COMPUTER SKILLS · ONE USEFUL TASK

Back up the files that matter.

What would you be upset to lose? Start with those files. You can save a separate copy on an external USB drive you own, without paying for online storage.

1. Choose what you want to keep

You do not have to copy everything on the hard drive. Look for files that would be difficult or impossible to replace:

Family photos and videos.
Letters, financial records, and other important documents.
Your writing, schoolwork, business files, and personal projects.

Check Documents, Pictures, Desktop, and any folders you use. Look in Downloads too: it may contain something important, not just replaceable downloads.

Installers you can download again, duplicate copies, and files you no longer want may not need backup. You decide what matters. You do not need to delete anything to leave it out of this backup.

Choosing fewer files can reduce the storage you need. In File Explorer, select a folder or file, right-click it, and choose Properties to see its size. Check each group you plan to copy and allow extra room for future files and older backup copies.

2. Connect a separate backup drive

Use an external USB hard drive, SSD, or USB flash drive with enough available space. A folder on the computer's own drive is not a separate backup if that drive fails.

Plug in the external drive. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
Open This PC. Identify the external drive by its name and size. Do not choose Local Disk (C:).
Right-click the external drive and select Properties to check its free space.
Open that drive. Right-click an empty area and choose New → Folder. Give it a clear name such as Important files — 2026-10-03, using today's date.

If Windows asks to format the drive, cancel. Formatting erases its contents. Get help identifying or preparing the drive before continuing. Keep any existing files on it intact.

3. Copy your chosen files

Save and close documents you are working on first. Try one small folder before copying a larger collection.

Find a file or folder you want to keep. Select it and press Ctrl + C to copy it.
Open your dated backup folder on the external drive. Press Ctrl + V to paste a copy there.
Wait for copying to finish. Repeat for the other files you chose. If source folders have the same name, put them in separately named folders inside the backup.
If Windows reports an error, or asks to replace files unexpectedly, pause and check. Do not assume the backup is complete.

Copy, rather than cut or move. Your originals should stay on the computer. Copy your personal files, not the Windows or Program Files folders.

Are some of your files stored in OneDrive?

A cloud symbol can mean the file is online only. While connected to the internet, right-click the files you chose and select Always keep on this device. Wait for them to download before copying. Downloading needs room on your computer too.

This does not turn off OneDrive or remove its existing online copies. After copying, check the files on the external drive as described below. Microsoft's guide to online-only files.

4. Check that you can get a file back

A finished progress bar is a start. Now check your copy.

Open the backup folder on the external drive. Look for the files you intended to save.
Open a few copied documents and photos directly from that drive. Check that they are readable and contain what you expect.
For a small practice restore, create a new folder on your computer called Backup check. Copy one file from the external drive into it and open that copy. Do not replace or delete the original.
Close files opened from the external drive. Use Safely Remove Hardware in the taskbar, or Eject if File Explorer offers it. Wait for permission to disconnect.

A sample check does not prove every file copied correctly. Check your most important files individually, and resolve any errors before relying on this backup.

You now have a separate copy.

This protects the files you selected, as they were when you copied them. It does not save all your apps, Windows settings, or a complete restorable Windows system. Some apps keep information in their own storage and need a separate export or backup.

Repeat the copy after important changes, or choose a regular time that works for you. Use a new dated folder so you keep the previous copy until the new one is checked. Older copies use space too; keep enough for your needs and do not remove your only good backup.

Disconnect the drive when finished and store it safely. Keep sensitive records away from people who should not see them.

Back to Geek Lab

Optional: other backup choices

A copy somewhere else

A computer and a backup drive in the same home can both be lost to fire, theft, or another disaster. For files you cannot replace, consider another copy elsewhere:

A second drive stored somewhere trusted: you buy or reuse the drive and bring it back to update it. Protect private files while it is away.
Online storage: convenient access away from home, with storage limits, privacy settings, and free or paid plans to compare. More space may cost money. You choose the provider and which files to upload.

Selecting your must-have files can reduce the space needed for either option. Check whether a service keeps older versions and deleted files: synchronization can copy a deletion as well as a change.

Automatic local copies

Windows File History is another option for keeping versions of personal files on an external drive. Check which folders it includes and reconnect the drive for updates. It does not require Microsoft online storage. Read Microsoft's File History instructions.

Recovering Windows itself

A Windows recovery USB helps with reinstalling Windows, but it does not contain your personal-file backup. Making recovery media erases the USB you select. Use a different USB from your file-backup drive. Read Microsoft's recovery-drive instructions.

Sources and Windows version note

Instructions reviewed on 3 October 2026. Windows labels may vary. The manual file-copy method applies to Windows 10 and 11; Windows 10 standard support ended on 14 October 2025. Check Microsoft's supported-system and extended-security options.

Microsoft: copy and check files using an external storage device.