How to create full backup on Windows 10

• To create a full system image backup on Windows 10, open the “Backup and Restore” settings, click the “Create a system image” option, and select the USB drive to save the full backup. Continue with the directions by selecting the system and secondary drives and clicking on “Start backup.”

UPDATED 9/23/2025: On Windows 10, you can create a full backup using the System Image tool in the “Backup and Restore” settings. In this guide, I’ll show you the steps for creating a backup using a USB hard drive or a network shared folder. A system image backup is a deprecated process for creating a “full backup” of your computer. This “image” contains a copy of all the data on your system drive and any secondary storage devices (if applicable), including Windows setup files, applications, settings, and files.

A full backup of your computer is always essential as it could help you recover from any system failure, errors, or malware. Since Windows 10 updates are mandatory, it’s recommended to have a recovery mechanism in place in case your computer fails to boot due to a buggy driver or update.

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How to create automatic file backup on Windows 10

In this guide, I’ll outline the steps to create a full backup of your computer using the System Image Backup feature on Windows 10, as well as how to recover individual files as needed.

• Create system image backup to USB drive on Windows 10
• Create system image backup to network drive on Windows 10
• Restore system image backup on Windows 10
• Restore files from system image backup on Windows 10
• FAQs about creating a full system image backup on Windows 10

Create system image backup to USB drive on Windows 10

To create a system image backup on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 10.

2. Click on Update & Security.

3. Click on Backup.

4. Click the “Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” option under the “Looking for an older backup” section.

   

5. Click the “Create a system image” option from the left pane.

   

6. Select the external USB drive for the full backup of Windows 10 under the “On a hard disk” setting.

   

   Quick tip: You can use an external USB hard drive with data already on it. The tool will not format or erase any files in the drive. Instead, it will create a folder called “WindowsImageBackup” to save the system image.

7. Click the Next button.

8. Select any other drive to include in the Windows 10 full backup (if applicable).

   

9. Click the Next button.

10. Click the Start backup button.

11. Click the No button.

Once you complete the steps, the backup will be created on the external USB drive. You will also be prompted to “create a system image repair disc.” However, you can skip this option since you can use the Windows 10 bootable media to access the recovery environment.

Create system image backup to network drive on Windows 10

If you don’t have an external storage with enough space, you can also create a backup over the network to a file server or network-attached storage (NAS).

To create a full backup to a network drive on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Update & Security.

3. Click on Backup.

4. Click the “Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” option under the “Looking for an older backup” section.

   

5. Click the “Create a system image” option from the left pane.

   

6. Click the Select button under the “On a network location” setting. 

   

7. Confirm the network path to the shared folder.

   

   Quick note: You must create and share a folder in the destination computer, network-attached storage (NAS), or file server.

8. Confirm the credentials to access the network folder.

9. Click the OK button.

10. Click the Next button.

11. Click the Start backup button.

After completing the steps, the “System Image Backup” feature will create a backup in the specified folder location. However, since the process will happen over the network, the backup could take a long time to complete.

Restore system image backup on Windows 10

To restore a system image backup on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Power off the computer.

2. Connect the Windows 10 USB installation media.

3. Connect the USB backup drive.

   Quick tip: The device must be configured to boot from USB. You will need to enter the BIOS and reconfigure the boot order if this isn’t the case. Since this is different on most computers, check your manufacturer’s support website for specific details.

4. Power on the computer.

5. Click the Next button on the “Windows Setup” page.

6. Click the “Repair your computer” option from the bottom-left corner.

   

7. Click on Troubleshoot.

8. Click the “System Image Recovery” option.

   

9. Click on Windows 10.

10. Select the “Use the latest available system image” option.

    

11. Click the Next button.

12. (Optional) Check the “Format and portion disks” option if the backup restoration will be to a new drive.

13. (Optional) Check the “Only restore system drives” option to restore the drives needed to run Windows 10. 

14. Click the Next button.

    

15. Click the Finish button.

16. Click the Yes button.

After completing the steps, the backup will restore your system with all the necessary installation files, applications, configurations, and personal files.

Restore files from system image backup on Windows 10

The system image backup is meant to restore the entire system, not individual files. However, you can still open the image to recover individual files with a simple workaround.

To restore files from backup on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and select the top result to open the Disk Management app.

3. Open the Action menu from the top and select the Attach VHD option.

   

4. Click the Browse button.

5. Browse inside the WindowsImageBackup folder that contains the backup files.

6. Double-click the folder with the computer name.

7. Double-click the Backup xxxx-xx-xx xxxxxx folder.

8. Double-click the largest VHDX file to mount the image in File Explorer.

   

9. Click the Open button

10. Click the OK button.

11. Right-click the volume on the mounted drive (represented by a blue icon) and select the “Change Drive Letter and Paths” option.

