[100% Efficient] Create Windows 10 Image Backup with 2 Ways
What Is A Windows 10 Image Backup
A Windows 10 image backup is a file that contains all the data on your Windows 10 system. This includes the operating system, all installed programs, user settings, and files. You can use a Windows 10 image backup to restore your system to how it was at the time the backup was created, or you can use it to create a new installation of Windows 10. There are several ways to create a Windows 10 image backup. This article will guide you through two of the most efficient methods.
How Do You Create A Windows 10 Image Backup
Windows built-in utility and third-party backup software can help users create a Windows 10 image backup. But considering the backup efficiency, the third-party backup software is better than using the built-in utility. Why? The main reason is that you don't need to spend much time learning how to use third-party backup software. Usually, the developers of these backup tools will consider whether the user experience is friendly or not. So they will simplify the operation process as well as the interface. Another reason is that third-party backup software usually has more advanced backup features. You can have more backup options or better manage your backup files with it.
Method 1. Efficient and Simple: Create Windows 10 Image Backup with Qiling Backup
Qiling Backup is one of the most popular backup tools that can help you create a Windows 10 image backup. It offers plentiful backup options. Unlike the limitation to the Windows built-in Backup and Restore. Qiling Backup basically supports users to back up everything on their computers: files, folders, disks, partitions, systems, and even Outlook emails.
To create a Windows 10 image backup with Qiling Backup, you have two options: using the "System Backup" or the "Disk/Partition Backup".
- System Backup will back up the entire system, including the operating system, all installed programs, user settings, and files.
- Disk/Partition Backup will only back up the selected disk or partition. It means you can manually select the system disk or partition. Either option is available depending on your needs.
It is completely FREE for you to create a Windows 10 image with Qiling Backup. All you need to prepare is a backup hard drive. An external hard drive is recommended for users to save the backup files. If you have prepared the backup drive, download Qiling Backup from the button below, and follow the guide to creating a Windows 10 image backup with it.
Step 1. On the main page, click "System backup" button to start.
Step 2. Qiling Backup will automatically select your system partition, you only need to select the backup destination.
Step 3. Both Local Drive and NAS are available for you to save the backup file.
Step 4. After finishing the backup process, you can check the backup status, recover, open, or delete the backup by clicking the backup task on the left.
🎈Qiling Backup has a free and a home (paid) version. Using the free version is enough if you only want to protect your computer data with backup. If you're interested in its advanced features, you can see this article: Qiling Backup Free vs. Home.
🎈Some users might want to clone the disk as a backup so that they can access the backed-up files without restoring them. If you're on this side, you can read this article to see the difference between a backup image and a clone: Disk Clone vs. Entire Machine Backup.
Method 2. Backup Windows 10 with Backup and Restore (Microsoft's Recommendation)
You should know that Windows has built-in backup utilities. In Windows 10, users can use File History to back up different versions of selected files and folders and use Backup and Restore to backup files and create a system image. Microsoft is now deliberately guiding users to sync files to OneDrive, so Windows 11's File History feature has some tweaks. But Backup and Restore have not changed, for the time being, so whether you are a Windows 10 user or have upgraded to the latest Windows 11, you can follow this guide to create a Windows 10 image backup using the tools that come with Windows.
*It is recommended that you prepare an external hard drive to save Backup and Restore created images.
Step 1. Find Backup and Restore on your computer. Open Control Panel, and click "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" under System and Security.
Step 2. There are two options in the left panel, click "create a system image".
Step 3. First, Windows will ask where do you want to save the image. Choose your external backup drive as the destination. Remember to connect it to your computer in advance. You can also save it to a CD/DVD or a network location.
Step 4. Then Windows will ask which drives do you want to include in the backup. Actually, in this step, your system drive is selected by default. You don't need to do anything else.
Step 5. The next step is to confirm the previous image-creating settings. Click "Start backup", and your computer will start to create a Windows image backup to the specified drive.
When the creating a system image process is finished, you will have a Windows 10 image backup.
The Benefits of Having Windows 10 Image Backup
Now that you know how to create a Windows image, you should know its good sides. In short, having a Windows 10 image backup has the following benefits:
- You can use it to restore your system and data when your computer crashes or when you accidentally delete files.
- It's a great way to upgrade to a new hard drive or even a new computer, as you can quickly get everything back to how it was before.
- You can use it to create a virtual machine so you can run an older version of Windows on your current computer.
What to Do if You Need to Restore the System
If you need to use the image backup to restore your system, follow these steps:
Step 1. Connect the external hard drive that stores the system image backup to your computer.
Step 2. Open Control Panel and go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
Step 3. In the left panel, click "Restore my files".
Step 4. Select the type of file you want to restore and click "Next".
Step 5. Choose a location to store the restored files and click "Restore".
Note: If you're restoring files from a system image, you can only choose to restore them to the original location or a different location. You can't choose individual files to restore.
FAQs
1. Does Windows 10 have system image backup?
Yes. System Image Backup is a feature in Windows 10 that allows you to create an image backup of your computer so you can restore it later if needed.
2. Is Windows 10 image backup any good?
Yes. It's a great way to upgrade to a new hard drive or even a new computer, as you can quickly get everything back to how it was before.
3. What does a Windows 10 system image backup contain?
The image backup contains everything on your computer, including the operating system, applications, settings, and files.
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