Free backup software is fully free that may be used to manually or automatically back up the vital data on your computer’s hard drive to a secure location such as a flash drive, disc, network drive, or other device.
Commercial backup software was formerly the only method to gain complex scheduling, disc and partition cloning, incremental backup, and other features. That is no longer the case! Some of the top free backup software tools do all that more pricey products do…and then some.
Top 10 Best Free Backup Software Tools in 2023
1. EaseUS Todo Backup
Individual files and/or complete folders can be backed up to and from a local or network drive using EaseUS Todo Backup. Additionally, backups can be stored on a free cloud storage service. Additionally, the program can back up a complete disc, partition, or system drive, in addition to specific, customized data.
While scheduling a back up or after it has been completed, you can run an incremental, differential, or full back up on the same data. Due to the inaccessibility of backups in Internet Explorer, EaseUS Todo Backup is required to view the data. To open the backup in EaseUS Todo Backup, which resembles and functions identically to Windows Explorer but requires the program to be installed, simply double-click the backup file. You can readily select a specific time period from which to restore files by observing a timeline of backups.
One can conduct a search through a backup by its extension or file name, observe it in “tree view” while preserving the original folder structure, or apply a file type filter to the backed-up files, such as email, picture, or video. Individual files and/or complete folders can be restored to their original location or a specified location.
Altering the backup’s file compression, setting limits on backup speed and priority, wiping a disc, backing up an Android device, preserving security settings while backing up, splitting an archive into smaller sections, password protecting a backup, and scheduling a backup on a one-time, daily, weekly, or monthly basis are all features offered by EaseUS Todo Backup.
2. AOMEI Backupper Standard
System backup, disc backup, partition backup, and file/folder backup are the four backup types supported by AOMEI Backupper Standard. Additionally, a partition or a complete disc can be copied to a different drive. Each item of backed-up data is consolidated into a single file, which can be saved to either a local or external drive, or alternatively, to a shared network folder.
With AOMEI Backupper, you can encrypt a backup with a password, set a custom compression level, get email notifications when backups are finished, split a backup into custom-sized pieces (like for CDs and DVDs), and choose between an exact backup (copies used and unused space) and an intelligent sector backup.
Scheduling is supported, allowing you to run a back up at predetermined intervals throughout the day, once per day, per week, or per month. Advanced options exist for the selection of backup types, including differential, incremental, and full.
We find the restore function to be particularly alluring. You can browse the data using File/Windows Explorer after mounting a back up image as a local drive. Additionally, folders and files can be copied individually. Users have the option to restore all of their data with a few keystrokes, eliminating the need to search for a backup.
3. Cobian Backup
Cobian Backup is capable of backing up files, devices, and folders to and from any of the following locations: a local disc, an FTP server, a network share, an external drive, or a manually specified location. Any or all of these locations may be utilized as the source and fallback location in conjunction with the others.
Cobian Backup provides support for incremental, differential, and full backups. Additionally, it permits the eradication of vacant folders from backups and the implementation of Volume Shadow Copy.
Cobian Backup can be configured to perform a simple copy without archiving anything, encrypt and/or compress a backup into individual archives for each file, or back up the entire source location into a single archive. If you intend to use the files on a CD or similar device, you can choose to split a compressed back up into smaller segments.
Backup scheduling can be extremely accurate. Cobian Backup can run a backup job once, at initialization, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or every few minutes. Before and/or after a back up process occurs, there are a number of options for initiating tasks, such as launching a program, terminating a service, entering hibernation mode, or running a custom command.
Advanced filtering options to include or exclude data from a backup, setting a backup priority, running an operation as a different user, and sending failed/success logs to one or more email addresses are additional features of Cobian Backup. Regrettably, Cobian Backup offers no restore options beyond the ability to extract files from the backup folder.
4. FileFort Backup
You can back up files using FileFort Backup to a BKZ file, a self-extracting EXE file, a ZIP file, or a standard mirror file backup, which simply transfers the file to the destination.
You are assisted in choosing which files should be backed up and where they should be saved as you work your way through the back up procedure by a wizard. Individual files or multiple folders can be backed up to network folders, an external drive, a CD/DVD/Blu-ray, or another drive containing the source files.
You can filter the files to only include those that are under a specific size and/or are of a specific file type when selecting data to include in a back up. A backup can be encrypted, scheduled for daily or weekly execution, and failure to run missed backups at launch is an option. You have the option of restoring to a new location or the original location when you restore a backup.
FileFort Backup is compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, in addition to macOS 10.5.14.
5. BackUp Maker
BackUp Maker enables the direct backup of specific files and/or folders to a disc, an external or local hard drive, an FTP server, or a network folder. You can back up frequently used files and locations, including web browser bookmarks, audio, and videos, with simple selection.
Advanced filtering options, including the use of wildcards, and the name of a folder or file can be employed to determine which data is included or excluded from a backup.
Backups created with BackUp Maker have the ability to be time-constrained to run only on specific days of the week or month, can be scheduled to run every so many minutes, and can even be launched automatically when a specific USB device is inserted in.
