How to Use Windows File History for Data Backup

Windows File History is a built-in feature of the Windows operating system that allows users to backup and restore their important files. Whether you accidentally delete a file or experience a system failure, File History can help you recover your data easily. In this tutorial, we will guide you step-by-step on how to use Windows File History for data backup.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have the following:

• A computer running on Windows 10 or later.
• An external storage device such as an external hard drive or a network location.
• Important files that you want to back up.

Enabling File History

1. Connect your external storage device to your computer.
2. Click on the Start button and go to Settings.
3. In the Settings window, select Update & Security.
4. From the left sidebar, choose Backup.
5. Click on the Add a drive button under the "Back up using File History" section.
6. Choose the external storage device you want to use for backups, and click on OK.

Configuring File History Settings

1. Once you have enabled File History and connected your external storage device, click on the More options link under the File History section.
2. Here, you can customize various settings, such as:
   • Backup frequency: Choose how often you want File History to save copies of your files. The default value is every hour, but you can change it according to your preference.
   • Keep my backups: Specify how long you want to keep your backups. By default, it will be until space is needed, but you can choose to keep backups for a specific period.
   • Exclude folders: If you have any specific folders that you don't want to include in the backup, you can specify them here.
   • Back up now: Click on this button to manually start the backup process immediately.

Restoring Files Using File History

1. To restore a file from File History, open the File Explorer by clicking on the folder icon in the taskbar or pressing Win + E.
2. Navigate to the folder where the file was originally located.
3. Click on the Home tab in the top menu bar and select History.
4. A new window will open, showing the history of the selected folder. You can navigate through different versions of files and folders.
5. To restore a specific file, select it and click on the Restore button at the bottom of the window. The file will be restored to its original location.

Advanced File History Settings

File History also provides advanced settings that you can explore for a more personalized experience. Here are a few notable options:

• Advanced settings: By clicking on this link in the File History settings window, you can change the default location of your backups and exclude additional folders from the backup process.
• Exclude file types: You can prevent certain file types from being backed up by specifying their extensions in the File History settings.
• Restore personal files: Under the Recovery section in the Windows settings, you can access a dedicated interface to restore individual files and folders using File History.

Conclusion

With Windows File History, you can easily back up your important files and restore them whenever needed. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you should now be able to enable File History, configure its settings, and restore files from previous versions. Remember to periodically check your backups and ensure your external storage device is connected for smooth file recovery.