How to Set Up and Use Windows File History for Backups

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of setting up and using Windows File History, a built-in backup feature in Windows operating systems. File History allows you to automatically backup your personal files and folders, ensuring that you don't lose valuable data in case of accidental deletion, hardware failure, or other unforeseen circumstances.

Prerequisites

• A computer running Windows operating system (Windows 10 or later)
• An external storage device (such as an external hard drive or network location) to store your backup files

Step 1: Accessing File History settings

1. Go to the Start menu and click on the Settings gear icon.
2. In the Settings window, click on Update & Security.
3. From the left sidebar, select Backup.

Step 2: Enabling File History

1. In the Backup settings window, click on Add a drive under "Back up using File History".
2. Choose the external storage device (e.g., external hard drive) or a network location where you want to store your backups. If your preferred drive is not listed, ensure that it is connected and click on Refresh.
3. Once you select the drive, File History will be turned on automatically and will start backing up your files.

Step 3: Customizing File History settings

1. Under the "Automatically back up my files" section, you can adjust the frequency of backups by clicking on More options.
2. In the "Back up my files" section, you can configure settings such as how often to back up, how long to keep saved versions, and whether to exclude specific folders.
3. Choose your desired options based on your preferences and click on Back up now to start an immediate backup.

Step 4: Restoring files with File History

1. To restore a specific file or folder, open the File Explorer (Windows Explorer) window.
2. Navigate to the location where the file or folder was originally stored.
3. Click on the Home tab in the File Explorer ribbon menu.
4. In the "Open" section, click on the History button.
5. You will see a list of saved versions for the selected file or folder. Select the version you want to restore and click on the Restore button.
6. The file or folder will be restored to its original location.

Step 5: Advanced File History settings (optional)

Windows File History also provides advanced settings to further customize your backup experience. Here are a few noteworthy options:

• Exclude folders: If there are specific folders you don't want to include in backups, you can add them to the exclusion list.
• Backup size: You can limit the amount of space that File History uses on your backup location by adjusting the maximum size allowed for the backup.
• Advanced settings: By clicking on the "Advanced settings" link, you can configure settings such as the offline cache size, network behavior, and notifications.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully set up and configured Windows File History to automatically back up your personal files and folders. In case of any data loss or accidental deletions, you can easily restore previous versions of files using File History. Regularly review your backup settings to ensure your important data is protected and consider testing the restoration process to confirm it works as expected.