Windows 10 includes a built-in backup feature that allows you to take regular and scheduled backups of your system. This feature doesn’t get nearly as much attention as Time Machine on macOS, despite the fact that it’s extremely useful and can help restore a system if it becomes unusable. Let’s figure out How to change backup schedule on Windows 10.

There are some drawbacks to the backup option. For one thing, when the feature is first turned on, the backup date and time are set to the same date and time, but you can change it at any time and to any interval you want.

How to change backup schedule on Windows 10

Change backup schedule Windows 10

Follow these steps to change the backup schedule that Windows 10 has set.

  1. Open the Settings app (Win+I keyboard shortcut).
  2. Go to Update and Security.
  3. Select the Backup tab.
  4. Click the ‘Go to backup and restore (Windows 7)’ option.

How to change backup schedule on Windows 10

  1. Click ‘Change settings’ on the Control Panel window that opens.
  2. Select the drive that Windows 10 backs up to.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Select a backup method based on your previous settings.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Select the files you want to back up. Click Next.
  7. Under ‘Schedule’ click Change schedule.
  8. Select the new schedule for the backup, or turn off scheduled backup.
  9. Click Ok.
  10. Click ‘Save settings and exit’.
How to change backup schedule on Windows 10

Turn off backup

If you want to turn off the backup completely, follow these steps.

  1. Open a new File Explorer window.
  2. In the location bar, paste this location: Control Panel\System and Security\Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
  3. In the column on the left, click ‘Turn off schedule’.

Delete old backup

Follow these steps to delete an old backup after you’ve turned off backups.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Past this in the location bar: Control Panel\System and Security\Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
  3. Click the ‘Manage space’ option under the current backup location.
  4. Click ‘View backups’.
  5. Select a backup.
  6. Click Delete.
  7. In the confirmation prompt, click Delete again (unless you want to take a fresh update).
  8. The backup will be removed.

Related: How to install optional updates on Windows 10

Conclusion

Windows 10 can be backed up to several different drives. A different backup schedule can be set for each drive, and each drive will, of course, have its own backup files. When you’re ready to delete backups from different drives, make sure they’re all connected to your system. Select each drive and delete backups from it one by one. You can delete backups selectively, that is, delete older backups while keeping newer backups.