How to Use File History in Windows 11 to Backup and Restore Files

File History is a useful utility in Windows 11 that automatically backs up selected files and folders to an external drive. It creates regular backups of your critical files, which Windows can restore at any time. File History can also be used to recover previous versions of files or folders that you may have deleted.

This article will show you how to set up and use File History to backup and restore files on Windows 11.

HOW TO CONFIGURE FILE HISTORY IN WINDOWS 11

Unlike previous versions, Windows 11 does not provide access to File History via the Settings app. Instead, you must use the Control Panel to configure and use File History in Windows 11.

Step 1: Open the Start menu, type in control panel, and press Enter.

Step 2: Change the View type to large or small icons and select File History.

Step 3: If you haven’t connected any external drive, you’ll see a ‘No usable hard drive was found’ error. Connect an external hard drive and refresh the page to continue.

Step 4: Click on the Turn on button to enable File History.

When you enable File History, it will begin automatically backing up your files. You can also choose to back up to a network location if one is available.

HOW TO USE WINDOWS 11 FILE HISTORY

Let's take a look at how to use File History to backup files, add or remove folders, and change other important settings.

Backup Your Files Using File History

File History will only back up files from Libraries, Desktop, Contacts, and Favorites by default. You can, however, add as many folders as you want by following the steps below.

Step 1: Locate the folder you wish to add to File History backup.

Step 2: Right-click the folder, select 'Include in library,' and then choose your preferred location.

That's all. Because your library is already being backed up, any files or folders added to it will be included.

Similarly, if you want to exclude some folders from your File History backup, follow these steps.

Step 1: Click the Windows Search  button, type in file history, and press Enter.

Step 2: Use the left pane to select Exclude folders.

Step 3: Click on Add.

Step 4: Locate the folder or subfolder you want to keep out of your backup. Then select Select Folder.

Alter the Backup Frequency

You can also specify how frequently your files should be automatically backed up. If the external or network drive is available, you can set the backup frequency to every few minutes or daily. This is how.

Step 1: Select Advanced settings from the File History window.

Step 2: Under Versions, select your preferred backup frequency from the drop-down menu next to 'Save copies of files.'

You can also specify how long you want to keep your saved versions. When you're finished, click Save changes.

Choose File History Drive.

Depending on the number of files and the frequency of backups, your external hard drive will eventually run out of space. Fortunately, you can change drives at any time by following the steps below.

Step 1: In the File History window, click on Select drive.

Step 2: You'll see a list of available drives here. You can also use the Add network location option to back up your files on the network.

HOW TO RESTORE FILES FROM WINDOWS 11 FILE HISTORY

If you ever lose access to your important files, you can easily restore them from File History. This is how.

Step 1: Press Windows key + S to open Windows Search. Type in file history in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: Click on Restore personal files on your left.

Step 3: Here, you’ll find all your backup files with a few media controls at the bottom. Forward and backward buttons will help you scroll through various versions of your files and folders.

Step 4: Choose one or more folders to restore, and then click the restore button.

After restoring the file or folder, you can find it in its original location on your computer.

MAKE A BACKUP AND RESTORE

Although OneDrive can back up your files and folders, File History is a convenient way to store your files offline. With frequent backups, you can also restore different versions of a file. Will you use File History, or will you prefer to save your files in the cloud? Please let us know in the comments section below.