Conditional settings, such as only running a backup if a file or folder is located anywhere on a local, network, or external location, can be configured. Additionally, you have the option to run a back up only if certain files have changed since a specific date, within a specified number of days, or since the previous complete backup.
You can select any location on your computer when restoring a backup, and if desired, back up only newly created files. Additionally, BackUp Maker offers file encryption, file splitting, pre/post tasks, the ability to execute delayed tasks, custom compression, and the ability to designate shortcut keys to run backups without launching the program interface.
We express dissatisfaction regarding the absence of password protection. This back up software is compatible with Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, as well as Windows Server 2016-2003.
6. DriveImage XML
Two files containing a backup of the system drive or any other attached drive can be generated by DriveImage XML and saved to an external drive, network folder, or local disc. For storing the tangible data present on the drive, a DAT file is generated. Additionally, a compact XML file is created to contain descriptive details pertaining to the backup.
You may choose to compress the files, divide the backup into smaller sections, or back up unused space prior to conducting a backup. When splitting a backup into parts, you cannot, unfortunately, specify the size of the segments.
You can use DriveImage XML to browse through the backup, or you can restore a back up image to a hard drive that is the same size or larger than the original. It is possible to extract specific files, conduct searches within the backup, and even execute certain files directly from the backup without the need to restore the entire collection.
Backup scheduling is supported, but only with command line parameters; this is advantageous if you intend to orchestrate a backup using Task Scheduler. DriveImage XML is also capable of creating an image file-free cloning and backup of drives. Using the Live CD, this method can be launched prior to Windows booting, along with the routine back up and restore described above.
Make sure you are prepared to begin the back up before selecting Next on the Backup interface, as the program will begin a back up during the instruction when you least anticipate it. It is compatible with Windows Server 2016, 2012, and 2008, in addition to Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, and XP.
7. COMODO Backup
Numerous practical features abound in the free backup software COMODO Backup. It can back up entire discs, such as the system drive, registry files, folders, instant messaging conversations, registry files, and registry entries. Data can be saved to a local or external drive, CD/DVD, network folder, FTP server, or email.
All supported back up file types include creating a CBU, ZIP, or ISO file, running a two-way or one-way sync, using a regular copy function, and running a self-extracting CBU file. You can configure the backup file type utilized with COMODO Backup to a specific effect, including compression, password protection, splicing into smaller segments, and so forth.
The specific scheduling options for back up are very detailed, allowing it to run manually, once, daily, weekly, monthly, inert, or every few minutes. Even missed tasks can be set to run in silent mode, which turns off all notifications and program windows.
Because you can mount the image file as a disc and browse through the backed up files just like you would in Explorer, COMODO Backup simplifies the process of restoring files. The entire back up image can also be restored to its original location.
Email notifications, file exclusions based on extension type, Volume Shadow Copy to copy protected files, disk/partition mirroring, modifying CPU and network priority, and running a custom program prior to and/or following a backup operation are all features of this free backup software. It ought to be compatible with Windows XP, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
8. Redo Rescue
Redo Rescue cannot be used to back up individual files and folders. This program operates from a bootable media such as a disc or flash drive in order to perform a complete hard drive backup in a single running operation. A drive can be backed up to an external USB device, an internal hard drive, a shared network folder, FTP, SSH, or NFS using Redo Rescue.
A collection of files backed up using this application are unreadable as normal files. Select the drive to which you want to restore the files when you restart the program in order to restore the data. The backup data will overwrite the destination drive in its entirety.
Redo Rescue is most helpful when an entire hard drive needs to be restored. Although this backup comprises every file and program present on the drive, its purpose does not extend to the restoration of individual files or folders.
9. Yadis! Backup
Yadis! Backup, folders can be backed up to a local, network, FTP server, or an external drive. An unlimited number of file versions are supported, and for enhanced organization, the original folder structure can be preserved. Additionally, subdirectories and files can be excluded or included according to their extension.
The only two options for scheduling back up tasks are to run them manually or automatically. No custom options, such as per hour or per day, are available. Greetings, Yadis! When a file is created, deleted, or changed, Backup can be configured to notify you. In the event that any one or all of these conditions are met, a backup job will be initiated.
You’ve even changed the Yadis set up! In order to prevent losing your customized settings, Backup can be set to back up to a specific folder whenever modifications are made. One folder can be backed up at a time. Any additional folders require their own backup job to be created.
We express dissatisfaction with the lack of straightforward methods to restore files that have been backed up. Simply navigate to the backup folder, which may be located on a different drive or an FTP server, in order to access backed-up files. Operating systems in which this application is compatible include Windows XP, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.
10. Everyday Auto Backup
Everyday Auto Backup is easy to use. It can create and restore backups of folders to and from a local disc or a network location with a single click. It also provides the capability to completely exclude subfolders and files from backups according to their name and/or file type. Back ups can be carried out hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or manually, and multiple tasks can be scheduled at the same time.
No options exist to encrypt or password protect. Although this is regrettable, it does imply that the backed-up data can be utilized as authentic files, including normal operations such as opening, altering, and viewing. A minimum requirement is the utilization of one of the subsequent operating systems: Windows 8, 7, Vista, or XP. It ought to also function in more recent Windows versions, including Windows 11 and 10.