How to activate Windows 8's File History feature

January 29, 2013

As I slowly learn my way around Windows 8, I continue to uncover a few features I didn't know existed. (You'd think Microsoft would include a live tile or something that calls out these new features—"Hey, look what we've added!"—but, no.) One such hidden perk is File History. Like Apple's Time Machine, it archives copies of older versions of your files, and does so automatically and in the background, while you work. It is, for all intents and purposes, a real-time backup tool. One caveat, though: It's not a full-system backup tool like Windows Backup; by default it preserves only those files in your Libraries: documents, music, photos, and other media. You can add other folders if you wish, but only by adding them to your Libraries. (You can also exclude folders if you don't want, say, your videos to be backed up.) File History requires some kind of external storage: a USB flash drive, USB hard drive, or network drive. The more space you devote to File History, the deeper your backup will go. Here's how to get started with it: To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026546/how-to-activate-windows-8s-file-history-feature.html