AOMEI Backupper Standard is the best free backup software for Windows 11/10//8/7/Vista/XP. It enables you to backup Windows OS, files and hard drives. Download free backup software FBackup and start backing up your important files and folders. Supports automated backups to local, external or network.
Best free backup software of | TechRadar
Alternatively, you can just restore the whole backup image to the original location. During setup, COMODO Backup tries to install another program that you must deselect if you wish for it not to be added to your computer. Redo Rescue doesn’t support backing up individual files and folders.
Instead, this program backs up an entire hard drive at once by running from a bootable device like a disc or flash drive. A collection of files backed up with this program can’t be read as regular files. To restore the data, you must use the program again and then select the drive you wish to restore the files to. The destination drive will be completely overwritten with the backed up data.
Redo Rescue is best used in a situation where you wish to be able to restore an entire hard drive. While this type of backup does include all the files and programs on the drive, it’s not meant for individual file and folder restoration. Back up folders to an FTP server or local, external, or network drive with Yadis! Any number of file versioning is supported, and you have the option to keep the original folder structure intact for better organization. The only scheduling option is to run backup jobs automatically or manually.
There are no custom options, like on a per hour or day basis. If any or all of these events take place, a backup job will run. Even the settings you’ve modified in Yadis! Backup can be configured to back up to a specified folder when changes are made so that you don’t lose your custom options.
You can only choose one folder to back up at a time. Any additional folders need to be created as their own backup job. Something we don’t like is that there are no options for easily restoring backed up files. To access files that have been backed up is to simply browse through the backup folder, whether it be on an FTP server or a different drive. Everyday Auto Backup is really easy to use. It can back up folders to and from a local disk or network location in just a few clicks.
Scheduling can be set for more than one job at a time and supports hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or manual backups. There are no password options or encryption settings. While that’s unfortunate, it also means you can use the backed up data as real files; you can open, edit, and view them normally.
The minimum requirement is that you’re using one of these operating systems: Windows 8, 7, Vista, or XP. It should also work in newer versions, like Windows 11 and The MiniTool ShadowMaker free backup program is packed full of some really great features. It backs up not only files and folders, but entire hard drives. You can back up disks, partitions, and files and folders to any local, external, or networked drive.
Backups can run on a set schedule daily, weekly, or monthly, but only incremental backup is supported not full or differential. It’s also your choice if you want to back up every sector or only the used ones.
With this program, you can set a custom file size for the backup so that it fits on CDs, etc. Custom compression, email alerts, hibernation file exclusion, password protection, and backup verification are supported, too. You’d think the features would end by now, but MiniTool ShadowMaker also has a tool you can utilize to restore a backup even if your computer won’t start. Some features are excluded in the free version and only available if you pay.
However, what you get with the free edition is still much better than what some free backup tools supply. This software was built to run on all edition of Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Iperius Backup backs up files from a local folder to a network or local drive. The program interface looks really nice, is clean, and isn’t at all hard to use.
The menus are displayed side by side in separate tabs, so it’s simple to move through the settings. Files can be added to a backup job one at a time or in bulk through a folder, and a backup job can be saved locally or on a network, using one of three backup types.
You can also choose the number of backups to store. Aside from ZIP compression, email notifications, and password protection, Iperius Backup has some other custom options as well. You can include hidden files and system files in the backup, shut down the computer after completing the backup, favor compression speed over high compression, and run backups on a schedule. When building a backup job, you can also exclude files, particular folders, all subfolders, and particular extensions from the backup.
You can even include or exclude files that are less than, equal to, or greater than a specific file size to ensure you’re backing up exactly what you want. Several of the options in this free version actually only work in the paid, full version of Iperius Backup, such as backing up to Google Drive. You’ll be told which features aren’t usable when you try to use them.
Mutual Backup is an interesting backup solution because instead of storing the data on a flash drive or other device attached to your computer, this one copies everything over the network. The program lets you store copies of your files on a friend’s computer, no matter where it’s at. It’s a bit like an online backup service, but instead of paying for storage space on a server somewhere, you and a friend can exchange free space on your own hard drives to store the other person’s backups.
