The best programs for keeping your data and Windows safely backed up.
Our PC storage drives won’t last forever and that’s why it’s always a good idea to use backup software to keep your data safe. The best Windows backup software can keep us covered when our primary drive finally croaks.
While Apple’s Time Machine provides users with an effective, set-it-and-forget-it recovery system, Microsoft users aren’t so lucky. Instead, users are stuck deciding the best way to keep their data safe with a patchwork system of restore points, recovery discs, and file backups. Thankfully, a number of great third-party backup options have cropped up in recent years to help solve the woes of Windows users.
Why you should trust us: It’s in our name: PCWorld. Our reviewers have been testing PC hardware, software, and services for decades. Our backup evaluations are thorough and rigorous, testing the promises and limitations of every product — from performance to the practicalities of regular use. As PC users ourselves, we know what makes a product stand out. Only the best online backup services make this list. For more about our testing process, scroll to the bottom of this article.
Also, check out PCWorld’s roundup of best external drives for recommendations on reliable storage options — an important component in a comprehensive backup strategy. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to keep your data on the cloud or need the flexibility of data storage for different operating systems, then check out our list of best online backup services.
Updated April 3, 2024: In our latest reviews of our two top picks, we found that both backup programs have improved upon their already-strong offerings in their most current iterations. Our top pick, R-Drive Image, has so much going for it, you’d wonder why anyone would choose another option. But then Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office makes a case for itself by offering malware protection to augment its strong backup cred. The upshot is good news for consumers. Learn more about our picks below.
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R-Drive Image – Best Windows backup overall
Pros
- Super-reliable, fast, disk and partition imaging with replication
- File and folder backup with differential copies
- Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive support
- Lean-and-mean Linux and WinPE boot media
Cons
- Minor interface quirks
- No support for S3-compatible online storage
R-Drive Image has long been a favorite of ours—a low-resource-consuming product that’s unparalleled in its reliability. Its ability to back up disks, partitions, folders, and files made it a one-stop shop for data preservation and recovery.
Now, with version 7.2, R-Drive Image goes even further with direct support for online storage services, so you can not only back up to a local drive, but also to your preferred cloud storage, be it Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. You can also replicate images across multiple destinations, adding redundancy that’s so critical to a good backup strategy.
It’s hard to think of anything R-Drive Image is lacking, other than support for S3-compatible online storage. But given its track record of continuous improvement to an already-good thing, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that in the future.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office – Best Windows backup with malware protection
Pros
- Imaging, backup, and disaster recovery
- Actively protects against viruses and ransomware
- Integrated cloud storage available
Cons
- Heavy installation footprint
Acronis well established itself as a trusty stalwart of backup software many years back with its renowned Acronis True Image program. The program’s name might have changed a few years back to Cyber Protect Home Office but it’s reputation as a capable, flexible, and rock-solidly reliable backup solution continues. Indeed, it’s easily the most comprehensive data safety package on the planet.
While Cyber Protect Home Office doesn’t offer the same support for third-party cloud storage as R-Drive Image, it does allow you to back up to local, networked, or its own cloud storage (available at select tiers). Besides offering unparalleled backup functionality that’s both robust and easy to navigate, it integrates security apps as well, which protect against malware, malicious websites, and other threats using real-time monitoring.
As our reviewer said, “If you’re looking for a comprehensive, set-it-and-forget-it data-safety solution, I know of nothing better, or comparable for that matter.”
Retrospect Solo – Best for added ransomware protection
Pros
- Easy to use (once learned)
- Copious feature set
- Good performance
- New anti-ransomware backup protection
Cons
- Somewhat steep learning curve
The latest version (18.5) of this stalwart Windows backup program is every bit as feature-packed as we’d expect. It even adds an interesting pre-backup file scanning to root out anomalies before overwriting your previous backup—a nod to the emergence of ransomware as a concern. It’s got a bit of a learning curve, but once familiar, Retrospect Solo delivers the goods.
Read our full Retrospect Solo review
Fbackup 9 – Best free Windows backup
Pros
- Easy, friendly interface
- Backs up local files as well as files on Dropbox and Google Drive
- Rock solid performance
- Supports versioning
Cons
- Some advertising nags
- Doesn’t support other online destinations.
- Backs up to, but not from network locations
Fbackup 9 provides you with excellent backup options at no cost, and there’s no better price than free. Fbackup 9 is both more stable and easier to use than many of the premium options for Window’s backup software. It allows you to back up files to or from any local storage, to network locations, and to Google Drive or Dropbox. It does have some ads that you’ll need to put up with, but fortunately they are generally kept out of the way while using the software. Most users looking for an easy and free way to securely store their important data need look no further.
Windows File History backup – Best free Windows backup runner-up
Pros
- Excellent continuous data protection with versioning
- Easy, timeline browsing of backed-up files
- Integrated into Windows
- Backs up user-created libraries
Cons
- Easy “Add folder” function removed from Windows 11
Among the free programs we tested, Windows File History backup is one of the easiest continuous data protection software for Windows. It’s unfortunate that the latest version removed the “add folder” function from File History, but otherwise it continues to improve upon an already solid backup program. Also, it provides many of the features and functions of other third-party paid backup programs, all for free. And you can’t argue with free. It would’ve taken the top spot for free options if not for the fact that FBackup offers more versatility in terms of where you can back up your data, such as cloud storage.
