such as content creation, editing, collaboration, and more. You can effortlessly access your computer data through an account and instantly back up all your files.

This includes things like:

• Dropbox- Offers 2 GB of free storage, and paid subscribers can increase their storage to either 2 TB or unlimited, depending on their chosen tier plan.
• OneDrive- Starts with 5 GB of free cloud storage. Users need to upgrade to access up to 100 GB of free cloud storage.
• Google Drive- Begins with 15 GB of free storage. Paid plans provide additional storage options.

Suitable for: These solutions are ideal for business teams, families, and individuals seeking online storage for professional or personal data. Those with cloud platform accounts can leverage their built-in cloud storage capabilities.

2. Backup software with cloud storage integration

Another excellent option for Windows 10 backup is utilizing third-party backup software on your computer. Although these require installation, they offer a range of modern and user-friendly features. With them, you can back up various types of data and restore them later with just a few simple steps.

A good example of this is Todo Backup tools.

Suitable for: This comprehensive backup software offers an abundance of backup and restore functionalities and accommodates multiple users per plan. It is also user-friendly, making it particularly appealing to beginners who will appreciate its intuitive interface and features.

2. What is External Hard Drive or Network Drive Backup?

In the event of a sudden computer or internal system failure, the computer might delete or damage your files. To safeguard your data, you can transfer your files to an external hard drive, such as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device or a USB drive. For larger teams collaborating on the same projects, it's more convenient to access these backup files through network drives, enabling seamless collaboration and easy retrieval in case of any issues.

Examples of External Hard Drive Backup

Users can utilize a network drive or external hard drives to store larger data copies for future access in the event of unexpected loss. This functionality is available in various systems, such as the Seagate One Touch products. Users have the option to back up Windows images and other file types to network or external storage devices, including Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Solid State Drives (SSDs).

Suitable for: Individual laptop or PC users can access external hard drives. Alternatively, teams within companies can utilize a network drive to save files on a unified platform via a single network path.

3. What is Legacy Backup?

Legacy Backup refers to the feature that allows users to save system data files from their computer system versions. This functionality is available in Windows 7, and users can utilize the legacy Backup and Restore utility. However, this feature is not compatible with newer versions of Microsoft Windows.

Examples of Legacy Backup

Legacy file backup in Windows OS encompasses two main categories. These consist of system data or family file components, as well as media files, which include documents, videos, images, and attached file formats.

Suitable for: This is ideal for Windows 7 users who wish to utilize comprehensive file cloud storage on their PC devices. The Windows 10 backup options enable users to migrate their existing Windows 7 data seamlessly into the system using the integrated backup and restore utilities.

How to Create a Windows 10 Backup to Cloud, External Hard Drive, or Network Drive?

Now that you're familiar with the various Windows 10 backup options, you may be wondering how to utilize each one. Instead of dealing with them individually, you can employ high-quality software that manages backups for all versions, including cloud, network, and external hard drive backups. A prime example of such a tool is Todo Backup.

This backup software is accessible to Windows users, enabling them to securely back up their entire computer and data stored on local drives. It allows you to save various elements such as the operating system, folders/files, emails, and disks/partitions. Paid plan users have access to advanced features, while the free version still offers numerous high-quality functions.

Types of backup options via the 'My Backup' section in 'Todo Backup Home' tools

• Cloud Backup (only for files)
• NAS (Network Attached Storage)
• Local Drive
• Security Zone (primarily for Advanced plan users)

Top Features of Todo Backup Tools:

• Straightforward interface, ideal for both novices and experts
• Select the backup type among NAS, local drives, network, and cloud-based solutions.
• Establish a schedule for data backup to enable automatic synchronization.
• Utilize advanced backup options for image reservation strategies.
• 250 GB of free cloud storage is provided.
• Disaster recovery and bootable recovery options are included.

You can follow the steps below to utilize this perfect software:

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup on your computer and click Create Backup on the home screen. Then, hit the large question mark to select backup contents.

Step 2. To back up your Windows operating system, click "OS" to start the backup task.

Step 3. Your Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions will be automatically selected, so you don't need to make any manual selections here. Next, you need to choose a location to save the system image backup by clicking on the illustrated area.

Step 4. The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, network, cloud, or NAS. Generally, we recommend using an external physical drive or cloud to store the system backup files.

Step 5. If interested, you can access customization settings such as enabling an automatic backup schedule for daily, weekly, monthly, or event-based backups, as well as creating differential and incremental backups through the Options button. Click "Backup Now" to initiate the Windows system backup process. Once complete, the finished backup task will be displayed on the left side in a card format.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are the backup options missing in Windows 11?

The Windows 11 edition indeed provides backup options for users via the Settings section. To access these, you should click on the Settings menu, then navigate to System, followed by Storage, and finally, Advanced Storage Settings. Within this list, click on Backup Options. Here, you'll find the available choices for backing up your data on your device, such as File History or cloud services like a Google Drive account.

2. What does "Keep my backups" in Backup Options mean? This option, "Keep my backups," in Backup Options typically refers to the setting that determines how long your backup files are retained. When enabled, it ensures that your backups are saved and not automatically deleted after a certain period. The specific duration for which the backups are kept can vary depending on the software or service you're using. This feature allows you to have a historical record of your data, which can be useful for recovery or comparison at a later time.

The "Keep my backups" option in Backup Settings on Windows determines the duration for retaining files in backups. The software will persistently store file copies and keep them updated for the specified period. Once this period elapses, the files will be deemed expired. The default setting is "Forever," which implies that the files will be saved and automatically updated as long as there is sufficient space on the device.