Windows 8 Auto Backup: Set Scheduled Backup Plan to Protect Your PC

Backup is the fundamental process for ensuring the safety of your computer data. It will aid in the recovery of lost data due to hardware failure, computer virus attacks, system crash, or other issues. Scheduled backup is a sophisticated backup approach that is strategically utilized to run backups automatically without human intervention, and it is regularly used to save time and improve efficiency.

If you are using Windows 8, this article will walk through two working ways to help you set up an auto backup on Windows 8 computer with step-by-step guides, including File History and EaseUS Todo Backup.

We analyzed two tools in terms of effectiveness, difficulty, and backup sources to assist you in selecting an appropriate solution. Refer to the chart below and select one to keep your data safe.

🍬There are numerous advantages to setting up a scheduled backup on your Windows 8 or other system versions (Windows 11/10/7):

• Save precious time: Setting up automatic backup on Windows 8 helps to save more time because it eliminates the need for manual operation.
• Keep backup consistency: A scheduled backup will ensure consistency in the backup process so as to reduce the risk of data loss.
• Flexible customization: The scheduled backup allows you to freely choose the backup contents and time.
• Reduce human error: Automatic backups eliminate the possibility of human error, which can occur during manual backup processes.

🔍Setup Auto Backup Computer Windows 8 via Built-in Backup Tool

File History is a backup utility included with Windows 8 and later versions of Windows. It lets you back up all of your documents, browser favorites, desktop icons, and other personal items. File History includes a scheduled backup feature, allowing you to create an automatic backup strategy. Once configured, File History will trigger and conduct the backup process at a predetermined time and frequency.

Backups can be saved to hard disks and network locations (like NAS) using Files History. It is recommended that backup data be saved to an external hard drive, flash drive, or network drive, which physically separates your files from the computer, adding an added layer of data safety.

📖Read Also: Automatically Backup a Folder to A Network Drive

Here are the steps to use File History to back up your files on Windows 8.

Step 1. Plug in an external hard drive or a USB to your computer. Make sure the drive has enough space to store your file backups.

Step 2. Open Control Panel > System and Security > File History > Save backup copies of your files with File History on your Windows 8 computer.

Step 3. Click Select Drives on the left, choose the removable disk (external hard drive or USB) as the backup destination, and tap OK.

Step 4. Select Advanced settings on the left panel, choose a backup frequency (like every 10 minutes, every half an hour, or daily) under the Save copies of files tab, and click Save changes when you finish choosing.

Step 5. Click Turn on to enable File History, and you'll see a message saying, "File History is saving copies of your files for the first time". Wait for the process to finish; a message will appear telling you when the files were last copied. Then File History will conduct the backup at the scheduled time.

🏅[Quick] Setup Auto Backup on Windows 8 With Professional Freeware

As previously stated, File History has restrictions, but EaseUS Todo Backup utilizes various backup sources and targets. You may use it to easily create a backup frequency and store a copy of your system image, disk image, file, APP data, and so on. With reliable performance and user-friendly UI, you can automatically back up your important files and data at specified intervals, such as daily, weekly, or monthly.

EaseUS Todo Backup's scheduled backup feature allows you to tailor your backup settings to your own needs and preferences. You can select whether you want to run a full backup, incremental backup, or differential backup. You can also specify the backup data's destination location: an external hard drive, a network device, or cloud storage.

EaseUS Todo Backup protects and secures your data with strong encryption backup methods and compression techniques. It also allows you to validate the integrity of your backups, ensuring that your data is completely safe.

Now, follow the steps to back up your Windows 8 by using this professional and safe backup tool.

Step 1. To start backup, click the Select backup contents.

Step 2. There are four data backup categories: File, Disk, OS, and Mail.

Step 3. On the left-hand side, you'll see a list of local and network files. Selecting the files to be backed up by expanding the directory.

Step 4. Follow the instructions on the screen and pick the location where you wish to store the backup.

In Backup Options, click Options to encrypt the backup with a password, specify the backup schedule, and choose whether or not to start the backup at a certain event in Backup Scheme. There are a variety of customizable features available for you to explore, and you may tailor the backup operation to meet your specific requirements.

Step 5. Backups can be stored on a local disk, in EaseUS's cloud service, or on a network attached storage device (NAS).

Step 6. EaseUS Todo Backup allows customers to back up data to a third-party cloud drive or the company's own cloud storage.

If you wish to back up your data to a third-party cloud drive, select Local Drive, scroll down to add Cloud Device and enter your account information.

You may also use EaseUS's own cloud storage service. Click EaseUS Cloud, create an account using your EaseUS Account, then log in to your account.

Step 7. To begin a backup, choose Backup Now. It will appear in the shape of a card on the left-hand panel when the backup process has been successfully finished. To handle the backup job in more detail, right-click on it.

📖Read also: How to Backup and Restore Windows 8/8.1 System | Backup and Restore Windows 8.1

📚The Final Words

Setup a Windows 8 auto backup will benefit you in many aspects. We have provided two working ways to create a Windows 8 auto backup: File History and EaseUS Todo Backup. While File History is a built-in backup option that allows you to automatically back up information to an external hard drive or network location, it does have certain limits. For full system backup, it is recommended to use third-party backup software like EaseUS Todo Backup.

Overall, EaseUS Todo Backup is a dependable, easy-to-use backup program offering comprehensive backup options for Windows 8 customers. Action speaks louder than words, you can download the program on your Windows PC to give it a try.

❓Windows 8 Auto Backup FAQs

1. Does Windows 8 have an in-built backup?

Yes, Windows 8 includes a built-in backup option called File History. You can utilize this function to automatically back up files to an external hard drive or a network location. By default, File History backs up all user libraries, desktops, favorites, and contacts, but it may be configured to include additional directories or omit certain items.

It should be noted, however, that File History is not a full system backup and does not include system data or apps. You may consider using third-party backup software such as EaseUS Todo Backup for comprehensive system backup.

2. Does Windows 8 have a Backup and Restore?

It is a pity that Windows 8 doesn't have Backup and Restore, but File History is available, which has a file backup feature. Backup and Restore is only usable on Windows 7, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

3. How do I back up everything on Windows 8?

If you want to save everything on Windows 8, you need to make a backup of all your system data, that is, creating a system image. EaseUS Todo Backup makes it simple to create a system image:

• Launch EaseUS Todo Backup on your computer, and click Create Backup.
• Click OS to begin the system backup task. Your Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions will be automatically selected, so you don't need to make any manual selection at this step
• Choose a location to save the system image backup by clicking the illustrated area. The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, network, cloud, or NAS.
• Customization settings like enabling an automatic backup schedule in daily, weekly, monthly, or upon an event and making a differential and incremental backup are available in the Options button if you're interested. Click Backup Now, and the Windows system backup process will begin.