File History is a Windows backup feature that can save copies of files in your personal folders to an external drive or another supported network location. Once set up, it can keep additional versions of supported files, allowing you to recover an earlier version if a file is changed or deleted.
Windows File History is a useful way to protect your personal documents, photos and other important files.
This guide explains how to check whether File History is available on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, choose a backup drive, and restore files when needed.
Important: File History is not a complete backup of Windows, installed applications or every system setting. For a straightforward one-off copy of personal files, see our guide to manually backing up Windows to an external drive.
1. Open File History
Connect your external hard drive or USB drive to your computer.
In the Windows search box, type File History, then select File History (Control Panel) from the results. If it doesn’t appear, open Control Panel and select File History.
The available options may differ slightly depending on your Windows version and settings.
2. Select your backup drive
When you first open File History, it may show that File History is turned off. Before you can start backing up, you need to select the drive where your files will be saved.
- In File History, select Select drive on the left.
- Choose your external hard drive or USB drive from the available drives.
- Select OK to confirm your choice.
You can also use a supported network location if you prefer to store your backup there.
Tip: Make sure the drive has enough free space for the files you want to protect and any additional versions File History will save.
Select the drive to receive the backup … this can be a local file or a network location
3. Choose how often File History saves copies
Select Advanced settings to choose how often File History saves copies of your files and how long saved versions are kept. The default is usually every hour, but you can choose a different interval to suit your needs.
The options shown may vary slightly depending on your Windows version.
Once turned on … you can see the backup progressing
Check that File History is running
After selecting your backup drive and turning on File History, return to the File History window in Control Panel.
Check the status message to see whether Windows reports that files are being copied or when the last copy was made. The wording may vary depending on your Windows version and whether the backup drive is connected.
Leave the external drive connected while the backup runs. If you disconnect it, File History cannot save new copies until the drive is available again.
Periodically check that the backup drive has enough free space and that File History is still running. A backup that has stopped updating may not contain your most recent files.
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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.
