The Best Free Backup Software for Windows

There is plenty of free backup software for Windows, but the options are less alike than they look. Some copy your files, some copy the whole drive. Some can be used at work, many cannot. A few well-known names have been discontinued and no longer get security fixes.

We should be upfront: we make SyncBackFree, so we are not neutral. We have tried to be fair. Every fact about another product in this article comes from that product's own website or documentation, and we link to the source so you can check it yourself. Free editions change often, so if something here is out of date, please let us know.

First decide: file backup or disk image?

Backup programs do one of two jobs, and a few do both.

• File and folder backup copies the files you choose, such as your documents, photos and email, to another drive, a NAS or the cloud. Backups are quick, you can open the copies directly (or from a zip file), and restoring one file is easy. It does not copy Windows or your installed programs.
• Disk image backup copies an entire drive, including Windows, programs and settings, into an image file. If the drive fails, you can restore the whole computer as it was. Images are large, and restoring a single file usually means mounting or browsing the image.

For most people the files are what matter. Windows and programs can be reinstalled; your photos cannot be recreated. Many people use both: an image now and then, and a frequent file backup. The 3-2-1-1-0 backup strategy explains how many copies to keep and where.

Quick comparison

Free file and folder backup software

SyncBackFree

Our own free program. SyncBackFree backs up, mirrors or synchronizes folders to another drive, a USB drive, a NAS or network share (including one that needs a username and password), or an FTP server. After the first run, only new and changed files are copied.

You can schedule profiles with Windows Task Scheduler, run them every few minutes (optionally only when the computer is idle), or start them with a hotkey. Include and exclude filters choose what is copied, a Simulated Run shows what a profile will do before it does it, and groups run several profiles together. To protect against ransomware, ransomware detection stops profiles running if a file you choose has been changed, and a profile can warn you, or stop, before it deletes more than a percentage of files that you set. Backups can be stored as normal files or in zip files, and it can email you the log after each run.

SyncBackFree may be used at home and at work, including commercial use. There are no ads, no registration and no telemetry.

What it does not do: it does not keep previous versions of changed or deleted files, cannot copy files that are open or locked by another program, and does not back up to cloud storage. Zip encryption uses the legacy ZipCrypto method, which is weak. It does not create disk images, does not run on Windows Server, and technical support is for the paid editions. SyncBackSE and SyncBackPro add versioning, open file copying, AES encryption up to 256-bit and much more, and SyncBackPro adds cloud storage. Both have a free 30-day trial. See What is SyncBack? for how the editions compare.

Download SyncBackFree

Windows File History

File History is built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. It copies the files in your libraries (Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music and any libraries you create) and your Desktop to an external drive or a network location, and keeps previous versions so you can go back to an earlier copy of a file. To back up another folder, you add it to a library.

It is free, already installed, and good at what it does. It is limited in what it can back up and where it can store it, and it has no disk image. Microsoft: File History

Duplicati

Duplicati is open source (MIT licence) and free for any use. It makes encrypted (AES-256), deduplicated, incremental backups to a long list of destinations: local and external drives, a NAS, SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, and cloud services including Amazon S3, Azure, Google Cloud, Backblaze, Dropbox and OneDrive. Version 2 is now a stable release and is actively developed.

It is a strong choice if you want free, encrypted backups to the cloud. Backups are stored in Duplicati's own format, so you need Duplicati or its recovery tools to restore them. A paid online console is available for managing many machines. Duplicati

Kopia

Kopia is open source (Apache 2.0) and free for any use, with a command line and an official desktop app. It takes encrypted, compressed, deduplicated snapshots of your folders and stores them on a local or network drive, SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3 and compatible services, Azure, Backblaze B2 or Google Cloud Storage.

Like Duplicati, it is best suited to people comfortable with a more technical tool, and you need Kopia to restore. It is actively maintained but still uses 0.x version numbers. Kopia features

FreeFileSync

FreeFileSync is a well-regarded folder comparison, sync and mirror tool. It is no longer free for businesses: since version 13, the free edition and the Donation Edition are for personal use by private individuals only, and organizations need the paid Business Edition. The free edition also leaves out the automatic updater, parallel copying and email notifications. FreeFileSync FAQ

Free disk image backup software

Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows FREE

Veeam is best known for business backup, and its Windows agent has a free edition that needs no licence key. It can back up the whole computer, selected volumes or individual files to a local drive, a network shared folder or a Veeam backup repository.