This also works on your own network, so if you want to keep your videos backed up to the computer downstairs, you can do that, too. All files are encrypted and compressed before transport, so someone on the other computer can’t see what you’re backing up. File and folder filtering are supported. Restoring is as easy as choosing which files you want to download back to your computer, and you can, at any time, delete the remote backup from your own computer.
If you’re connecting with a friend outside your network, they’ll have to set up port forwarding , and you’ll need to know their public IP address. This app runs on any Java platform, so it works on Windows, Linux, and other operating systems. The great thing about this tool is that you can back up the primary hard drive you’re using as you use it.
This means you don’t need to boot to a disc or avoid backing up your primary hard drive. Also, only the used space is backed up, meaning a 40 GB drive with 2 GB of used space will only produce a 2 GB backup file. If backing up the drive you’re currently using, ensure “Use Volume Shadow Copy” is enabled so Disk2vhd can copy files that are currently being used. It’s ideal to save the backup image to a drive other than the one you’re backing up to avoid performance degradation.
There’s also support for creating a backup file using the command line. If any larger, other virtualization software might be more suitable. It’s really easy to add more than one file or folder to GFI Backup to be included in a backup job. The folder structure looks just like it does in Explorer, letting you place a check next to anything you want to be included.
A backup can be encrypted with a password, compressed, split into small chunks, and even built into a self-extracting archive. You can choose to restore certain files or select entire folders at once to be copied back to the original backup location or saved elsewhere. GFI Backup also includes a sync feature, detailed scheduled tasks, and incremental and differential backups.
It should be able to run on all versions of Windows, including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7. Free Easis Drive Cloning is extremely easy to use. You’ll walk through a wizard with any option you choose. The first will ask you to choose the drive you wish to back up and where to save the IMG file. The Restore Image option is just the opposite of the first, and the last selection lets you clone a drive to another without having to first create an image.
The bad thing about Free Easis Drive Cloning is that it backs up everything , even the unused, free space of the drive. We tested it in Windows 10 and Windows 8 without running into any problems. Ocster Backup permits backing up files and folders to any local or external hard drive.
When adding content to back up, you must browse for each file and folder you want to be added. While you are able to select multiple files at once, you can’t quickly add numerous folders like some of the other backup programs from this list are able to do.
You can encrypt a backup with Ocster Backup, set up a daily or weekly schedule, and exclude content by name, extension, or folder. Also, another plus is that the original directory structure is still present when you restore the files, which makes it rather simple to navigate through them. Ocster Backup is limited in that it doesn’t support backing up to a network drive, and restoring files is an all or nothing deal where you must restore everything at once.
Ashampoo Backup has replaced Ocster Backup, but you can still get the last released version through the link above. You can optionally save to more than one location if you want multiple places to store your files. Backups can be compressed using one of three modes: password-protected, encrypted, and set up to use a schedule.
The log files made with AceBackup can optionally be emailed on the event of an error or chosen to be sent even on successful backups. Something we don’t like is that some of the options in this program aren’t described, which can leave you wondering what certain settings will do when they are enabled.
We successfully used AceBackup in Windows 10, but it should work just as well in Windows 11, Windows 8, and Windows 7. FBackup allows the backup of individual files and whole folders even from your Google Drive or Dropbox account to be saved to a local, external, or network folder, as well as to those same online file storage services.
An easy to use wizard guides you through the backup process and includes preset locations you can choose to back up, like the Documents and Pictures folder, Microsoft Outlook, and Google Chrome settings. In addition, FBackup lets you add your own files and folders to a backup job. You can exclude certain data from a job by specifying a word in the folder or file name, as well as the type of file extension.
Two backup types are supported in the free edition: Full and Mirror. A full backup compresses every file into ZIP folders, while a mirror creates an exact replica of the files in non-compressed form. Both allow encryption. Backup jobs are created using a built-in interface that corresponds with the Task Scheduler service in Windows to run a backup at times like once, weekly, at logon, or when idle.
