How to configure automatic backups in Windows
By Tom Nonmacher
As a computer user, you've likely heard the admonition to regularly backup your files. Loss of valuable data can be devastating, whether it's personal photos and videos, business documents, or a thesis for your degree. Thanks to the automated backup feature in Windows, you can ensure your data is protected without much effort. Today, we will guide you on how to configure automatic backups in Windows.
Before you start, you'll need an external storage device like a USB flash drive, external hard drive, or a network location to store the backed-up data. This should have enough space to accommodate your files. Once you have your storage device ready, connect it to your computer. Remember, the backup process will take some time, so ensure your computer is connected to a power source if you're using a laptop.
To begin the configuration process, click on the Start button and type 'Backup Settings' into the search bar, then select it. In the Backup page, you'll see an option that says 'Add a drive.' Click on this and select the drive or network location where you want to store your backups. Once the drive is selected, Windows will automatically turn on the backup feature.
After setting up the backup drive, Windows will start to backup your files automatically every hour, as long as your computer is switched on and connected to the selected backup drive. However, you might want to customize the frequency and the files to be backed up. To do this, in the 'Backup Settings' page, click on the 'More options' link.
In the 'More Options' page, you can change how often the backups occur, ranging from every 10 minutes to once a day. You can also set how long to keep your backups. Furthermore, you can choose which folders to backup and add or remove folders from the backup list. To save space on your backup drive, you might only want to backup important folders like 'Documents,' 'Pictures,' and 'Desktop.'
Remember to check your backup regularly to ensure it's working correctly. To do this, go to 'Backup Settings' and under the 'Overview' section, you should see the date and time of the most recent backup. It's also a good idea to periodically test restoring a file from your backup to make sure the backup is functioning properly.
Setting up automatic backups is a simple yet crucial step in safeguarding your important data. With Windows' built-in backup feature, you can rest assured that your files are safe and can be easily restored in case of any mishap. So take a few minutes today to set up automatic backups and give yourself peace of mind.