    

12. Click the Add button.

13. Select a drive letter.

14. Click the OK button.

15. Open File Explorer.

16. Click on This PC.

17. Open the mounted drive and browse the location of the files to recover.

18. Select and copy the files.

    

19. Paste the files to the location you want to restore them.

Once you have completed the file restoration, right-click the drive and select the “Detach VHD” option, followed by the “OK” button to detach the backup drive.

FAQs about creating a full system image backup on Windows 10

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers regarding the system image backup process on Windows 10

What is a system image backup in Windows 10?

A system image backup is a complete snapshot of your entire system, including the operating system installation, settings, applications, and personal files. It allows you to restore your computer to its exact state at the time of the backup.

How is a system image different from a file backup?

A file backup only saves individual files and folders you select, while a system image includes everything on your drive (Windows, apps, settings, and files). This makes a system image ideal for disaster recovery.

Why should I create a full image backup?

It protects you against system crashes, malware, hardware failures, or accidental changes. Using an image backup, you can restore your computer to its working condition without manually reinstalling Windows and apps.

Where can I save a full backup?

You can save it to an external hard drive, a secondary internal drive, a network location (such as a NAS), or multiple DVDs (which is now an obsolete option). An external USB hard drive is the most common choice.

Does Windows 10 include a built-in tool for system image backups?

Yes. Windows 10 includes the “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” tool that allows you to create and restore system images.

How do I create a system image backup on Windows 10?

You can create one on Control Panel > Backup and Restore (Windows 7) > Create a system image. Then, choose the destination and follow the on-screen instructions.

Can I schedule automatic full backups?

Not directly with the built-in tool. However, you can use the “Backup and Restore” feature, which allows scheduled file backups as well as the option to include a system image backup. For scheduled system images, you would need third-party software.

How long does it take to create a full backup of my PC?

It depends on the size of your data and the speed of your storage. A typical system image can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours.

Can I use my computer while a system image backup is running?

Yes, you can continue working, but performance may be slower. It’s best to let the process finish without heavy usage.

Can I restore individual files from a full image backup?

When restoring files from the backup, you can only recover files backed up and created before the backup. To keep files up to date, consider using alternative solutions, such as File History or OneDrive.

What happens if my backup drive runs out of space?

The backup will fail. You’ll need to free up space, use a larger drive, or delete older backups.

Can I restore a system image to a new computer?

Not reliably. System images are tied to the hardware where they were created. Restoring to a different computer may cause boot or driver issues.

Can I restore a system image to the same computer?

Yes. If you replace the hard drive, the system image backup tool is ideal for transferring the installation to the new storage.

Do I need a recovery drive or installation media to restore a system image?

Yes. You need a Windows 10 recovery drive or installation media to boot into recovery mode and access the “System Image Recovery” option.

Can I save the backup to the same hard drive as my Windows installation?

No, the backup should be stored on a separate, external drive. The point of a system image is to have a copy of your system stored externally in case your main hard drive fails completely.

Can I access individual files from a system image?

Yes, but it is not the intended purpose. While a system image contains your files, you cannot browse and restore them as you normally would. You can, however, mount the backup as a virtual hard drive to copy individual files, but it’s much easier to use File History for that purpose.

What do I do if Windows won’t boot?

If Windows 10 fails to start, you will need the bootable recovery drive or installation media you created earlier. You can use that to boot your PC into the Windows Recovery Environment and begin the “System Image Recovery” process.

Can I restore to a hard drive that is a different size?

Yes, you can restore a full image backup to a larger hard drive. Once restored, the drive will maintain the original partition layout but will likely have unallocated space. You will then have to manually extend the main partition using Disk Management to reclaim the extra space. Restoring to a smaller drive is only possible if the backup data size is smaller than the capacity of the new drive.

Can I use a USB flash drive to store the full backup?

No, you cannot use a USB flash drive to save a system image backup. You have to use a USB hard drive or a network location.

Does Microsoft recommend using system image backups?

Microsoft no longer maintains the “System Image Backup” tool on Windows 10, but you can still use the feature. The reason is that the company wants you to use the “Reset this PC” feature to fix problems on Windows 10 and the “Windows Backup” app to protect your files, apps, settings, and credentials in the cloud.

However, the legacy recovery tool remains relevant, particularly for creating backups before making system changes or upgrading to a new version of the operating system. If you want to use this approach, consider creating an image backup at least once a week or before making any changes.

What is the “3-2-1” backup rule?

This is a widely used strategy that involves keeping:

• 3 copies of your data: Your primary data and two backups.
• 2 different storage types: For instance, one backup on an external hard drive and another on a cloud service.
• 1 off-site copy: Keep one backup copy in a separate physical location to protect against events like fires or theft.

Update September 23, 2025: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect new changes.