How to use File History

File History automatically backs up files that are in your libraries, contacts, favorites, Microsoft SkyDrive and on your desktop. If the originals are lost, damaged, or deleted, you can restore all of them. You can also find different versions of your files from a specific point in time. Over time, you'll have a complete history of your files.

To begin automatically backing up and creating a history of your files, you'll first need to set up a File History drive and turn File History on. For info about setting up drives, see Set up a drive for File History. For info about troubleshooting problems, excluding folders, and changing drives and settings, see What if something goes wrong in File History?

Watch a video about restoring deleted or previous versions of your files. (To view captions in your language, tap or click the Closed captioning button .)

To restore your files

1. Tap or click to restore your files.

2. Enter the specific file you're looking for in the search box, or use the left and right arrows to browse your folders and files.

3. Select what you want to restore to its original location, and then tap or click the Restore button.

   If you want to restore your files to a different location than the original, press and hold or right-click the Restore button, tap or click Restore To, and then choose a new location.

Note

You can also restore a version of a file in File Explorer. Open File Explorer by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer down), and then tapping or clicking Search. Enter File Explorer in the search box, tap or click Apps, and then tap or click File Explorer. Search for or browse to the file you want to restore, and then tap or click it to highlight it. On the Home tab, in the Open group, tap or click the History button , and then restore your file or folder.