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The new Windows 11 Backup App takes another cue from the Mac

By Fionna Agomuoh May 26, 2023

The Windows Backup App against a blurred background. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The latest Windows 11 Insider Preview includes a new Backup App that functions in a similar fashion to Time Machine in macOS.

The backup app will allow for more regular backups of most apps, settings, and data in Windows 11. This will allow for easier restore abilities, as well as the ability to transfer data to a new PC, NotebookCheck noted.

Notably, Time Machine works by allowing you to frequently back up data in macOS. If an issue arises with your Mac system, you can select a date of one of your most recent backups, before the issue occurred, and restore the system to that date to see if the issue will resolve. Time Machine has been a staple on macOS since 2007.

Microsoft recently announced its new Backup App as part of its Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23466 release, which is now available for download from the Dev Channel.

The system features that will generally be backed up include stock applications, documents, photos, files, passwords, and basic settings, in addition to Start Menu and Taskbar configurations. In terms of modification, the system does allow you to determine which files and settings you wish not to include in your backup. Applications downloaded from the Microsoft Store aren’t eligible for automatic backup and reinstallation.

You can initiate a backup by visiting the new Windows Backup app or through the Accounts/Windows Backup section in the Settings. This is where you can test the functionalities that are similar to Time Machine, restoring your system to an “out-of-box- experience (OOBE) when setting up a new PC or by resetting an existing PC with this build,” Microsoft said.

You should also keep in mind that the feature works primarily with cloud storage backups, for which Microsoft offers 5GB of free OneDrive storage. To get more storage you’d have to either pay for more OneDrive storage or for another Microsoft service that offers a higher tier of storage as a perk.

With the Backup App being showcased to Windows Insiders on the Dev Channel, there is no guarantee that the feature will make it to a final build of Windows 11. Still, it is interesting to get a first look at some of Microsoft’s ideas.

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Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…

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