how to backup windows 11 pc to external hard drive

Trying this: https://www.howtogeek.com/4241/how-to-create-a-system-image-in-windows/

Went to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7) - that last bit is in tiny blue print under "System and Security"

While it would not allow me to do a full system image to the SSD, it allowed me to set a "whenever I want" backup schedule and is allowing me to save user libraries and all users to the SSD. I just completed this process, and it seems to have worked.

I don't know about Katherine, but I wasn't able to. There is no option in Backup Options to add a drive. The only One Drive shows up at the top. I suspect MS has removed the option to use an external drive in order to force everyone to use One Drive. Prove me wrong.

Start => "File History" opened a window that allowed backup to external drive.

Hi,

Start menu > Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Backup options.

Add a drive and select your external SSD as the backup destination.

Start Backup

You can manually back up your files in addition to the procedure in the Q&A, copying your user directly to the External Drive folder.

Or

Create a system image backup using Backup and Restore (Windows 7)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4376853/(article)-how-to-create-a-system-image-in-windows

Give feedback if the information was useful or not.

Thanks

To back up your Windows 11 PC to an external SSD drive, you can follow these steps:

1. Connect the External SSD: Plug your external SSD into your PC using a USB port.
2. Open Settings: Click on the Start menu and select Settings.
3. Go to Backup Options: Navigate to System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Backup options.
4. Set Up Backup: Under the Back up using File History section, you can click on Add a drive and select your external SSD as the backup destination.
5. Configure Backup Settings: You can configure how often you want to back up your files and which folders to include in the backup. Make sure to select the important folders you want to back up.
6. Start Backup: Once everything is set up, you can start the backup process by clicking on Back up now. This will begin copying your selected files to the external SSD.
7. Monitor the Backup: You can monitor the progress of the backup in the same settings window.
8. Safely Eject the SSD: Once the backup is complete, make sure to safely eject the external SSD before disconnecting it from your PC.

Following these steps will help you create a backup of your Windows 11 PC to an external SSD drive effectively.