Windows File History review: Free, effective continuous data protection

Price When Reviewed

Free with Windows

One of the very best file-level backup applications for Windows is definitely included with the working system: File History. True, it’s not fairly as encompassing as Apple’s Time Machine, missing a disaster-recovery part (that’s discovered elsewhere). However, it does provide the identical simple steady knowledge safety (CDP) and timeline restoration of recordsdata.

This evaluation is a part of our ongoing roundup of the best backup software. Go there for info on competing merchandise and the way we examined them.

Windows File History: Features

As said, File History is steady, file-level backup. In different phrases, after the preliminary backup, it copies modified recordsdata, new folders, and so forth. to your backup media at extra granular intervals than the normal every day/weekly backup.

File History doesn’t copy recordsdata the second they alter, that’s real-time backup, a extra superior and resource-hungry type of steady knowledge safety, or CDP. The utility may be set for intervals of wherever from each 10 minutes to as soon as a day. I often go for hourly as a cheerful medium. Losing an hour’s work I can dwell with, and as typically as I save modified paperwork when writing, it retains the model depend all the way down to an inexpensive degree.

Version depend? Window File History retains older variations of recordsdata (versioning) so you may get again to that sensible thought you began with earlier than you mucked it up by over-thinking or over-editing. Don’t ask me why I used that instance… 😉 Note that these variations are displayed in response to the time they have been backed up within the timeline browser proven within the lead picture of this evaluation.

By default, File History backs up the usual Windows libraries: Contacts, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Music, OneDrive, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches, Videos, and Camera Roll. That’s the place most customers maintain all their essential stuff, so cool. However….

Many customers (together with yours actually) maintain collections of stuff outdoors of those commonplace places. In variations of Windows previous to 11, File History allow you to simply add these exterior folders to the backup through the Add a folder operate proven under. Alas, this operate bit the mud with Windows 11. But don’t panic, there’s nonetheless a means so as to add a folder, it’s simply may not be intuitive to all customers. I’ll clarify mentioned methodology in a second.

So why would Microsoft take away such a useful characteristic? If I have been a cynic, I would suspect the corporate is attempting to leverage you into utilizing OneDrive and its different on-line providers. Think I’m paranoid? The dwelling model of Windows doesn’t even provide the choice of a neighborhood (non-online) account with out you resorting to trickery. Big trace: Install with out being related to the web.

Online storage corresponding to OneDrive is, in fact, handy and is accessible to all of your units, however transferring knowledge throughout the web is usually far slower than to and from quick direct-attached or native storage.

Then there’s safety. Local storage is solely safer than sending your knowledge throughout the web—regardless of how a lot firms attempt to persuade you in any other case.

As to that workaround…

Backing up non-standard places below Windows 11

The solution to again up knowledge not present in the usual places isn’t onerous, it simply might not be instantly apparent. Largely, as a result of it’s probably not documented. The deal is that File History backs up all libraries—together with these you create your self. Yes, to reiterate, File History backs up consumer Libraries.

Of course, you don’t need to create your individual library. Right-click on any folder, and use the Add to library possibility to incorporate it in considered one of Windows current libraries. Easy-peasy. Easy, besides that you could be not see the Libraries in Windows Explorer. If they’re not proven in your Quick entry part, merely click on on the icon to the far left of Windows Explorer’s deal with bar, sort “Libraries,” and hit Enter.

This can also be the place you possibly can most simply create your individual libraries, which may be a bit cleaner organizationally. Once within the Libraries folder, right-click on empty area, choose Show extra choices, after which choose New, then Library. There are different strategies, however that is essentially the most simply illustrated. See under.

There is one minor downside to utilizing your individual, somewhat than pre-existing libraries. Being abstracted collections that may check with any variety of places, they gained’t seem among the many different libraries within the precise backup file repository (a folder named FileHistory in your backup drive).

Instead, the folders included in your user-created libraries seem below their authentic names and places as proven under. The folders on this display seize have been a part of the user-created library “New library” proven within the display seize above. This is nice to know in case you wish to seize recordsdata and the unique Windows set up is kaput.

However, consumer created libraries will present up in File History’s devoted restore browser (proven on the prime of this text and accessed in Windows 11 with the Restore private recordsdata possibility within the File History dialog). As that is what most customers will use, the just-explained downside is a little bit of a tempest in a teapot.

Though the truth that File History backs up consumer libraries isn’t marketed by Microsoft wherever that I might discover (I’m positive I’ll hear from the corporate if there may be…), as soon as you already know it may be accomplished, there’s a sure elegant minimalism to it. I fairly prefer it to be sincere.

Bottom line

Microsoft’s determination to take away the “add folder” operate from File History with out offering hints on find out how to again up non-standard places is regrettable. (I’m being beneficiant in my selection of phrases.)

Regardless, File History stays a unbelievable, free, built-in, set-it-and-forget-it solution to maintain you essential knowledge repeatedly backed up. Few customers will want something extra.

Note that Windows additionally offers catastrophe restoration options (Recovery disc, System Backup (Windows 7)) which work properly sufficient for restoring to the identical PC with the identical {hardware}. However, if you need the final word in dependable catastrophe restoration, take a look at R-Drive Image.