I create a backup image of the entire boot disk once a week and keep 3 weeks of backup. This eliminates the need to reinstall Windows, find all the drivers, reinstall all the apps, and then redo all the custom settings I have made (a long and tedious process). You never know when a SSD/HDD will fail or if a Windows update will render your PC unbootable or if you get malware. Edit: I use Acronis Cyber Protection (formerly known as Acronis TrueImage) Answer from DrSueuss on reddit.com
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Microsoft Support
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Back up and restore with Windows Backup - Microsoft Support
Learn how to back up and restore apps, settings, files, photos, and Microsoft Edge favorites and preferences on your Windows PC using Windows Backup.
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PCMAG
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How to Back Up and Restore Your PC With a Windows System Image File | PCMag
March 28, 2025 - Use the Windows search function from the Taskbar to type Control Panel, then select it from the results. With Control Panel in icon view, select Backup and Restore (Windows 7). Yes, it still says Windows 7, but this feature works just fine in Windows 10 and 11.
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Secure Data Recovery
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Backup and Restore Windows 10 in a Few Easy Steps
November 22, 2024 - If your chosen backup method is a system image, you'll need a storage device to store your Windows 10 backup image. This can be a USB drive, a hard disk, or a network drive. Type Backup settings in the Windows search bar and click to open it. Click ...
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PCMAG
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How to Back Up and Restore Your Files, Apps, and Settings in Windows | PCMag
March 27, 2025 - Available in Windows 10 and Windows 11, this feature will automatically save specific folders to a backup device, allowing you to recover a previous version of a file if it ever goes missing or becomes unusable. Are you moving to a brand new computer and want to copy over your data from your current PC? For that, you can turn to the Windows Backup Tool. Built into Windows, this tool will back up and restore key folders, apps, settings, and credentials from one computer to another.
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Windows Central
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Windows 10 full backup process | Windows Central
April 10, 2025 - To create a full backup of Windows 10 with the system image tool, use these steps: Open Settings. Click on Update & Security. Click on File backup. Click the "Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" option under the "Looking for an older backup?" ...
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Dell
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Learn How to Back Up and Restore Files in Windows 10 | Dell US
July 22, 2025 - You can use the File History feature in Windows 10 to back up to an external drive or network location. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Backup > Add a Drive, and then choose an external drive or network location for your backups. Restore your files with File History.
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Top answer
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Option 1

  1. Right-click on Start and select Settings
  2. In the Windows Settings dialog select Update & Security
  3. On the left side select Backup Now in main window click the hyperlinked: Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

In the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) dialog that opens click the hyperlinked: Set up backup

You will now see the following dialog, which may take a minute to complete its task, subject to size of stored files and settings.

When this task is completed you'll see a new Dialog like so:

It will recommend a location to save to, but if you want to save to a USB Thumb drive or another drive not yet connected to your computer, simply connect this drive, then click the Refresh button so it is displayed in the list of options.โ€‹

Select the drive you intend to save to, then click Next On the next dialog select the second radio button next to Let me choose

After clicking Next you will be presented with a new dialog summarizing your setup.

Note: By default all user profiles create is checked and the second box checked will be the current signed-in Userprofile, and down below the box next to Save a system image ... is also checked.

As you only want to save a specific profile and copy it to other computers:โ€‹

Remove the first check and also remove the check down below as illustrated

When you have things setup click the Next button Now on the other computers you wish to copy the profile to, simply open the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) dialog on these other computers, and restore the profile from the drive you saved the profile to, by clicking the hyperlinked: Select another backup to restore files from

Option 2

Press your Windows key + S to give focus to the search field In the search field type ad then in search results select View advanced system settings

This will open the System Properties dialog with the Advanced tab selected. In the User Profiles pane click the Settings button

The User Profiles dialog will open. Select the User profile you want to copy, then click Copy To

You'll now see another dialog where you select the path to copy profile to. If your computers are all networked you will find this way of doing the profile copy much easier in my opinion.

