If you are a Windows 10 user and want make the leap to Windows 11, in principle the process is simple. You just have to go to the updates and choose to make the change. However, everything has its small print. So stop avoid surprises or scaresBetter to make a backup before upgrading to Windows 11. Just in case.
Practically nobody likes spend a few minutes to make a backup. But it is the most efficient way to recover your files, documents and preferences if something goes wrong during the update. In addition, today the process is simple and, if you need it, you can recover your lost files Instantly.
Let’s see three options to make backup copies before updating to Windows 11 along with the official option offered by Windows 10. All are free and easy to use.
Backup and Restore in Windows
Before choosing an external program or application, you can opt for the backup tool provided by Windows 10. Precisely, you will find it in Home> Settings> Update and Security. Inside the section Backup copy you can save a copy of your files on another drive or disk. If something goes wrong, you can easily recover them, both in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
First you will have to choose the unit where to save the backup. You can use a pendrive or an external disk. Nowadays they are very cheap, they are connected by USB and can be stored in any corner. Make sure you don’t have anything else stored on it and that the available space is larger than your computer’s disk. So you can save multiple copies without space problems.
After configuring the copy destination unit, click on More options and we review the folders that are part of the copy. Include the most important ones and discard those in which you have nothing that you cannot recover later. Finally, click on the button Make a backup now.
If disaster strikes and you lose your files, you can recover them by reinstalling Windows 11 or any of its versions and searching for the tool Restore files with File History. To save time, use the browser on the taskbar. From that tool you can search for the files and folders that you need to recover.
EaseUS Todo Backup Free
Although the Windows 10 backup application is very useful, you may prefer something more elaborate or with more options. There are third-party solutions that allow manage backups and customize them. A great example is EaseUS Todo Backup Free, the free version of this backup app compatible with Windows 7 onwards. Including Windows 11.
Among other things, you can make a copy of Windows and / or your personal files and folders. The paid version adds the ability to copy an entire disk or partition instead of the content separately and to move a copy from your PC to another PC.
Otherwise, EaseUS Todo Backup Free allows you to save the copies on an external disk, such as HDD or SSD, on RAID or NAS devices, on pen drives, FTP servers, optical disks, etc. Come on, if you are a victim of a ransomware attack or you cannot update to Windows 11 correctly, you can always recover your files.
MiniTool ShadowMaker Free
Another good backup tool for Windows 11 and earlier is MiniTool ShadowMaker Free. In its list of functions it includes copies of files, folders, the entire disk or partition, automated copies, incremental or full copies, etc.
In short, with this tool you can save your favorite files or make an exact copy of everything on your computer’s disk. Manually or through scheduled copies. And of course, once you have reinstalled Windows and the application itself, you will have the opportunity to restore copies.
The paid versions of MiniTool ShadowMaker include more features, such as encryption of copies using SSL or boot from WinPE, a version of Windows intended to repair Windows without reinstalling it and when all else fails.
GoodSync
Since there are no two without three, if you need an application for Windows with which to copy and protect your most precious files, try GoodSync. Its free version is used to backup folders that you choose, synchronize folders between devices automatically and even allows you to synchronize backups with cloud services such as Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, among others.
Another incentive of GoodSync is that it encrypts point-to-point backups using AES-256bit. This way you will have your files backed up and free from other people’s eyes if you share external devices and / or drives.