The free edition is limited to one backup job, does not back up directly to cloud object storage, and leaves out advanced scheduling and some retention options. Veeam staff have said the free edition may be used in your own organization but not to provide services to others. Check the current licence before relying on it at work. Veeam editions

AOMEI Backupper Standard

AOMEI Backupper Standard backs up the system, disks, partitions and files, with incremental and scheduled backups, backup when a USB drive is plugged in, and bootable recovery media. Backups can go to a local, external or network drive.

The Standard edition is not licensed for business use, and leaves out differential backups, encryption, automatic deletion of old images and file filters. In October 2026, AOMEI acknowledged a supply-chain tampering incident affecting its updates. AOMEI says it happened in short periods between April and July 2026 and affected update configuration and notification files, not its signed installers, and version 8.5.1 includes changes made in response (AOMEI statement). If you use it, make sure you are on the latest version. Edition comparison, changelog

EaseUS Todo Backup Free

EaseUS Todo Backup Free backs up the system, disks, partitions and files, with full, incremental and differential backups, daily, weekly and monthly schedules, and encrypted backups. Cloning, Outlook backup and restoring to different hardware need a paid edition. The free edition is for home use on one computer only (EaseUS support). EaseUS Todo Backup Free

Hasleo Backup Suite Free

Hasleo Backup Suite Free backs up the system, disks, partitions and files, with full, incremental and differential backups, scheduling, compression and AES encryption, which is more than many free imaging tools include. It can clone disks, but not the system disk. It is free for home users only and does not support Windows Server. Hasleo Backup Suite Free

Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition

Paragon Backup & Recovery CE backs up disks, Windows, and files and folders, with scheduled backups, automatic deletion of old backups, and WinPE recovery media. It needs 64-bit Windows 10 (1809 or later) or Windows 11 and is free for non-commercial use only. Paragon Backup & Recovery CE

Rescuezilla and Clonezilla

Both are open source (GPL) and free for any use. Instead of running inside Windows, you start the computer from a USB stick and make an image of the drive. Rescuezilla has a simple graphical interface and can read Clonezilla images; Clonezilla has a text interface and more options. Neither can schedule backups, so they suit an occasional full image, such as before a major upgrade, alongside a regular file backup. Rescuezilla, Clonezilla

Backing up several computers

UrBackup

UrBackup is open source (AGPL) and free for any use. A server, which can be a Windows or Linux computer or a NAS, collects image and file backups from the computers on your network, including files that are in use. It suits a small office or a household with several PCs, if someone is happy to set up and look after the server. UrBackup

Discontinued or deprecated

These still appear in many "best free backup software" lists, but we would not choose them for a new setup.

• Macrium Reflect Free: discontinued. It can no longer be downloaded, and it stopped receiving security patches on 1 January 2024. Existing installations keep working but get no fixes, and the last version supports Windows 10 and 11 only up to version 22H2. Macrium support policy
• Cobian Reflector: its author has said that version 2.7.20, released in July 2024, is the last update. Version history
• Backup and Restore (Windows 7): the system image tool still in Windows 10 and 11. Microsoft lists it as deprecated and advises using a third-party product for full-disk backups. Microsoft: deprecated features

Are OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox a backup?

The Windows Backup app in Windows 10 and 11 backs up your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music by syncing them to OneDrive, along with your settings and list of apps. It needs a personal Microsoft account (work and school accounts are not supported), and the free OneDrive plan has 5 GB of storage. Microsoft: Windows Backup

Sync services like OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox are very useful, but they are not a complete backup on their own. They keep the cloud copy the same as your computer, so if you delete a file, or ransomware encrypts it, the change is synced too. Version history and the recycle bin can help you recover, but how long they last depends on the service and your plan. Keep at least one copy that sync cannot change. Cloud sync vs true backup explains the difference in detail.

