The new Windows 11 backup and restore process makes everything worse

One of the most important features of any operating system is the ability to backup and restore your data in the event of a disaster. Windows has had this feature for a long time, but it has never been very reliable or easy to use. Windows 11, the latest version of the operating system Microsoft, promises to improve the backup and restore process with a new design and functionality. However, after testing it, I must say that the new backup and restore process Windows 11 it makes everything worse.

First, the new Backup and Restore process is hidden in the Settings app, instead of being easily accessible from the Control Panel or Start menu. You have to go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced options > Backup and restore (Windows 7) to find it. Yes, you read that right: Windows 11 still uses the old Windows 7 Backup and Restore tool, which was discontinued in Windows 8 and 10. This means you can't use the modern File History feature to backup your files. files, nor does it use the built-in OneDrive integration to sync your data to the cloud. You are stuck with an outdated and unsupported tool that doesn't work well with Windows 11's new features and interface.

Second, the new Backup and Restore process is slow and buggy. It takes a long time to scan your drives and folders for backups and often the backup or restore operation cannot be completed. I tried to backup my Documents folder to an external hard drive and it took over an hour to finish. When I tried to restore it, it gave me an error message saying that some files were corrupted or missing. I checked the backup folder on the hard drive and it was empty. All my files were gone. I don't know if this was a one-time issue or a common problem, but I wouldn't trust my important data to the new Windows 11 backup and restore process.

Third, the new Backup and Restore process is confusing and inconsistent. It doesn't follow the same logic or terminology as other Windows 11 features. For example, when you create a backup, you must choose a destination for your backup files. However, when you restore a backup, you must choose a source for your backup files. This is contradictory and misleading. You might think you are restoring from the destination you chose previously, but you are actually restoring from the source you chose previously. This can lead to errors and data loss if you are not careful.

Another example of confusion and inconsistency is the way Windows 11 handles system images. A system image is a complete copy of your entire system, including your operating system, programs, settings, and files. It can be used to restore your system to a previous state in case of a major problem. However, the new Windows 11 backup and restore process does not allow you to create or restore system images directly. You have to go to another hidden option in Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced Options > System Image Backup (Windows 7) to do it. Again, this option uses the old Windows 7 tool that is incompatible with the new Windows 11 features and interface.

To make matters worse, the new Windows 11 backup and restore process doesn't even recognize system images created by other tools or methods. For example, if you use the Recovery Drive feature to create a bootable USB drive with a system image, you can't use the new Windows 11 Backup and Restore process to restore it. You must boot from the USB drive and use the old Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) to do so. This is inconvenient and frustrating.

In conclusion, the new Windows 11 backup and restore process makes everything worse. It is hidden, outdated, unreliable, buggy, confusing and inconsistent. It doesn't work well with Windows 11's new features and interface, nor does it support other backup and restore tools or methods. It's a step back from Windows 10's backup and restore options, which were already mediocre at best. If you value your data and the stability of your system, I suggest that you avoid using the new Windows 11 backup and restore process at all costs.

The latest Windows 11 update introduces a new Windows backup app that aims to simplify the process of backing up and restoring your files to the cloud. However, this application does not meet the expectations of many users who depend on a variety of applications and services that are not part of the Microsoft ecosystem.

The new Windows Backup app can be found in the Start menu and allows you to select which folders, apps, settings, and credentials you want to back up to OneDrive. You must have enough OneDrive storage space to accommodate your backup, which may require upgrading your subscription.

The idea is that if you move to a new PC, you can use the backup to restore your previous environment and continue working or playing without any problems. This sounds convenient in theory, but in practice it has several limitations and flaws.

The main problem is that the Windows Backup app only works with Microsoft apps that are downloaded from the Microsoft Store. This means that if you use third-party apps or web-based services, they will not be backed up or restored to the new PC. You will have to manually reinstall them and reconfigure them from scratch.

Additionally, even Microsoft applications that are supposed to be backed up and restored may not work properly. Some users reported that their apps were missing or corrupted after restoring them from a backup, or that their settings and credentials were not transferred correctly.

This is unacceptable for a backup solution that aims to deliver a seamless experience. Microsoft needs to improve the Windows Backup app to support more apps and services, and to ensure that the backup and restore process is reliable and consistent. Otherwise, users will have to look for alternative solutions that can meet their needs.

If you want to protect your data and settings from unexpected loss or damage, you may want to use the Windows Backup app in Windows 11. This app allows you to create a backup of your files, apps, settings, and credentials to another PC or to a external drive. You can then use this backup to restore your PC to a previous state or to set up a new PC with the same settings. In this blog post, I will show you how to use the Windows Backup app of Windows 11 step by step.

First, you need to prepare a backup PC and one or more destination PCs. The backup PC is the one you want to backup and the destination PCs are the ones you want to restore or clone. Make sure all PCs are running the latest version of Windows 11 and have enough free space for backup. You can check for updates by going to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update and clicking Check for updates.

Next, you need to clean the target PCs. This will erase all your personal files, apps, and settings, so make sure you've backed up everything important before doing this. To erase a target PC, go to Settings > System > Recovery and click Reset this PC. Choose Delete All and then Reinstall Local. This will use the local copy of Windows 11 on your PC to reinstall it.

Now you are ready to create a backup on the backup PC. Launch the Windows Backup app from the Start menu by typing “backup” and clicking the app icon. You will see a small box with the name of your PC and the date of the last backup, if applicable. Below that, you'll see four drop-down menus: Folders, Applications, Settings, and Credentials.

Folders – This menu allows you to choose which folders you want to back up. You can select all folders or specific ones. You can also add or remove folders by clicking the + or - buttons.

Applications: This menu allows you to choose the applications you want to back up. You can select all applications or specific ones. You can also add or remove apps by clicking the + or - buttons.

Settings: This menu allows you to choose which settings you want to backup. You can select all settings or specific ones. You can also add or remove settings by clicking the + or - buttons.

Credentials: This menu allows you to choose which credentials you want to back up. Credentials are things like passwords, PINs, certificates, and keys that are used to access your accounts and services. You can select all credentials or specific ones. You can also add or remove credentials by clicking the + or - buttons.

After selecting what you want to backup, click Next at the bottom of the box. You will be asked to choose a destination for your backup. You can choose another PC on your network or an external drive that is connected to your backup PC. Click Browse and select the desired destination. Then click Start Backup.

The backup process will begin and may take some time depending on the size of your backup and the speed of your connection. You can see the progress and status of your backup in the box. You can also pause or cancel the backup at any time by clicking the corresponding buttons.

When the backup is complete, you will see a message that says “Backup completed successfully.” You can now close the Windows Backup app.

To restore or clone a target PC using your backup, connect it to the same network or external drive as your backup PC. Launch the Windows Backup app on the destination PC and click Restore from another PC at the bottom of the box. You will see a list of backups available on your network or external drive. Select the one you want and click Next.

You will be asked to choose what you want to restore from your backup: Folders, Applications, Settings, Credentials, or All. Select what you want and click Next.

You will be asked to confirm your choices and warned that the restore will overwrite any existing data on your destination PC. Click Restore to start the process.

The restore process will begin and may take some time depending on the size of your backup and the speed of your connection. You can see the progress and status of your restoration on the chart. You can also pause or cancel the restore at any time by clicking the corresponding buttons.

When the restore is complete, you will see a message that says “Restore completed successfully.” You can now close the Windows Backup app.

Congratulations! You have successfully used Windows 11's Windows Backup app to backup and restore your PCs.