Windows 10: Change how Often to Save File History in Windows 10

How to: Change how Often to Save File History in Windows 10

How to Change how Often to Save File History in Windows 10


Information File History was first introduced in Windows 8, and has been improved in Windows 10.

You can use File History to automatically back up versions of your files on a schedule to a location you select to save to. You can select to save backups to an internal hard drive, externally connected drive (ex: USB drive), or you can save to a drive on a network. You can add, remove, and exclude folders to be backed up by File History.

The default folders in your "C:\Users\(user name)" profile folder are added by default to be backed up by File History.

Over time, you'll have a complete history of your files. If the originals are lost, damaged, or deleted, you can restore them. You can also browse and restore different versions of your files.

This tutorial will show you how to change how often you want to save copies of your files with File History for your account in Windows 10.



Warning Making new backups with File History is no longer supported starting with Windows 10 build 16215.

You can still restore files from an existing File History backup though.

File History will eventually be replaced by a new feature called Timeline.

Update: File History is back in Windows 10 build 16226.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Change how Often to Save File History in Settings
• Option Two: To Change how Often to Save File History in Control Panel

OPTION ONE [/i] To Change how Often to Save File History in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & security icon.

2. Click/tap on Backup on the left side, and click/tap on the More options on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3. Choose how often you want to save copies of your files in the Back up my files drop menu at the top. (see screenshot below)



4. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Change how Often to Save File History in Control Panel
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the File History icon.

2. Click/tap on the Advanced settings link on the left side. (see screenshot below)



3. Choose how often you want to save copies of your files in the Save copies of files drop menu. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on Save changes. (see screenshot below)



5. When finished, you can close the File History control panel if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Reset File History to Default in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off File History in Windows 10
• How to Select a File History Drive in Windows 10
• How to Exclude Folders from File History in Windows 10
• How to Manually Create a File History Backup in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Folders to be Backed Up by File History in Windows 10
• How to Change how Long to Keep File History in Windows 10
• How to Restore Files or Folders using File History in Windows 10
• How to Delete Older Versions of File History in Windows 10
• How to Recommend File History Drive to Homegroup in Windows 10
• How to Add History to Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Create File History shortcut in Windows 10

:)

 

File history saves only files when the size changes

Hi,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community, we appreciate your interest in Windows 10.

As you have an issues with finding modification date for the files, I suggest you to try the below and check if it helps.

I would like to inform that, by default you will be able to see the created on, accessed and modified dates when you right click on the file and select properties.

Also, I suggest you to change the settings the File History and check if it helps.

• Press Windows key and type File History and select
  File History Settings.
• Click on More option, See advanced settings, wait a while and click on
  Advanced settings.
• Under Versions you will see the options:

• Save copies of files
• Keep saved versions

Modify them according and check if it helps.

To know more about File Explorer in Windows 10 refer to: What's changed
in File Explorer

Hope it helps. Feel free to contact us for any assistance on Windows Operating System, we will be happy to help you.

 

File History saves and shows empty folders

Hi Jeffrey,

I recommend you to select a different File History drive and check if the issue persists.

Also I suggest you to Change how long File History keeps files.

Refer the below steps

1. Press Windows key + X from the Keyboard and click on Control panel.

2. Control panel Window will be open, change the View by: Category to Large icons to Small icons.

3. Click on File history and click on Advanced settings.

4. Next to Save copies of files, tap or click the list, and choose a time interval.

5. Next to Keep saved versions, tap or click the list, and choose a time interval.

6.Click on Save changes

Note:
File History doesn't automatically delete versions of files older than the time interval you choose unless your drive is getting full and space is needed to back up more recent versions

Also, I suggest to Reconnect the drive and Reselect your File History drive

Refer the below link and check if helps

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...f3eda7c5b2b/reconnect-your-file-history-drive

Hope the above information was helpful. If you need further assistance, we will be glad to assist you.

 

File History defaults vs what I want to save

Hi Jim,

To understand the issue better, I would need more information from your end.

• Is the computer connected to a Domain network?
• From when are you facing this issue?

I suggest you to try the steps in the following article which will help you to fix common File History issues.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/what-something-goes-wrong-file-history

(Applies to Windows 10)

Keep us posted on the status for further assistance.

 

Backing up Windows 10. Error "File history drive cannot save copies of all my files because of limitations with my File History drives file system"

Hi,

To assist you better, please answer the below:

• 
  Did you make any hardware or software changes prior to this issue?
  
• 
  What is the anti-virus program installed on your computer?
  
• 
  Please provide us a screenshot which shows the error message.
  

I suggest you to stop File History service, restart the computer and then set it as Automatic from the services and check if it helps to resolve the issue.

Steps:-

1. Press Windows key + R and openRun command window.

2. Type services.msc and hit
Enter.

3. Right click on File History from the list.

4. Select Stop. Restart the computer and repeat the first three steps.

5. Click on Properties and set the set
Startup type to Automatic.

6. Click on Apply and
Ok.

Also, I suggest you to try the below steps and configure the drive on File History and check if it helps.

Steps:-

1. Type File History in the search box, and then tap or click
File History.

2. Tap or click Select drive.

3. On the Select a File History drive page, tap or click your current drive or network location, and then tap or click
OK.

Refer the steps given in the below articles and check if it helps:

File History in Windows

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17128/windows-8-file-history

Note: This also applies to Windows 10

Backup and restore your files

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17143/windows-10-back-up-your-files

Hope it helps. Revert to us with the results, will be glad to assist you.

Thank you.

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.