I would try either of the above methods, courtesy of https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/copy-user-profile-to-another-computer.15368/

Other than the above, then in theory you should be able to copy and paste the majority of the profile folder across. With the exception of the ntuser.dat file which stores the HKCU registry hive.

If you are copying between accounts on the same machine, or another machines then your account SID will also change, which is something to be cautious of.

To get around this you would likely need to mount the ntuser.dat file in regedit, export the registry to a .reg file and then run a find and replace to swap the SID keys, so you coould then import it to the new profile - however this would be a messy approach to take and maybe a last resort.

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AOMEI
aomeitech.com โ€บ aomei software โ€บ cyber data protection โ€บ restore windows 10 backup to windows 11: step-by-step guide
Restore Windows 10 Backup to Windows 11: Step-by-Step Guide
This article provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you understand the compatibility between Windows 10 backup and Windows 11 and successfully restore your backup on the new operating system.
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AskWoody
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Three Built-In Options to Back Up Your Data on Windows 10 @ AskWoody
If you need to restore any files just go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History and select the Restore personal files option in the left-hand sidebar. Files can be restored to their original or alternative location during the process. Bonus Tip: Windows 10 File History settings ...
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iSunshare
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How to Backup and Restore Your Entire Windows 10 PC
Step 2: Access Control Panel and choose Backup and Restore (Windows 7) function. Step 3: On the left side, click the Create a system image option. Step 4: On the prompt, select the drive to save the backup and follow the steps to start the backup. If there is error in your Windows 10 PC and you want to restore the backup, just enter your computer WinPE and select Troubleshoot> System Image Recovery.
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Ten Forums
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backup and restore windows 10 to windows 11 - Windows 10 Help Forums
DISABLE non-Microsoft: a) antivirus software b) firewall software c) drive encryption software Make a full OS backup with a program like Macrium Reflect (free) Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free Then, in this instance... "Restore" your Windows 10 backup to the new computer. Go here and get the Windows 11 ISO (use the 3rd option), and save the ISO to your desktop.
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TeamDynamix
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Windows 10 File Backup Using an External Hard Drive
Once the backup process has started, ... ... To restore your data from the backup, go to the File History tool and click on the "Restore files from a current backup" button....
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MSP360 Blog |
msp360.com โ€บ msp360 resource centre โ€บ windows 10 cloud backup and restore with msp360 backup
Windows 10 Cloud Backup and Restore: a Complete Guide
September 19, 2025 - Learn how to back up files in Windows 10 using MSP360 Backup in this step-by-step guide, and what options you have to perform Windows 10 backup and restore.
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iBoysoft
handyrecovery.com โ€บ windows-backup-and-restore
The Only Windows 10 Backup and Restore Features Guide You'll Need
May 12, 2023 - In this guide, weโ€™ll cover everything you need to know to create backups on Windows 10. ... Important: This article delves into two key areas: (1) configuring and using the Backup and Restore features in Windows, and (2) data recovery through these features.
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Vinchin
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How to Backup and Restore Files on Windows 10/11 in 3 Methods? | Vinchin Backup
May 10, 2023 - Click Start> Settings> Update & Security> Backup> Backup and Restore (Windows 7). Or press Windows key +Q> type backup> turn to Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
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EaseUS
easeus.com โ€บ backup utility โ€บ essential guide to windows 10 backup and restore in 2025 [all you need to know]
Essential Guide to Windows 10 Backup and Restore in 2025 [All You Need to Know]
July 22, 2025 - Windows 10 has two default backup and restore options: File History and Backup and Restore (Windows 7). File History saves your files by capturing their snapshots and then allows you to restore them in different versions.
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Acronis
acronis.com โ€บ acronis blog โ€บ how to backup and restore windows
How to backup and restore Windows
September 19, 2025 - Windows offers two native backup ... and Backup and Restore. File History automatically saves specific Directories to a chosen storage device and allows easy data restoration of a previous file version (This means you can recover a file as it was at an earlier point). In Windows 10, the feature ...