Click: How to Back up a Windows Computer

This updated guide examines Click: How to Back up a Windows Computer and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Method 1of 2:

Backing Up Personal Data

1. Connect another hard drive or flash drive to the computer. This method will help you back up your personal files and folders to another location. This is a faster option that doesn't include a Windows image. If you're backing up to an external or flash drive, make sure it's connected to the computer before you begin.
2. Press?Win+S. This opens the search bar.
3. Typecontrol panel.
4. ClickControl Panel.
5. Typebackupinto the search field. It's at the top-right corner of the Control Panel.
6. ClickBackup and Restore (Windows 7). Don't worry about the 'Windows 7' part, that's just the name of the tool.
7. ClickSet up backup.
8. Select a backup location. If you're backing up to a drive, select that drive now. Otherwise, click Save on a network… and then select the network location.
9. ClickNext.
10. Choose which files to back up. This depends on your needs:
    • Select Let Windows choose (recommended) to automatically select everything in your libraries (such as documents, music, photos, and default folders).
    • Select Let me choose to select files and folders manually.
11. ClickNext. A summary of your backup will appear for your review.
12. ClickSave settings and exit. Windows will now back up the selected files and folders to the other location. The amount of time this will take varies by file size and amount.

Method 2of 2:

Creating a System Image

1. Connect another hard drive or flash drive to the computer. This method will help you back up the entire system to another location. If you're backing up to an external or flash drive, make sure it's connected to the computer before you begin.
2. Press?Win+S. This opens the search bar.
3. Typecontrol panel.
4. ClickControl Panel.
5. Typefile historyinto the search field. It's at the top-right corner of the Control Panel.^[1]
6. Click theFile Historytitle.
7. ClickSystem Image Backup. It's at the bottom-left corner of the window.
8. ClickCreate a system image. It's in the left panel.
9. Select where you want to save your backup. You can back up to another drive, network location, or series of DVDs.
10. ClickNext. Now you'll see a summary of what's about to be backed up.
11. ClickStart backup. An image of your computer in its current state will be copied to the selected location. Depending on the amount of data and backup location, this may take a long time.