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How to Restore Individual Files From Windows Backup
Restore individual files from backup without third-party software
3 min. read
Updated onOctober 6, 2023
updated onOctober 6, 2023
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Key notes
Sometimes you need to restore individual files from Windows Backup, especially if quickly want to restore a few files that you might’ve deleted by accident.
This can be achieved, and it’s simpler than you think, and in today’s guide, we’re going to show you the best ways to do that on your PC.
How do I restore individual files from Windows Backup?
1. Use Backup and Restore
For this method to work, you need to have Backup and Restore manually set up beforehand.
2. Use Disk Management
Keep in mind that this method works only if you have your Windows Backup saved in VHD format.
Can you restore individual files from an image backup?
Yes, it’s possible to do this, without any third-party tools, however, the system image needs to be in VHD format. We explained this process in detail in Solution 2 of this guide.
Is File History the same as Backup?
The two features have many differences and they aren’t the same.
File History does the following:
On the other hand, the Backup feature does the following:
To learn more about these tools, don’t miss ourFile History vs Windows Backupguide for in-depth comparison.
As you can see it’s pretty simple to restore individual files from Windows Backup, but before you can do so, you need to manually set this feature up. To learn how to do it, check ourWindows 11 backup settingsguide.
In case you’re not a fan of Microsoft’s built-in solutions, you can always use a third-partylocal backup software.
What method do you use to restore individual files from Windows Backup? Share your preferred ones with us in the comments section.
More about the topics:backup,Windows 11 guides
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
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