The safest practical approach is to keep a second copy of your personal files somewhere your Windows 10 PC cannot lose at the same time. OneDrive is convenient for selected folders and access from another device; File History is better for rolling back earlier versions to an external drive or network location. Use the method that matches the files you need to protect, and do not mistake a recovery drive or a restore point for a personal-file backup.
Quick answer: For a cloud copy, sign in to OneDrive, open its settings, choose Sync and backup > Manage backup, and turn on the folders you need. For a local versioned backup, connect an external drive, open Control Panel > System and Security > File History, choose Select drive if necessary, then select Turn on. Check the destination afterwards and practise restoring one unimportant file.
What you need
- The Windows 10 PC containing the files
- An external drive or network location for File History, or a Microsoft account with available OneDrive space
- A list of folders and files that must be recoverable, including files outside the standard user folders
1. Decide what kind of copy you need
Start by listing the files that would be difficult to replace: work folders, family photographs, tax records, downloaded documents and project files. Include folders outside Documents, Pictures and Desktop. A copy on the same internal drive is not protection against drive failure, and a synchronised folder is not automatically an independent historical backup.
Use OneDrive when you want selected standard folders available through your Microsoft account and on another device. Use File History when you want repeated versions of personal files stored on an external drive or network location. You can use both: OneDrive provides convenience and File History gives a separate local history.
2. Back up folders with OneDrive
Make sure the OneDrive desktop app is signed in to the account you intend to use. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, open Help & Settings, choose Settings, then open the Sync and backup tab and select Manage backup. Turn on each available folder you want protected and choose Save changes if prompted.
OneDrive's folder backup commonly covers Desktop, Documents and Pictures; check the actual options shown on your version, which may also include other standard folders such as Music and Videos. Do not assume that a separate folder on another drive, an application database or an email archive is included. Move or copy those items into a deliberately backed-up location only after checking that the application can still open them, or protect them with File History or another suitable method.
3. Wait for OneDrive to finish syncing
Leave the PC connected to the internet and allow the OneDrive status icons to settle. Open the OneDrive folder in File Explorer and look for the folders and a selection of recently changed files. You can also sign in to OneDrive on the web and look for the same items; seeing them online is a more useful check than assuming the desktop folder has finished.
Pay attention to storage warnings, sign-in errors and files that cannot sync. A full account, an unsupported name or path, or a file left open by an application can prevent a complete copy. Do not delete local originals to save space until you understand OneDrive Files On-Demand and have opened the online copy.
4. Set up File History on an external drive
Connect the external drive you want to use, then open Control Panel. Select System and Security, followed by Save backup copies of your files with File History. If the displayed drive is not the one you want, select Select drive, choose the external drive or configured network location, and confirm. Select Turn on.
File History works with Windows libraries, including standard libraries such as Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music. If an important folder is elsewhere, add it to a library or create an appropriate library before relying on File History. Keep the drive connected often enough for new changes to be copied; a drive left unplugged cannot receive the scheduled copies.
5. Run and inspect the backup
After setup, let File History run, or open Control Panel > System and Security > File History and select Run now when you want to start a copy manually. Open the destination in File Explorer only for a basic presence check; do not edit or reorganise File History's managed folders by hand.
For either method, change or create a small test document, wait for the relevant copy to complete, and locate that document at the destination. This catches a disconnected drive, wrong account or unprotected folder before an emergency. If the test file does not appear, stop treating the backup as complete and resolve the error first.
6. Practise restoring a file
For File History, open File Explorer and go to the folder that contained the file. Right-click the folder, select Restore previous versions, choose a version and use Open in File History to inspect it. Select Restore to put it back, or use the Restore option's alternative location when you want to preserve the current copy.
For OneDrive, sign in to OneDrive on the web and check the Recycle bin or the file's available version history when relevant. Restore a disposable test file rather than overwriting an important current document. A backup is useful only when you know which account, drive or website holds it and can retrieve the needed version.
What Windows backup does not cover
Windows Backup and OneDrive folder backup are not a complete image of every part of the computer. Microsoft describes Windows Backup as a way to back up selected folders, settings, apps and other account-linked information, with files stored through OneDrive. It is aimed at moving to or setting up another PC, not at preserving every installed program and its private data.
A Recovery Drive contains recovery material and does not include your personal files. System Restore is for rolling system settings and installed software back to a restore point; it is not a substitute for copies of photographs or documents. Keep those jobs separate when planning what you would do after a failed drive or a bad update.
- Check application-specific data separately, especially databases, mail stores and saved projects.
- Keep at least one copy on a different device or location from the Windows 10 PC.
- Do not rely on a restore point or recovery USB to recover personal documents.
Common problems and fixes
If OneDrive reports that it cannot back up a folder, check that you are signed in to the intended account and that there is enough OneDrive storage. If a folder is not listed, the current OneDrive folder-backup control may not support it; use File History or another suitable method for files outside those options. If files are present online but missing locally, check their sync status before changing their location.
If File History says the drive is disconnected, reconnect the USB drive or reselect the network location in Control Panel > System and Security > File History. Microsoft also provides Run now there for a manual attempt. If the drive repeatedly disconnects, copy important files to a second destination before troubleshooting the drive itself.
Before resetting or replacing the PC
Open several files from the backup destination, including a recent document and an older photograph or project. Confirm that the dates and contents make sense, record which Microsoft account was used, and safely disconnect the external drive after File History has finished. Export anything stored only inside an application and make sure you have installers or account access for software you will need again.
Windows 10 support ended on 14 October 2025, according to Microsoft. That does not erase existing files, but it makes a planned move to a supported Windows version more sensible. Keep the old PC or its external backup untouched until the new setup has opened the files you actually need.
Further practical tips
- Give backup destinations clear names and record the date of the last successful test restore.
- Include folders outside the standard Windows libraries in your checklist; they are easy to overlook.
- Keep an external backup disconnected when it is not being used if accidental deletion or malware is a concern.
Important limitations
- OneDrive synchronisation can replicate deletions or unwanted changes; it is not the same as an offline, independent backup.
- Restoring a File History version to its original location can replace the current version, so use Restore to when you need to compare copies.
- Do not format, reset or hand over the original PC until you have opened representative files from the backup.