Backing up Windows 10 or 11 to an external hard drive or USB drive is a practical way to protect your important files, including documents, photos, videos and desktop files.
This guide explains how to copy your personal files to an external drive, check that your backup is complete, and restore files when you need them. It also explains the difference between copying files and creating a full system backup.
Important: Copying personal files does not create a complete copy of Windows or automatically back up every application and setting. If you need to recover your entire computer after a drive failure, you will need a suitable system image or another full recovery solution.
Which Windows backup method should you use?
The best backup method depends on what you want to protect.
- Copy files manually: Useful for making a straightforward copy of selected documents, photos, videos and other personal files to an external drive.
- File History: Worth considering if you want Windows to save copies of supported personal files regularly to an external drive.
- Backup and Restore: An older Windows backup tool that may suit particular backup requirements on Windows 10 or 11.
- OneDrive: Useful for storing and synchronising supported files online, so they can be accessed from other devices.
These methods are not interchangeable. Copying files manually does not create a complete Windows recovery image, and synchronising files with OneDrive is not the same as keeping a separate offline backup.
For step-by-step instructions, use the relevant guide linked below.
| Manual copying | How to Manually Back Up Windows to an External Drive |
| File History | How to Use File History to Back Up Windows |
| Backup and Restore | How to Use Backup and Restore in Windows 10 or 11 |
| OneDrive | How to Back Up Windows Files to OneDrive |
If you’re unsure how much space you need, see our guide to choosing the right amount of storage for a backup.
How to back up your Windows 10 user profile to an external drive
An easy way to back up your personal files is to copy the important folders from your Windows user profile to an external hard drive or USB drive.
1. Connect your external drive
Connect your external hard drive or USB drive to your computer. Open File Explorer → This PC and check that the drive appears. Make sure it has enough free space for the files you want to copy.
2. Open your Windows user profile
- Open File Explorer.
- Select the address bar and enter
%USERPROFILE%. - Press Enter.
This opens your Windows user-profile folder.
3. Select the files you want to back up
Common folders to check include:
- Desktop
- Documents
- Downloads
- Pictures
- Videos
- Music
Also check for important files saved in other locations. Some applications store information in their own folders, and copying the user-profile folder alone may not back up all application settings, email data or other information.
Before you continue: Check whether you have important files stored outside your usual Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Downloads folders. These may include files saved directly to the C: drive or in folders created by particular applications.
Copying these folders to an external drive protects the files you select, but it does not create a complete system image. It will not automatically restore Windows, installed programs or every application setting if your computer fails.
If you use Outlook or another email program, check whether important email data is stored locally and needs a separate backup. Copying your Documents folder alone may not protect it.
4. Copy your files to the external drive
Open a second File Explorer window and select your external drive. Create a folder with a clear name, such as Windows Backup.
Select the folders or files you want to save, choose Copy, then paste them into the backup folder on your external drive.
For a large backup, copy one folder at a time and wait for each copy to finish before disconnecting the drive.
5. Check the backup
Open the backup folder on the external drive. Check that the expected folders and files are present, and open a few files to confirm they work.
Safely eject the external drive when the copy has finished. Keep the drive disconnected when you are not backing up files, to reduce the risk of accidental deletion or damage from malware.
How to restore files from your external backup
If you need to retrieve your files, connect the external drive to your computer and open it in File Explorer.
- Open the
Windows Backupfolder you created on the external drive. - Find the files or folders you want to restore.
- Select the files, choose Copy, and navigate to the appropriate folder on your computer.
- Choose Paste and wait for the files to finish copying.
- Open a few restored files to check that they work correctly.
If you are restoring files to a new computer, check that the destination has enough storage space and that the relevant applications are installed.
Remember: A file-copy backup does not reinstall Windows or automatically restore every application, account setting or program. If you need a complete system recovery, you need a suitable system image or other full recovery method.
Windows 10 support and security
Windows 10 standard support ended on 14 October 2025. Backing up your files remains useful, but it does not provide security updates or make an unsupported computer secure. Check Microsoft’s Windows 10 support information for current options, including whether your computer can upgrade to Windows 11 or qualify for Extended Security Updates.
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