How to Backup Windows 10 Image to Cloud [Backup Strategy in 2022]
Many Windows users are saving their backup images on the cloud due to the efficiency that it comes with. Keeping your Windows 10 backup image on the cloud enhances its security and accessibility. You won't have to worry about accessing your system files if your local hard drive is corrupted or fails to boot.
This article will guide you in implementing the new backup strategy in 2022 on your Windows 10 device. We'll also discuss how you can back up Windows 10 images to the cloud using a third-party tool called Qiling Backup Free.
What Is A Windows 10 Backup Image?
A Windows 10 backup image is a snapshot of the data within your computer's C: drive and comprises the operating system (OS), settings, and file history. A Windows 10 backup image is also called:
- Full-system backup
- System image backup
- Whole-system backup.
In most cases, the C: drive contains at least four partitions. If you make an image backup, it will capture entire bits and bytes in each partition. Restoring the backup image later will overwrite the contents previously stored in your C: drive. The contents of the backup image will then get freshly written on your target drive.
Tools to Create a Windows 10 Backup Image
To create a backup on Windows 10, you can use Windows Backup and Restore (Windows 7) within Microsoft or windows backup and recovery software. Although it was initially meant for Windows 7 users, the Windows Backup tool is also available for Windows 10 and 11.
This inbuilt feature allows you to system restore backup images created in previous versions of Windows. You can create a backup to a network shared folder or external drive. On the other hand, third-party software allows you to make Windows 10 image backups quickly and conveniently. You'll only need to download and install your preferred third-party tool like Qiling Backup to start the backup.
What Makes Cloud Backup Popular?
First, cloud backup provides a secure way to store files since the chances of data loss following a disaster are pretty dismal. Unlike data on your local storage, data on the cloud isn't prone to theft, damage, or fires. Second, cloud backup saves on the time spent making manual file backups.
Since cloud backup happens automatically, provided you have a stable internet connection, you can enjoy a seamless transfer of data to the cloud from your local storage. A third reason why cloud backup is popular is because of data accessibility. Once you've backed up important information on the cloud, you can access it anywhere, even when your local computer gets damaged.
Fourth, cloud backup minimizes the risks of system downtime following a breach on your local backup. This implies that when you experience issues accessing data on your local storage, you can automatically switch to cloud access without slowing down your system.
Lastly, most people cherish cloud backup because it allows you to restore data faster. When a disaster occurs in your local system, you won't have to waste time finding data backed up on another local storage device like an external drive.
Comparison between Cloud Backup and Local Backup
| Cloud Backup | Local Backup |
|---|---|
| Easy to scale with no limit of storage | Has limited storage |
| You can access data remotely | You must be physically connected to your device to access data |
| Data is saved on an off-site server | Data is saved on a disk-based hardware |
| Costly to store large amounts of data | Cheaper to store large amounts of data |
| Security is guaranteed due to end-to-end data encryption | Is sometimes prone to physical disasters and cyber attacks |
| Managed by the cloud service providers | Managed by your local IT staff |
You can know more details and comparisons about cloud backup and local backup from this article:
Cloud Backup vs. Local Backup - Which One Is Better? Or Both?
Is Cloud Backup Available in Windows 10?
Although Microsoft gives you access to cloud storage services like OneDrive on Windows 10, it doesn't provide a cloud backup solution to make full backups of your system. Also, OneDrive has limited cloud storage, making storing large files hard.
Therefore, to fully back up your system files, you'll need the third-party backup software installed on your computer. The software enables you to back up all data in your C: drive to the cloud and recover them in case your system fails or some natural calamity affects your computer.
The advantage of most third-party tools is that they provide an extensive free large storage space to save your files.
Best Free Cloud Backup Software for Windows 10
Qiling Backup Free is the most recommended backup software for your Windows 10 computer. You can also perform disk imaging and securely save your system files on the cloud. It allows you to make a bootable backup and recovery of image files when a system crash or malware attack happens on your computer.
Once you download and install the application on your computer, it requires an internet connection to connect to the cloud to start saving your system files. Its cloud storage service is secure, flexible, and cost-effective. It allows every user up to 250GB of free storage space.
Why Choose Qiling Backup Over OneDrive?
Compared to OneDrive and Google Drive cloud storage services, Qiling Backup for your Windows 10 enhances backup efficiency. It allows you to perform differential or incremental backups based on a previous full backup. It saves on disk space by only backing up the changed data.
It also allows basic backup scheduling. You can set up to automatically backup your data on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This is made possible through its auto-backup feature. Qiling Backup also allows you to perform multi-path backup storage. You can back data to a network, cloud, or external hard drive.
How to Backup Windows 10 Image to Cloud with Qiling Cloud Backup
Qiling Cloud Backup enables you to save your Windows 10 image to the cloud using a WinPE bootable disk. The bootable disk helps you to restore or reinstall your computer system if it breaks down or fails to boot in recovery mode. You can back up Windows 10 images to Cloud using Qiling Backup, accessible through the below steps:
Step 1. Launch Qiling Backup on your computer, and click System Backup on the home screen to begin the backup task.
Step 2. Your Windows operating system information and all system related files and partitions will be automatically selected so you don't need to do any manual selection at this step. Next, you'll need to choose a location to save the system image backup by clicking the illustrated area.
Step 3. The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, network, cloud or NAS. Generally, we recommend you use an external physical drive or cloud to preserve the system backup files.
Step 4. Customiztion settings like enabling an automatic backup schedule in daily, weekly, monthly, or upon an event, and making a differential and incremental backup are available in the Options button if you're interested. Click "Proceed", and the Windows system backup process will begin. The completed backup task will display on the left side in a card style.
Conclusion
Backing up your Windows 10 image on the cloud is the best backup strategy in 2022 because it guarantees the safety of your system files. In case of a malware attack or system failure, you won't need to worry about accessing your OS settings or essential files. You can back up your Windows 10 image files using Windows Backup and Restore (Windows 7) within Microsoft or third-party backup software.
The best software to back up your Windows 10 image to the cloud is Qiling Backup Free. This tool allows backup scheduling, enhanced backup efficiency, and bootable backup and recovery. To get started with Qiling Backup Free today, you can download and install it on your computer.
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