By
Lily
/ Last update
October 28, 2025
The C drive is the heart of your computer—it contains Windows installation files, boot information, registry data, and often your most important documents. If your C drive becomes corrupted, you could lose everything in an instant. Fortunately, creating a backup of your C drive ensures you can restore your PC to a working state within minutes. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best and easiest ways to backup C drive in Windows 10.
Best Tools to Backup C Drive in Windows 10
When it comes to backing up the C drive in Windows 10, choosing the right tool is critical for ensuring data safety, speed, and ease of recovery. Below are the top three solutions designed to protect your system partition effectively:
1. AOMEI Backupper Standard
AOMEI Backupper Standard is the best free backup software designed for Windows 11/10/8/7. It offers full system backup, disk backup, file backup, and scheduled automatic backups with just a few clicks.
✅ One-Click System Backup: The software automatically identifies and selects all the necessary partitions required for a successful system restore, simplifying the entire process of safeguarding your operating system.
✅ Incremental Backup: After an initial full backup, this method only saves the data that has changed since the last backup, making backups fast and saving significant storage space.
✅ Automatic Backup Scheduling: It allows you to configure backup tasks to run automatically on a schedule that suits your needs—daily, weekly, monthly, or even upon specific system events (like system startup or shutdown).
✅ Various Backup Destinations: You can backup to external drive, USB drive, NAS, cloud, and network share, etc.
Don’t hesitate to download AOMEI Backupper!
2. Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
This is the built-in backup tool in Windows 10 that allows you to create a system image of the C drive. It’s a reliable option for users who prefer native Windows solutions without installing third-party software.
Key Features:
- Create a full system image
- Restore your PC to a previous working state
- Backup to external drives or network locations
3. Wbadmin (Command-Line Utility)
Wbadmin is a powerful command-line backup tool included in Windows 10. It enables you to create a complete backup of the C drive using scripts or batch commands. This option is ideal for advanced users who prefer automation and control through the command prompt.
Key Features:
- Full system and volume backup
- Supports backup scheduling through scripts
- Ideal for IT professionals and power users
How to Back up C Drive in Windows 10 Step by Step
Below, we’ll walk you through how to backup your C drive using three effective methods—from beginner-friendly software to advanced command-line operations. Pick one way depending on your comfort level and preferred tools.
Method 1: Backup C Drive via AOMEI Backupper
Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper after installation. Select Backup > System Backup.
✍ Tip: You can also use Disk Backup if you want to back up the entire hard drive, including C and other partitions.
Step 2. The software will automatically select your C drive and related system partitions. Choose the backup destination (external hard drive, NAS, or network location, etc.).
Step 3. (Optional) Click Schedule to configure automatic backups. You can choose One Time, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Event triggers.
Step 4. Click Start Backup. Wait for the process to complete. Once done, your system and data are safely backed up.
Method 2: Backup C Drive with Backup and Restore
Step 1. Open Control Panel and select Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
Step 2. Click the Create a system image option from the left pane.
Step 3. In the pop-up window, choose where to save your backup — an external hard drive or network location is recommended.
Step 4. Windows will detect the necessary partitions for system recovery. Click Start backup to begin creating a system image of your C drive.
✍ Tip: Once the backup finishes, you will be prompted to create a system repair disc. Select "Yes" to proceed or "No" to create a recovery USB drive instead at a later time.
Method 3: Backup C Drive using Wbadmin
Step 1. Press Win + S, type cmd, then select Run as administrator.
Step 2. Enter the backup command and press Enter. Replace D: with the drive letter of your backup destination.
wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:D: -include:C:
Step 3. You will be asked to confirm. Type Y and press Enter.
✍ Tip: If you want to run the backup without further prompts, add -quiet to the end of the command in step 2.
Step 4. The backup will start. The command window will show the progress. Do not close the window until it is complete.
✍ Tip: You can add this command to a batch file and use Task Scheduler to automate backups regularly.
FAQs about C Drive Backup Windows 10
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1. Does backing up the C drive include Windows system files and installed programs? Yes. When you back up the C drive using system image backup or third-party tools like AOMEI Backupper, it includes Windows system files, installed programs, settings, and boot files. This allows you to restore your entire system to its previous state without reinstalling anything. |
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2. Can I backup C drive Windows 10 without an external hard drive? Yes, you can back up to a network location, NAS device, internal secondary drive, or cloud storage. However, for maximum safety, an external drive or cloud backup is recommended to prevent data loss in case of disk failure. |
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3. How long does it take to back up the C drive? The time varies based on the size of your C drive and the backup method used. Typically, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Using incremental backups or SSD storage can significantly speed up the process. |
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4. Can I use File History to back up the C drive in Windows 10? No. File History only backs up personal files from libraries such as Documents, Pictures, and Desktop. It does not back up system files, boot files, or installed programs from the C drive. You need a system image backup tool for a full C drive backup. |
Conclusion: The Smartest Way to Secure Windows 10
Backing up C drive in Windows 10 is not just a precaution—it’s a proactive strategy to protect your operating system, personal files, applications, and configurations against unexpected failures. Among all the methods covered, using AOMEI Backupper Standard stands out as the smartest and most efficient solution. It offers one-click system backup, automatic scheduling, and reliable restore options that even beginners can use confidently. Why not give it a shot?
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