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How to back up your computer

We'll set up a backup using an external drive or cloud so you can restore if the computer fails.

How-to · Backups & recovery
15–30 min
What you'll need
  • External drive (USB) or cloud account (OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive)
  • Admin access to the computer

Use this guide when:Setting up backups for the first time or improving your backup routine.

First checks

  • What do you need to back up? (files, system, both)
  • Do you have an external drive or cloud account?
  • Windows, Mac, or Linux?

Quick answer

  • Connect an external drive or sign in to a cloud service (OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive).
  • Use built-in tools: Windows Backup, Time Machine (Mac), or File History.
  • Back up documents, photos, and important folders—not just the whole system.
  • Schedule automatic backups so you do not forget.
Quick triage — pick your path

Get started

Choose the option that matches what you see. You can jump straight to that section.

Steps

Goal: Set up a backup so you can restore files if the computer fails.

  • Choose backup method: external drive (fast, local) or cloud (off-site). Check you have enough space.
  • Connect an external drive or sign in to OneDrive, iCloud, or Google Drive.
  • Good: Drive appears in This PC or cloud syncs. Proceed to File History or Cloud backup.

File History (Windows)

Goal: Set up automatic file backup to an external drive on Windows.

  • Settings, Update & Security, Backup. Turn on File History and select your external drive.
  • More options: choose which folders to include and how often to back up (default hourly).
  • Good: Backup runs. You should see “Backing up” or a recent backup time. Proceed to Verification.

Time Machine (Mac)

Goal: Set up automatic backup to an external drive on Mac.

  • System Settings, General, Time Machine. Add Backup Disk and select your external drive.
  • Time Machine runs automatically when the drive is connected.
  • Good: First backup starts. You should see a progress bar. Proceed to Verification.

Cloud backup

Goal: Add off-site backup for protection against theft or fire.

  • Install OneDrive, iCloud Drive, or Google Drive. Move or sync Documents and Desktop into the cloud folder.
  • Confirm files appear in the cloud app and sync. Check the cloud dashboard in a browser.
  • Good: Files sync. You should see them in the cloud. Proceed to Verification.

Verify

Goal: Confirm the backup contains your files.

  • Open the backup drive or cloud folder. Check a few recent documents or photos.
  • Confirm the same files and folders exist. If empty or incomplete, run a manual backup and check settings.
  • Good: Files match.

Verification

  • Backup drive or cloud folder contains your documents, photos, and important folders.
  • File History or Time Machine shows a recent backup time.
  • Scheduled backup runs automatically (hourly for File History, or when drive connected for Time Machine).

When to get help

If the backup fails repeatedly, the drive has errors, or you need to restore a full system image, consider a technician or data recovery service. For restoring from backup, see How to restore from backup.

Reviewed by Blackbox Atlas

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to back up a computer?
Use both an external drive (local backup) and a cloud service (off-site). Local backups are fast to restore; cloud protects against theft, fire, or drive failure.
How often should I back up my computer?
For important files, daily or weekly. Use automatic scheduling so you do not forget. Full system images can be weekly or monthly.
What should I back up?
Documents, photos, downloads, and any folder with irreplaceable data. Avoid backing up the entire system unless you need a full restore—file backups are faster and simpler.

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