Once a job completes, FBackup can be set to hibernate, sleep, shutdown, or log off Windows. A backup can be restored using a simple restore utility that comes built-in, which lets you restore everything or individual files to their original location or a new one. You also have the option to restore only the latest version of the files, or to run filters to restore specific file types. While testing FBackup, we found that it downloaded quickly but took a bit longer than usual to install.
It can also be installed on Windows Server , , , , and HDClone Free Edition can back up an entire disk or a select partition, to an image file. Using the Setup for Windows download will let the program run inside Windows. You’re also able to back up one disk or partition to another, but it will overwrite the data on the destination drive. Some features, like choosing a compression level and encrypting a backup, appear to be supported but are unfortunately only available in the paid version.
With Macrium Reflect, partitions can be backed up to an image file or copied directly to another drive. This file can be saved to a local drive, network share, external drive, or burned directly to a disc.
You can even add more than one backup location to build a fail-safe in the event that a destination becomes invalid. You can schedule a full backup on a schedule so every day, week, month, or year, a backup will be made of any drive, including the one with Windows installed. A backup job can also be scheduled to run at startup or log on. To restore a backed up image to a drive with Windows installed, you must use the Macrium Reflect program to build a Windows or Linux rescue disc, both of which can restore an MRIMG file.
You can also mount the backup as a virtual drive that mimics a local one, allowing you to browse through the backed up files and folders and copy out anything you want. The program should work on all versions of Windows. We tested it in Windows 10 and Windows 8. Determine if you are running a bit or bit version of Windows to know which option you should choose on the download page.
Make sure to select one of the blue download links since the red ones are for the paid editions. A backup image can be built into one file or separated into chunks for easier placement on media like CDs and DVDs. You have the option to back up a drive’s used data or the used and unused portions of the disk. Restoring a backup is really easy with ODIN because you just select the disk that should be restored and then load the backup file.
Freebyte Backup can back up multiple folders at a time to any local, external, or network drive. A backup can’t be compressed or encrypted with this program. Scheduling isn’t built-in either, but you can make a few changes to how the program launches as well as use an external scheduling program to make it work. You can filter a backup job so that files with particular extensions get copied, leaving out all the rest.
There’s also an option to only back up files that have been modified after a particular date and time, as well as a toggle to turn on incremental backups. Freebyte Backup is said to work only with Windows Vista, XP, and older versions of Windows, but we tested it in Windows 10 and 8 without any issues. Freebyte Backup downloads as a ZIP file.
Inside is the portable version FBBackup. CloneZilla Live is a bootable disc that can back up an entire hard drive to either an image file or another disk. This program is text-based, so you won’t find regular menu options or buttons. You can compress a backup image, split it into custom sizes, and even check a hard drive for errors using a free hard drive testing tool before creating an image.
Restoring a backup with CloneZilla Live involves taking the regular backup process steps but doing so in reverse. It sounds confusing, but following the on-screen instructions makes it pretty easy. Karen’s Replicator is easy to use, simple folder backup utility that supports a local, external, or network drive as a backup destination. Data is backed up using a regular copy method without encryption or password options, which means you can browse through a backup like you would any other folder in Explorer.
Options let you exclude subfolders from a backup, filter out certain files by their extension, avoid backing up particular directories, and schedule backup jobs. You can also decide whether or not Karen’s Replicator should delete files from a backup if they’re removed from the source folder.
The interface of Karen’s Replicator is a bit outdated but it didn’t interfere with backups or our ability to find settings. Personal Backup can back up data to a folder on an external or local drive, FTP site, or network share. When selecting the files to be backed up, Personal Backup only allows single files to be added at a time. You can keep adding more, but only one can actually be chosen at a time, which can slow down the process of creating a backup job. Still, for backing up your most valuable data, this is one of the most comprehensive tools out there.
