Select Drive for File History in Windows 10  

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    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10

    How to Select a File History Drive in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Backup & Restore
    21 Jun 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Select a File History Drive in Windows 10


    File History was first introduced in Windows 8, and has been improved in Windows 10.

    Before you can turn on and start using File History to back up your files, you need to first select where your backups are saved. You can select to save backups to an internal hard drive, externally connected drive (ex: USB drive), or you can save to a drive on a network.

    If the drive selected as the backup location becomes unavailable, such as when a USB cable is disconnected or the network goes down for maintenance, File History will continue to do its job by saving the copies to a cache on the local drive in the %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory\Data folder. Once the backup location becomes available again, the cached contents are transferred to that location and removed from the local drive.

    (No longer valid) You can also recommend your selected File History drive for other members of your homegroup to be able to select and save their File History on as well.

    See also:

    This tutorial will show you how to select a File History drive to either change or add a drive to where your files will be backed up at for your account in Windows 10.


    Contents







    OPTION ONE

    To Add File History Drive in Settings


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & security icon.

    2 Click/tap on Backup on the left side, and click/tap on Add a drive on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    If you see a setting to turn on or off Automatically back up my files instead, then you will need to use Option Two below to change the File History drive.

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_add_drive-1.png

    3 Select a drive you want File History to back up your files to. (see screenshots below)

    If a network drive you want isn’t in the list of available drives, click/tap on the Show all network locations link. If the drive you want isn’t listed there either, then use Option Three, click/tap on the Add a network location link at step 3, and follow the instructions on the screen.

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_add_drive-2.png Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_add_drive-3.png

    4 File History will now automatically be turned on, and back up your files to the selected drive. (see screenshot below)

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_add_drive-4.png

    5 You can now close Settings if you like.






    OPTION TWO

    To Change File History Drive in Settings


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & security icon.

    2 Click/tap on Backup on the left side, and click/tap on the More options on the right side. (see screenshot below)

    If you see Add a drive instead, then you will need to use Option One above to add a File History drive.

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_change_drive-1.png

    3 Click/tap on Stop using drive under Back up to a different drive. (see screenshot below)

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_change_drive-2.png

    4 Click/tap on the back arrow at the top left corner. (see screenshot below)

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-settings_file_history_change_drive-3.png

    5 Go to Option One above to add a File History drive.






    OPTION THREE

    To Add or Change File History Drive in Control Panel


    1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the File History icon.

    2 Click/tap on the Select drive link on the left side. (see screenshot below)

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-select_drive_file_history-1a.png

    3 Select a File History drive you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)

    If the selected drive was already used by File History, then you will also need to select an existing backup to save to.

    If a network drive you want isn’t in the list of available drives, click/tap on the Show all network locations link. If the drive you want isn’t listed there either, then click/tap on the Add a network location link, and follow the instructions on the screen.

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-select_drive_file_history-1.png Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-select_drive_file_history-.png

    4 If the new selected drive was never used by File History and files backed up by File History were found on another drive, then click/tap on Yes or No to move your existing files to the new selected drive. (see screenshot below)

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-select_drive_file_history-2.png

    5 If the new selected drive was used by File History and doesn't have your most recent files backed up on it, click/tap on Yes or No to confirm to use this drive for File History. (see screenshot below)

    If you click on Yes, then a new backup of your files will be created on the selected drive.

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-select_drive_file_history-b.png

    6 File History will now automatically be turned on, and back up your files to the selected drive. (see screenshot below)

    Select Drive for File History in Windows 10-select_drive_file_history-3.png

    7 You can now close the Control Panel if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #1

    Hi, lx07 commented FH can't use a partition on the same drive. (Not that that would be a good idea).

    It must be a separate drive by default - it will not let you choose another partition on the same drive.

    You can however share another partition on the same drive (or folder on it) and then it works - see here how to use file history on a partition (of the same drive) [solved] Windows 10 Forums
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

      My Computers


  3. Posts : 668
    Win 10 pro
       #3

    Hi @Brink,

    are you sure that Timeline is a file history replacement?
    They seems to have different purposes, just wondering, i mean is there some microsoft official statement about that?

    Thanks!
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Currently no, but Timeline is suppose to (rumor) eventually have the same ability. We shall see.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #5

    @Mooly advised this:

    I always used to run File History to a separate partition on my main drive. It's a while since I did that but what you do is create is a folder on the partition and then set its properties to be a networked location.

    Post #2 here:
    how to use file history on a partition (of the same drive) [solved] Solved - Windows 10 Forums
    from
    Can I use a separate partition on my hard drive for File History? - Windows 10 Forums
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #6

    Hi, just wondering how this fits with Win 10 now there's no homegroup.. (first section)..
    You can also recommend your selected File History drive for other members of your homegroup to be able to select and save their File History on as well.
    - granted it points to a tutorial containing
    Starting with Windows 10 build 17063, the HomeGroup service is no longer operational in Windows 10. The user profile used for sharing and the file/folder/printer shares will continue to work.
    Thanks!
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Hello @dalchina,

    It would no longer be valid since HomeGroup has been deprecated and removed in Windows 10.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #8

    Thanks- amendment noted.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 19
    win10
       #9

    Hi, after my external drive failed I couldn't use or change file history - win10 insisted I reconnect the (broken) drive. Your .bat rest file has partly fixed that - thanks.
    But win10 still wont recognise my external drive - I click 'add a drive', it returns 'no usable drives found' - but there is a perfectly OK external drive (E:)
    I think it might be still confused from when the original drive (F:) failed - any ideas please?
      My Computer


 

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