What free editions usually leave out

Free editions are often a cut-down version of a paid product. Before you rely on one, check whether it has the features below, and whether you need them.

• A licence for your situation. Many free editions are for home use only. Using one at work can break the licence.
• Versioning. Keeping older copies of changed and deleted files lets you go back to a file from before a mistake or a ransomware attack. Without it, a backup only holds the latest copy.
• Open and locked files. Files in use, such as an Outlook data file or a database, may be skipped unless the software uses Volume Shadow Copy (VSS).
• Strong encryption. If your backup drive is lost or stolen, encryption keeps your files private. Check the method: legacy zip encryption is weak, AES is strong.
• The destinations you want. Cloud storage, SFTP and phones are often paid-only features.
• Scheduling and alerts. A backup you have to remember to run will eventually be forgotten, and a backup that fails silently is worse than none.
• Support and updates. Free editions usually come with community support only. Make sure the software is still maintained.

How to choose

• "I want my documents and photos backed up to an external drive or NAS." SyncBackFree or File History. Both are simple and free at home and at work. SyncBackFree lets you choose any folders and destinations; File History keeps previous versions.
• "I want encrypted backups in the cloud, for free." Duplicati or Kopia, with cloud storage you pay for separately.
• "I want to be able to restore the whole PC." Veeam Agent FREE for scheduled images, or Rescuezilla for an occasional image. At home, Hasleo, EaseUS, Paragon and AOMEI are also options.
• "I need it for my business." Use software whose free licence allows it: SyncBackFree, Duplicati, Kopia, UrBackup, Rescuezilla or Clonezilla. Veeam Agent FREE may also be an option, but check its licence first. If you need versioning, open file copying or cloud backup with support, compare the paid options too.

Whatever you choose, test a restore. A backup is only as good as your ability to get the files back, and the time to find a problem is before you need it.

Frequently asked questions

Is there free backup software I can use in a business?

Yes. SyncBackFree, Duplicati, Kopia, UrBackup, Rescuezilla and Clonezilla can all be used in a business at no cost, Veeam has said its free agent may be used inside your own organization, but check its current licence terms first. Windows File History is part of Windows. AOMEI Backupper Standard, EaseUS Todo Backup Free, Hasleo Backup Suite Free, Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition and the free editions of FreeFileSync are for home or personal use only.

Does Windows 11 have free backup software built in?

Yes. Windows 10 and 11 include File History, which keeps versions of the files in your libraries and Desktop on an external drive or network location, and the Windows Backup app, which syncs your main folders to OneDrive. The older Backup and Restore (Windows 7) system image tool is still present but Microsoft lists it as deprecated and recommends a third-party product for full-disk backups.

Is OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox a backup?

Not on its own. These services sync your files, so a file you delete or that ransomware encrypts is changed in the cloud too. Their version history can help you recover, but how long it lasts depends on the service and your plan. A separate backup that keeps its own copies is safer.

Do I need a disk image or a file backup?

A file backup protects your documents, photos and other data, and makes it easy to restore one file. A disk image copies the whole drive, including Windows and your programs, so you can restore the computer exactly as it was after a drive failure. Many people use both: an occasional image and a frequent file backup.

What happened to Macrium Reflect Free?

Macrium discontinued Reflect Free. It is no longer available to download, and it stopped receiving security patches on 1 January 2024. Existing installations keep working, but they receive no further fixes.

Is free backup software safe?

Free backup software from an established publisher is generally safe, but download it only from the publisher's own website, keep it updated, and test a restore. Prefer software that is still maintained: a backup program that no longer gets security fixes is a risk on a computer connected to the internet.

Further reading

• How to back up the files on your computer: what to back up, where to store it, and how often.
• The 3-2-1-1-0 backup strategy: how many copies to keep, and where.
• Cloud sync vs true backup: why a sync service is not enough on its own.
• Backup, mirror and sync: the differences, and which to use.
• How to back up to multiple destinations: a NAS, an external drive and the cloud.