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To back up Windows 10 to an external hard drive, plug in the drive, open Settings > Update & Security > Backup, select Add a drive, and choose the external drive. Windows turns on File History, which copies your personal files to the drive and keeps saving new versions while it’s connected. For a full copy of Windows and your apps, create a system image as well.
Windows 10 reached the end of support on October 14, 2025, so a current backup also makes moving to a new PC much easier. This guide covers File History, restoring files, and system images. It’s based on Microsoft’s articles on File History and backing up and restoring your PC.
What You Need
You need an external drive with more free space than the files you’re backing up, ideally a lot more, since File History keeps older versions too. A portable hard drive like the WD 2TB Elements Portable is a low-cost option. An SSD such as the Samsung T7 1TB is smaller and much faster.
Which Backup Method Should You Use?
| Method | What it saves | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| File History | Your personal files and folders, with older versions | Everyday backups |
| System image | The whole drive: Windows, settings, apps and files | Recovering a failed drive or PC |
| Windows Backup | Folders, settings and apps, synced to OneDrive | Setting up a new PC with the same Microsoft account |
Windows Backup saves to OneDrive rather than an external drive, so for an external-drive backup, use File History and a system image.
Back Up Your Files With File History
- Connect the external drive.
- Open Settings with Windows key + I.
- Select Update & Security, then Backup.
- Select Add a drive and choose the external drive.
- Make sure Automatically back up my files is on.
Select More options to run Back up now, choose how often it backs up and how long to keep old versions, and add or exclude folders.
Result: File History backs up your libraries, including Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music, and keeps updating the backup whenever the drive is connected.
Using Control Panel instead
You can also open Control Panel > System and Security > Save backup copies of your files with File History, select the drive, and select Turn on. Microsoft’s File History article uses this Control Panel path, which also works on Windows 11.
Create a Full System Image
- Open Control Panel and select Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
- Select Create a system image in the left pane.
- Choose On a hard disk and pick the external drive.
- Select Next, then Start backup.
Result: The drive holds a full copy of your Windows installation that you can use to restore the PC if the internal drive fails. System images are large, so make sure the drive has plenty of free space.
How to Restore Files From Your Backup
- From Settings: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup > More options and select Restore files from a current backup.
- From File Explorer: Right-click the folder where the file used to be, select Restore previous versions, and pick the version you want.
Tips for Keeping Your Backup Useful
- Connect the drive regularly. File History only backs up while the drive is plugged in.
- Store it safely. Keep the drive somewhere other than next to your PC, so one accident doesn’t take out both.
- Test a restore. Restore one file now and then to confirm the backup works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore a Windows 10 backup on a Windows 11 PC?
Yes, for personal files. Connect the drive to the Windows 11 PC and copy the files you need from the backup, or set up File History there and restore. For other ways to move, see how to transfer data from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
Should I upgrade to Windows 11?
Windows 10 no longer gets support, so it’s worth checking. Back up first, then see how to update to Windows 11 from Windows 10.
What about Windows 11 backups?
See how to back up Windows 11 to an external hard drive. If you use OneNote, also see how to back up your notebooks in OneNote.
What if I reinstall Windows 10?
Reconnect the drive and restore your files with File History, or restore the whole PC from your system image. If Windows asks to be activated after a reinstall, see how to activate Windows 10.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.