On Windows 11 (or 10), you can create and save a full backup to a network drive, and in this guide, I’ll explain the steps to complete this process.
If you don’t happen to have an external USB hard drive, and you have a NAS (Network Attached Storage) or another type of file server, you can use the legacy “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” feature to store a system image backup or a full backup to a specific location in the network.
What’s the difference between a Backup and a System image?
The “Backup” option on Windows 11 (or 10) is primarily designed to back up personal files (documents, pictures, music, etc.) and enables you to restore individual files or folders.
One thing to consider is that this approach doesn’t back up your operating system, installed programs, or system settings.
If your hard drive fails, you’ll need to reinstall the operating system and your programs before restoring your files.
The “System Image” option creates an exact copy of your entire hard drive, including the operating system, installed programs, system settings, and all your files.
This option allows you to perform a complete system restore, returning your computer to the exact state it was in when the image was created. However, you can’t choose individual files to restore.
It’s important to note that the “Backup” feature includes an option to include a System Image as part of the full backup. However, the System Image doesn’t include an option to create a separate backup of files that you can use to restore items individually.
Can I still use the Backup and Restore feature?
It’s worth noting that “Backup and Restore” is a deprecated feature on Windows 11 (and 10), which means it’s no longer maintained. Microsoft can choose to remove it in future releases. However, you can still use it to create temporary full backups to upgrade the system drive, protect your previous installation before updating to a new release of Windows, and more.
In this guide, I’ll explain the steps to create and store a full backup of Windows 11 (or even Windows 10) in a shared folder in the network.
Set up a full backup to a network drive on Windows 11
To create a full backup to a network location on Windows 11 (or 10), use these steps:
Open Start.
Search for Control Panel and click the top result to open the app.
Click on System and Security.
Click on Backup and Restore.
Click the “Set up backup” option under the “Backup” option.
Click the “Save on a network” button.
Confirm the network folder path to save the full backup.
Confirm the username and password for the remote server account.
Quick tip: If you receive an error while setting up the credentials, include the name of the server in the username. For example, “ServerName\Admin.”
Click the OK button.
Click the Next button.
Select the “Let me choose” button.
Choose the files and other items to include in the backup.
Quick note: If you want to create a file backup only, choose the items for “Data Files.” The “Computer” items are only necessary if you want to restore system files. These files won’t help you restore the entire system.
Check the “Include a system image of drive” option to create a full backup to restore the entire system in case of system failure or after upgrading a hard drive on the same device.
Click the Next button.
Click the Change schedule option.
Configure a schedule to run and save the backup periodically in the network location.
Click the OK button.
Click the “Save settings and run backup” button.
Once you complete the steps, the system will save the configuration and will create the first full backup of your Windows 11 installation and files to the network location.
Since the process will happen over the network, the backup will take longer than the same process on an external USB hard drive.
Set up a system image backup to a network drive on Windows 11
To create and store a system image backup in the network, use these steps:
Open Start.
Search for Control Panel and click the top result to open the app.
Click on System and Security.
Click on Backup and Restore.
Click the “Create a system image” option from the left side.
Select the “On a network location” option.
Click the Select button.
Confirm the network folder path to save the full backup.
Confirm the username and password for the remote server account.
Quick tip: If you receive an error while setting up the credentials, include the name of the server in the username. For example, “ServerName\Admin.”
Click the OK button.
Click the Next button.
Click the Start backup button.
After you complete the steps, the system image backup will be saved in the shared folder located in the network.
Since you’re not using a USB hard drive to store the backup, the process over the network may take longer.
Were you able to create a backup in the network? Let me know in the comments.