Arcserve ShadowProtect SPX – Best Windows backup for SMBs
Pros
- Fast and reliable continuous data protection
- Super easy restores to real or virtual hard drives
- Handy timeline overview
- Excellent disaster recovery
Cons
- Slightly daunting login dialog
- Image-based backup only
- Pricey for end users
If you are looking for something more robust than just file and folder backup for your business, then Arcserve ShadowProtect SPX has you covered. It comes loaded with a full feature-set that allows you to quickly and easily restore your data and it has support for third-party virtual hard drives. It is also an excellent choice not just for Windows users, but also Linux users or those in mixed Windows/Linux environments. ShadowProtect is a bit pricey, but it is an extremely reliable backup software with foolproof continuous data protection.
How we test
We run each program through the various types of backups it’s capable of. This is largely to test reliability and hardware compatibility, but we time two: an approximately 115GB system image (two partitions), and a roughly 50GB image created from a set of smaller files and folders. We then mount the images and test their integrity via the program’s restore functions. We also test the USB boot drives created by the programs.
How to pick a backup software
As with most things—don’t over-buy. Features you don’t need add complexity and may slow down your system. Additionally, if you intend to back up to a newly purchased external hard drive, check out the software that ships with it. Seagate, WD, and others provide backup utilities that are adequate for the average user.
File backup: If you want to back up only your data (operating systems and programs can be reinstalled, though it’s mildly time- and effort-consuming), a program that backs up just the files you select is a major time-saver. Some programs automatically select the appropriate files if you use the Windows library folders (Documents, Photos, Videos, etc.).
Image backup/imaging: Images are byte-for-byte snapshots of your entire hard drive (normally without the empty sectors) or partition, and can be used to restore both the operating system and data. Imaging is the most convenient to restore in case of a system crash, and also ensures you don’t miss anything important.
Boot media: Should your system crash completely, you need an alternate way to boot and run the recovery software. Any backup program should be able to create a bootable optical disc or USB thumb drive. Some will also create a restore partition on your hard drive, which can be used instead if the hard drive is still operational.
Scheduling: If you’re going to back up effectively, you need to do it on a regular basis. Any backup program worth its salt allows you to schedule backups.
Versioning: If you’re overwriting previous files, that’s not backup, it’s one-way syncing or mirroring. Any backup program you use should allow you to retain several previous backups, or with file backup, previous versions of the file. The better software will retain and cull older backups according to criteria you establish.
Optical support: Every backup program supports hard drives, but as obsolete as they may seem, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are great archive media. If you’re worried about optical media’s reliability, M–Disc claims its discs are reliable for a thousand years, claims that are backed up by Department of Defense testing.
Online support: An offsite copy of your data is a hedge against physical disasters such as flood, fire, and power surges. Online storage services are a great way to maintain an offsite copy of your data. Backup to Dropbox and the like is a nice feature to have.
FTP and SMB/AFP: Backing up to other computers or NAS boxes on your network or in remote locations (say, your parent’s house) is another way of physically safeguarding your data with an offsite, or at least physically discrete copy. FTP can be used for offsite, while SMB (Windows and most OS’s) and AFP (Apple) are good for other PCs or NAS on your local network.
Real time: Real-time backup means that files are backed up whenever they change, usually upon creation or save. It’s also called mirroring and is handy for keeping an immediately available copy of rapidly changing data sets. For less volatile data sets, the payoff doesn’t compensate for the drain on system resources. Instead, scheduling should be used.
Continuous backup: In this case, ‘continuous’ simply means backing up on a tight schedule, generally every 5 to 15 minutes, instead of every day or weekly. Use continuous backup for rapidly changing data sets where transfer rates are too slow, or computing power is too precious for real-time backup.
Performance: Most backups proceed in the background or during dead time, so performance isn’t a huge issue in the consumer space. However, if you’re backing up multiple machines or to multiple destinations, or dealing with very large data sets, speed is a consideration.
FAQ
How often should backups be scheduled?
Ideally, you should schedule backups of your data as often as possible. This is especially true if you are working on an important project or have data that you absolutely cannot afford to lose. It is a good idea to automate the backup process and have the Windows software back up your data every hour or so.
What is the difference between Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Windows backup services?
Services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive are considered to be cloud storage services. This means that a user must place their files or data onto the service’s cloud manually. It’s almost like having a physical storage drive in the internet’s virtual cloud.
Windows backup software, meanwhile, provides continuous versioning and backup of all the file history on your device. It will continuously and automatically backup every specified file on a device. Windows backup software also offers additional data security measures such as file encryption. Furthermore, these backup services allow you to create a bootable optical disc or USB thumb drive for recovery after a system crash.
There are cloud backup services (distinct from those mentioned above) that offer much, though not all, of the benefits of a Windows backup program, such as continuous backups and versioning for multiple devices. You can learn more about them in our roundup of best cloud backup services.
Will Windows backup software slow down my computer?
In most situations Windows backup software won’t noticeably slow down your computer. If you are backing up to more than one device or multiple different destinations, or if you are backing up very large data sets, then you may notice your system slow down as it performs the backup. Otherwise, Windows backup software typically runs in the background or during dead time so you shouldn’t notice a decrease in performance.
Also, it’s a good idea, if the option is available with your software, to run a continuous backup. This will cause the software to perform backups of only the files you change in real time and it requires less bandwidth and processor resources to maintain.
Does Windows Backup save everything?
Yes, by default Windows Backup and Restore saves all data files including those in your library, on your desktop, and in Windows’ default folders. It will also create a system image if you need to restore Windows in the case of an emergency or system failure.
A system image is a great way to save all the data on your system including installed applications. But be careful as this system image can potentially take up hundreds of gigabytes of storage on your computer’s hard drive.
