File History is Windows’ built-in, continuous backup feature for personal files — simple, free, and genuinely underused compared to third-party backup software most people don’t bother setting up.
# Check whether File History is configured and running Get-Service FileHistorySvc # File History is primarily configured via Settings, not PowerShell: Start-Process "ms-settings:backup"
What It Actually Backs Up
By default, File History covers your user libraries (Documents, Pictures, Desktop, etc.) to an external or network drive, keeping versioned snapshots so you can restore not just a deleted file but an earlier version of one that’s still there but was overwritten.
What It Doesn’t Cover
File History is not a full system image backup — it won’t restore Windows itself, installed programs, or settings after a drive failure. Pair it with a separate full system image (wbadmin or a third-party imaging tool) if you need genuine disaster recovery, not just personal file protection.