# How to back up a Windows PC > The two options already built into Windows 11 and 10: Windows Backup, which saves folders and settings to OneDrive, and File History, which copies your files to an external drive and also keeps earlier versions. Source: https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/backup-pc-windows Author: SimpleBuild, Build simple. Deliver value. Category: Backup and security Procedure verified on: 2026-09-29 Windows already has everything you need for a backup, with nothing to install. **Windows Backup** saves folders and settings to your OneDrive storage. **File History** copies your documents to an external drive and also lets you recover older versions of a file. Our advice is to use both. ## Before you start - For **Windows Backup** you need a personal Microsoft account (for example an @outlook.com or @live.com address). Work or school accounts don't work for this feature. - For **File History** you need an external USB drive or a network location, for example a drive connected to your router. - Check how much space your folders take up. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB on OneDrive: enough for documents and settings, usually not for years of photos and videos. - If you're not sure why you need more than one copy, first read [the 3-2-1 backup rule](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/regola-backup-3-2-1). Microsoft explains the difference this way: a cloud backup is convenient and reachable from several devices, while one on an external drive is better when you have no internet or lots of large files. ## On Windows 11 and 10: Windows Backup (OneDrive) 1. Click **Start**, type `backup` and choose **Windows Backup** from the results. Or open **Settings > Accounts > Windows backup**. 2. Sign in with your Microsoft account if asked. 3. Open **Folders** and turn on the toggle for the folders you want to save: **Desktop**, **Documents**, **Pictures**, **Videos**, **Music**. 4. Open the other sections and choose what to save: **Installed apps**, **Accessibility**, **Accounts, Wi-Fi network and passwords**, **Personalization**, **Language preferences** and **Other Windows settings**. 5. Select the **Back up** button. ![Diagram of Windows Backup: under Folders the toggles for Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music, with the Back up button at the bottom.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/backup-pc-windows-windows-backup-en.svg) From then on the chosen folders are synced with OneDrive. You can check the status in **Settings > Accounts > Windows backup**. If you get a OneDrive error, there are three common causes: you aren't signed in to OneDrive, your storage is full, or there's a sync problem. ### Watch out: it's a sync The folders are synced, meaning kept identical, between your PC and OneDrive. That's very handy when you change computers. But it doesn't protect you if a file is deleted or damaged on the PC, because the change reaches the cloud too. That's why you also need a copy on a separate drive, like the one File History makes. ## On Windows 11 and 10: File History (external drive) 1. Connect the external drive to your PC. 2. Open **Control Panel**: select **Start** and type `control panel`. 3. Under **System and Security**, choose **Save backup copies of your files with File History**. 4. Select **Turn on**. ![Diagram of the File History page in Control Panel: the chosen drive, the Select drive link and the Turn on button.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/backup-pc-windows-cronologia-file-en.svg) 5. If the right drive isn't already chosen, select **Select drive**, choose the external drive or network location and select **OK**. File History saves the main folders by itself, such as **Documents**, **Pictures**, **Videos** and **Desktop**. To add another folder, right-click it, then choose **Show more options > Include in library**. Once it's on, File History watches your files and makes regular copies on the drive. Of course it can only do that while the drive is connected: if you keep it in a drawer, remember to connect it often. ## How to get a file back from the backup ### From File History 1. Open **File Explorer** and go to the folder where the file was. 2. Right-click the folder name and choose **Restore previous versions**. 3. Choose the version you need, meaning the day and time. 4. Select **Restore** to put it back in place, or **Restore to** to save it in another folder without touching the current file. If in doubt, always use **Restore to**: that way you don't overwrite anything. ### From Windows Backup, on a new PC During the first setup of the new PC, sign in with **the same Microsoft account**. Windows will ask whether you want to restore from a backup. If you have more than one, choose **More options** to pick the right one. To move everything to a new computer in an orderly way, you may also want the guide on [resetting Windows without losing your files](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/ripristinare-windows-senza-perdere-file). ## If it still doesn't work - **File History says "Reconnect your drive" even though the drive is connected**: this is a known issue with the September 2026 Windows update. Microsoft fixed it in updates released on and after September 22, 2026. Install the latest updates; if Windows Update doesn't work, follow [this guide](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/errori-windows-update). - **The date of the last backup doesn't change**: check that the drive is connected and turned on, and that it isn't full. If it's full, free it up or use a larger one. - **OneDrive is full**: remove the heaviest folders from the backup (usually **Videos** and **Pictures**) and save them to an external drive with File History. If you need space on the PC, see also [how to free up disk space](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/liberare-spazio-disco-windows). - **You can't remember your Microsoft account password**: without it you can't get your OneDrive backup back. Put it somewhere safe now and turn on [two-step verification](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/verifica-in-due-passaggi). - **Test a restore at least once**: take any file and get it back with **Restore to**. A backup you've never tested is only a hope. - If the drive isn't recognized, makes strange noises, or restored files won't open, stop and get help from a technician before trying anything else: data is easier to save if you don't keep pushing. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much free OneDrive space do I get for backups? A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage. If your folders take up more, you can buy more storage or use File History with an external drive. ### If I delete a file on my PC, does it stay in the OneDrive backup? Don't count on it. Windows Backup syncs your folders with OneDrive: what happens on the PC happens in the cloud too. For a truly separate copy, use an external drive as well. ### How often should I connect the external drive? File History only works while the drive is connected. Connect it often, for example once a week, and check the date of the last backup. ### Does it still work on Windows 10? The tools are there on Windows 10 too, but Microsoft ended support for it on October 14, 2025: no more free security updates. ## Sources - [Back up and restore with Windows Backup (Microsoft)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/back-up-and-restore-with-windows-backup) - [Back up and restore with File History (Microsoft)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/backup-and-restore-with-file-history) - [Choose a backup solution in Windows (Microsoft)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/experience/backup-recovery/choose-a-backup-solution-in-windows) - [KB5129195, known File History issue of September 2026 (Microsoft)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/servicing/os/windows-11/2026/09/kb5129195-windows-11-24h2-25h2-security-update)