Learn how to back up your files using an external hard drive or OneDrive with this step-by-step guide. It covers connecting devices, copying files, and managing backups through OneDrive and Windows Backup to ensure your data is secure and accessible.
To back up your files to an external hard drive or USB device, properly connect the device to one of your computer’s USB ports. Open “File Explorer” and navigate to the external device folder. Open a second “File Explorer” window and locate the files you want to back up. Select the files, right-click on them, and select “Copy”. Go back to the external hard drive location and right-click on any open space and select “Paste”. The files will be copied over from your computer to the external drive.
To back up your files with OneDrive, click on the OneDrive icon in the lower-right corner of the taskbar. If you are already logged in to OneDrive on your computer, you will see your files and backup status information. If you are not logged in, click on “Sign In”, enter your Microsoft account information, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the OneDrive setup. Once you've completed the setup, click on the Windows “Start” button and search for “Windows Backup”. Open the result.
Expand the different categories to check your backup options. If OneDrive is properly configured, most should be shown as backed up. To force a backup, click on the “Back up” button. You may be asked to verify your account credentials. To do so, click on “Go to Settings” and then click “Verify”. Follow the instructions to confirm your account information. When finished, go back to the “Windows Backup” screen and click the “Retry” button.
If you receive the message “Partially backed up”, it is because the backup is still in progress or some of your folders weren't selected in OneDrive. To check your folders, expand the “Partially backed up” message. Click “Open OneDrive”. Review the folders and make sure what you want to be backed up is selected. Click on “Save changes” when ready.
You can close these windows as the backup will continue in the background. When the backup is finished, all your information will be in the cloud and ready to be restored on any Windows device using your Microsoft account.