Read our full Cobian Backup review. EaseUS Todo Backup Free has lots of bases covered: backing up individual files and folders, whole drives or partitions, or creating a full system backup. There’s also a ‘smart’ option that automatically backs up files in commonly used locations, and you have the option of using cloud storage. Backups can then be scheduled, running as incremental, differential or full backups as required see below for a full explanation of the differences.
You can still run backups on a schedule, but lose the ability to have these backups triggered by various events — not something most people will miss. The same goes for command line-driven backups, PC-to-PC data transfer, and Outlook backup; they’re all nice to have, but their absence is unlikely to be a deal-breaker. A few features are exclusive to the premium version, but EasusUS Todo Backup Free is more than enough for just about everyone out there. FBackup offers a choice of wizard and advanced modes.
Whichever you choose, it’s easy to create backup jobs comprising files and folders, which can be saved to local or network drives, removable disks, or Google Drive. Scheduling is available to keep your backups up to date. There are in-program ads suggesting you upgrade to the paid-for Backup4all, but thankfully they are relatively unobtrusive so hopefully you’ll be able to ignore them if you’re not interested.
The free version of the program lacks a few features, but these might be inconsequential, depending on your needs. If you can live without encryption , FTP backups, email notifications and incremental backups, Fbackup is well worth checking out.
We’ve also featured the best data recovery software opens in new tab. A couple of other software applications worth considering are cloud backup software include the cloud backup solutions listed below. Although you install the application on your PC or other devices, your files are backed up in the cloud.
This means not only do you have an easy way to recover those files if your PC or hardware fails, but you can also ensure that your backup is continuous, as well as accessible from any device through synchronization.
Microsoft OneDrive is the backup and sync storage option bundled with Microsoft Office There is a free version that allows up to 10GB of storage and there are paid options to upgrade, but this can prove expensive over the long term if you want to backup and sync a sizable hard drive. Even still, it’s useful to keep the most essential files safe. What makes OneDrive potentially ideal is if you also have a subscription to Office opens in new tab , as that entitles you to a huge 1TB of cloud storage.
Dropbox is another cloud server that allows you to save important documents online, again being free to use with the same limitations as above. But as before, the ability to save a smaller number of essential files, such as for work, study, creative projects, and similar, can be invaluable.
We’ve also compiled a list of the best online photo storage services. An image is an exact copy of an entire drive or partition, including all installed programs and system files. If you need to reinstall Windows, you can boot from the image file and avoid having to reinstall all your programs and reconfigure your Windows settings.
Note that you can’t use an image to restore your system on a different PC. Images are very large and take a long time to create, so you won’t want to make one every day. For everyday backups, you’ll only want to copy the most important data on your PC — your documents, photos and music, for example. There are several types of regular backup:.
Each differential backup will be larger than the last, but to restore your system you’ll only need the full backup and the latest differential one. Incremental backup files are smaller, but to restore your system you’ll need your full backup as well as all subsequent incremental ones, which takes longer. When deciding which free backup software to download and use, first try to determine how difficult the data might be to recover.
For example, not all will backup multiple partitions at the same time. Additionally, free or budget software options may have built-in limitations on how much data or how many files you can actually backup. To test for the best free backup software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service.
We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for backing up data from both a normal hardware as a well as an external hard drive. The aim was to push each software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools. See how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
Sign up to theTechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Sofia is a tech journalist who’s been writing about software, hardware and the web for nearly 20 years — but still looks as youthful as ever!
After years writing for magazines, her life moved online and remains fueled by technology, music and nature. Having written for websites and magazines since , producing a wide range of reviews, guides, tutorials, brochures, newsletters and more, she continues to write for diverse audiences, from computing newbies to advanced users and business clients.
Always willing to try something new, she loves sharing new discoveries with others. Sofia lives and breathes Windows, Android, iOS, macOS and just about anything with a power button, but her particular areas of interest include security, tweaking and privacy.
Her other loves include walking, music, her two Malamutes and, of course, her wife and daughter. You can find her on Facebook opens in new tab , Twitter opens in new tab and Mastodon opens in new tab. Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions:.
