To prevent unexpected data loss, you back up your computer data regularly. However, after some time, you notice that your PC is running slower and slower. Why is this so? What causes this? This is because the accumulated backup files slow down your computer. You need to delete unnecessary Windows 7 registry backups on your computer to ensure that it always has enough space to run smoothly.

This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to delete a Windows 7 backup from your computer. Please read through it carefully and follow the instructions step by step.

Why Remove Windows 7 Backup?

You may be wondering why you need to delete a Windows 7 backup. Backups are made to prevent data loss, but since computer storage is limited, your PC can't keep backing up files forever. If backup files and folders take up too much space on your computer, it will run slower. Thus, it's necessary to delete Windows 7 backups from time to time. You can also achieve the goal of freeing up space by setting up automatic deletion of backups. Read on, and we'll guide you through how to delete a Windows 7 backup and set up automatic backup deletion on your computer.

You might be interested in the article Solution: Windows 7 Backup not working on Windows 10.

Manually Remove a Windows 7 Backup

Now that you've checked if you need to remove Windows 7 backup, here, we will offer you two manual ways to help you delete Windows 7 backup on your computer.

Method 1: Remove the Windows 7 Backup Using Control Panel

One way to do this is by removing the Windows 7 backup through the Control Panel, as follows:

Step 1: Click the “Start” button, type “Control Panel” in the search box, and open it.

Step 2: Click on “System and Security,” and then choose “Backup and Restore.”

Step 3: Click “Manage Space,” then select “View Backup.” Your computer's backup will appear in a window.

Manage Space

Step 4. Select the specific backup file you want to delete, then click "Delete." Once it's finished, you have successfully deleted a backup in Windows 7.

Select the specific backup file you wish to delete: Select the specific backup file you wish to delete

That's it for manually deleting Windows 7 backups. Next, we'll show you how to modify backup settings to automatically delete Windows 7 backups – follow the steps below:

Step 1: Click the Start button, type Control Panel in the search box, and then open Control Panel.

Step 2: Click on “System and Security,” then choose “Backup and Restore.”

Step 3. Click on "Change settings" under "System image update."

Change the settings

Step 4: Choose “Keep only the latest system image and use minimal space.”

Keep only the latest system images to minimize the space used for backups

5. Click OK. You've successfully changed your system image settings.

Method 2: Delete a Windows 7 Backup Using File History

Another manual way to remove Windows 7 backups is by using File History. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you delete Windows 7 backups from your computer:

Step 1. Click “Start,” and type “File History” in the search box. Open File History.

Step 2. Select «Advanced settings» from the left-hand panel.

Advanced settings

Step 3. Choose "Clean up version." Then select how you want to delete backup files and folders. You have now successfully removed the Windows 7 backup from your computer.

Cleanup version

Frequently Asked Questions about Removing Windows 7 Backup

Here we've gathered some popular topics about removing Windows 7 backups from the web. You can browse through the questions below and find the answers yourself.

1. Where does Windows 7 backup get stored?

Windows 7 backs up files and folders in the “System Volume Information” folder. This is a protected folder that requires administrator access to view.

2. How do I delete all files on Windows 7?

    1. **Step One:** Hold down the "Shift" key while restarting your computer. This will boot you into WinPE. 2. **Step Two:** Select "Troubleshoot," then click on "Reset this PC." 3. **Step Three:** A window will appear, giving you the option to "Keep my files" or "Remove everything." 4. **Step Four:** Click on "Remove everything." This will erase all files from Windows 7.

Should I delete Windows backup files?

Yes, it is necessary to delete Windows backups to free up space on your computer.

Summary

In this article, we told you why you might need to remove Windows 7 backup from your computer. We also provided a guide on how to delete Windows 7 backup both manually and automatically. Hopefully, this was very helpful to you. Thanks for reading!