Windows File History broken? How to fix it and restore your files

Did you know that Windows can automatically back up your files to an external drive or network share? SO if your SSD fails or you need to reinstall Windows, you can quickly restore your files.

It’s called File History.

If File History isn’t working, there are two possible reasons. First, you may have forgotten to enable it, as it’s disabled by default in Windows. Second, there may be configuration issues. In this case, resetting the feature might help. You can access File History through the Control Panel.

In the icon view, click the File History icon. Then, on the left-hand side, click Select Drive and choose a backup destination. An external drive is a good option. If you want to store your files on a network share, click the Add Network Address link.

Confirm your selection by clicking OK. To start the backup, click Run Now in the File History start window. If File History stops working because of a configuration error, you can delete its configuration data. Your backup files should remain on the backup drive.