How to Automatically Backup Files to An External Hard Drive | 3 Ways

What is the best strategy to retain your computer data from a severe system crash, hardware failure, or virus attack? Creating a full backup of your computer data is the best way out.

Also, note that the most recommended way is to create a regular backup plan, automatically backup files to an external hard drive in Windows 10/8/7 computers. Here, we collected 3 backup tools to protect your files from various disasters effectively:

Backup and Restore vs. File History vs. Windows Backup Software

Which method to choose? Backup and Restore, File History or Windows Backup Software? Some of you may have the same question here, which backup tool should I choose?

Here, we listed a brief comparison table to help you decide which tool suits you the most:

Editor's Pick: For the easiest method, take Windows backup software as your first choice as it's easy and efficient in file backup. 

Let's see how to automatically back up files to an external hard drive with the 3 mentioned tools now. 

Method 1. Automatically Backup Files to External Hard Drive via Windows Backup and Restore

Tutorial: How to Set Up Backup Plan to Auto Back Up Files to External Hard Drive

Prerequisite: Keep the external hard drive connected to your computer all the time. 

Step 1. Go to Settings > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Click "Change settings", select the external hard drive ("Removable Disk") to save a backup, and click "Next".

Step 3. Then click "Let me choose" and "Next" to specify files that you need to back up.  Click "Next".

Step 4. Click "Change schedule", set to run the backup task on a schedule by daily, weekly, or monthly, and click "OK".

Step 5. Click "Set settings and run backup". 

Wait patiently to let Windows Backup and Restore complete the process. 

Method 2. How to Automatically Backup Files to External Disk With Windows File History

Tutorial: How to Automatically Back Up Files to an External Hard Drive via File History

Prerequisite: Always keep your external hard drive connected to the PC.

Step 1. Open Control Panel, select "File History".

Step 2. Click "Select drive" on the File History window.

Step 3. Select your external hard drive "Removable disk" and click "OK" to continue.

Step 4. Click "Advanced Settings", you can set how often to save copies of your files by minutes, hours, or daily.

Step 6. Click "Run now".

File History will automatically back up all folders under C: /Users/account name to your external hard drive.

Method 3. Auto Backup Files to External Hard Drive Using Windows Backup Software

Here, EaseUS backup software offers the scheduled backup option to help you automatically backup files to an external hard drive:

#1. Automatically Backup Files to External HDD by Daily, Weekly, or Monthly

Prerequisite: Connect the external hard drive connected to the computer all the time.

Step 1. For the first time you use EaseUS Todo Backup to back up files, click Create backup on the home screen and then mouse click the big question mark to select backup contents.

Step 2. Since you're going to back up files and folders on your computer, go on with the "File" backup mode, where you can select pictures, videos, documents and all other types of files to back up.

Step 3. Follow the paths to locate the files, folders or directories you want to back up, select them all and click "OK".

Step 4. Now you need to select a backup location to save and retain the backup.

Step 5. EaseUS Todo Backup allows users to save the backup files to every device that is handy for you, like a local hard drive, external USB drive, SD card, network drive, or a NAS drive, plus a cloud drive of the EaseUS brand. We personally recommend users to choose the cloud drive prior to a physical drive to save important backups due to the greater accessibility, flexibility and safety.

To be able to access to EaseUS cloud, all you need is an email registration and login. 

Step 6. If you're interested in an automatic and intelligent backup schedule for the next file backup task, go on with the "Options" setting. There you can encrypt a confidential file backup, compress the backup image size, or customize a backup scheme to tell the software in what time to start the next backup. 

Customize an advanced and automatic backup task here:

Step 7. Click "Backup Now" to start the file backup process. Your completed backup files are visible on the left area in a card style.

You can also use this feature to automatically backup to USB drive when plugged in.

It's Your Turn. Take Steps to Automatically Back Up Your Files Now

On this page, we showed you the best strategy for protecting your personal data in Windows 10/8/7. And we collected 3 tools to help you out: 1. Backup and Restore; 2. File History; 3. Windows Backup Software. Which one to pick?

No matter which tool you decide to use, take action to automatically back up your valuable files now.