Best windows 8 file backup software

However, it does at least include any upgrades to the program, and also supports backup to cloud providers including OneDrive and Dropbox. The standout feature of NovaBackup PC is the security offered, as the software runs locally to send the data to a local media drive, and does not connect to the internet. Also, the backup can be performed with AES bit encryption for extra security. Home users are charged for an annual subscription for a single PC, which offers protection against data loss, ransomware, and hardware failure.

There is a trial available for Windows XP and higher, although not for other platforms. This software is focused on traditional drive backup to a media drive, and the developer offers separate solutions for other situations including Android backup and cloud backup needs, keeping Genie Backup Manager from being a more comprehensive application.

The app sits in the Windows system tray as an icon, quietly going about its business. Notable features include the option to have the backup run at full speed via Turbo Mode, or to run in Smart Mode which intelligently adjusts itself based on the available system resources.

There are a few other options worth considering, not least free backup software which is still useful but will tend to have fewer options and configurations you can customize for what you need, plus of course there's always the option to use cloud backup software.

Here we'll look more closely at some of those options:. Simply download the Google Backup and Sync app to your computer, install and run, and this will create a folder in your Windows file explorer from to which you can save your most important documents.

While there are paid options to upgrade, this can prove expensive over the long-term if you want to backup and sync a sizable hard drive. 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, but that it means it suffers from the same limitations as above, not least that you'd be better off using cloning or image software to back up your full hard drive.

Even still, it's a useful keep to keep the most essential files safe. 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. Cobian Drive is something you install and setup on your PC for local use, which means that your saved files and folders are saved elsewhere on your machine, such as a second hard drive specifically for backups, or an external hard drive for the same purpose.

The software is a little old but it's still useful and worth considering for a free and quick fix. Backup4all is the paid version of the free Backup solution, this time adding more advanced features and a wizard for easily setting up your back up options. The software is relatively inexpensive, and there's a day free trial to allow you to test it out.

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's backup programs have 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.

You can , however, select whole folders, and context menu integration is supported. A backup can be built as an archive for each and every file, creating many ZIP files, or as a single archive which contains all the data. Options are available for encryption, compression, and file types that should be excluded from compression. Personal Backup allows a total of 16 backup jobs to be created, each of which can have their own scheduling options and incremental or differential backup type.

To use Personal Backup, you must download the proper bit or bit version that matches your version of Windows. We find Personal Backup to be very cluttered, making it hard to find what you're looking for because nearly all the settings are simply thrown into the program interface with seemingly no organization.

However, it does update a lot, which is a good sign that it's constantly trying to improve. The bit version runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, as well as Windows Server R2, , , and Windows Vista and XP users can install the bit version.

Incremental backups are also supported. Settings are available to compress a backup and manage how much splitting, if any, should be done to cut the backup into smaller pieces. Restoring data is as easy as selecting the backup image and choosing the drive to restore it to.

Also, the setup file is over MB, so it could take some time to finish downloading. Take note that you need to register for a free user account on their website before you can fully use the program.

That, or log in via another account when you first open the program, like your Google account. There is no restore function, and everything that's on the destination disk is wiped clean before XXCLONE beings backing up the source drive's files.

You're able to adjust the speed of the backup as well as make the destination drive bootable. We tested this program in Windows 10, 8 and 7, but it should also work for Windows 11, Vista, and XP. PING is a program that runs straight off bootable media like a disc.

You can back up one or more partitions to a file with PING. There isn't a graphical interface when using PING, so you must be somewhat comfortable with a text-only navigation screen to use this program.

You have the option to back up partitions to a local or external drive as well as to a network share or FTP server. When selecting the correct source and destination drive for a backup or restore, it's actually a bit difficult to determine which drive is which. PING does not show you the name of the drive or the size, but instead just the first few files that are located on the disk. This is only slightly helpful when determining the right disk to select.

You can compress a backup and optionally set it up for incremental backups in the future, both of which are options you're asked before starting a backup. When restoring a backup with PING, you're required to know the exact path of the backed up files.

You're unable to "browse" for the files like you can when an operating system is loaded, so you must know the exact path to the files to successfully restore them. This program, nor backing up in general, has anything to do with the more commonly known computer term ping , as in the ping command.

If you select migrating from Windows 7 to version 8 via upgrade, the system will automatically save all settings, applications and data. It requires making preliminary backups of all important data and drivers. You will be able to use them when needed.

Planning 7-to-8 Windows migration? We have a perfect solution here to do all required backups. There are many Windows 8 backup programs, but Handy Backup is the one of the Windows 8 best backup software solutions. The amazing fact is almost every Windows 8 backup feature work perfectly right from start and require no error correction.

Windows 8 disk imaging is one of the most preferable and efficient methods of data protection. Use an advanced built-in scheduler to set up automatic backup tasks. You can run a task at an exact time, repeat it for pre-defined intervals, or even trigger task to start by system events or run a program as Windows 8 service!

You can perform all types of backup full, incremental, differential and mixed backup for Windows 8 backup files. It is very important because of the size of Windows 8 backup. This technology also increases speed significantly. The best Windows 8 backup solution for keeping your data safe is putting the Windows 8 backup to the external drive, FTP or to some cloud storage. Handy Backup has many options for offsite backup.

Choose what you want to increase data security. If you are looking for the best Windows 8 backup software, do not concentrate on backup only and always remember about restoring. Handy Backup has a special recovery module that you can use to boot from USB for restoring the system. Version 8. Use the Professional edition for Windows 8 backup and recovery. All functions and plug-ins for a workstation or an advanced PC user! Free days trial version!

Continue creating a task as described in the User Manual. Note: you can save a Windows 8. Still, you can save and keep some versions, create time stamps, encrypt image files etc. To save only some Windows 8 backup files, libraries or even a registry, please refer to appropriate plug-ins on Step 2.