A full backup creates a copy of the entire computer, including the primary as well as secondary drives to an external source storage, which you can then use to restore a device in case of critical problems, malware, hardware failure, or after upgrading the primary storage. Macrium Reflect is a paid backup software with a free version with limited features. However, the Macrium Reflect free has all the basic features most Windows 11 users need to create full and differential backups manually or automatically to protect the entire computer and files. In this guide, you will learn the steps to use the free version of Macrium Reflect 8 with the best settings to make automatic backups of a computer running Windows 11.

Create full automated backups of Windows 11 using Macrium Refrect Restore full backup of Windows 11 using Macrium Reflect

Create full automated backups of Windows 11 using Macrium Refrect

To set up automated backups on Windows 11, you will need an external storage with enough space to save the backup, download and install a free copy of Macrium Reflect, and configure the best settings to create backups automatically.

1. Connect backup drive on Windows 11

You will need to connect an external USB hard drive to use it as the destination storage. If you’re in the market for an external drive, we recommend the Western Digital 10GB Elements drive since it offers a lot of reliable storage with fast read and write speeds for a 7200RPM drive at a reasonable price.

2. Install Macrium Reflect on Windows 11

To download and install Macrium Reflect, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, you can proceed to set up a backup schedule for your computer.

Reflect free license

3. Create full backup of Windows 11

To create a full backup of a Windows 11 laptop or desktop with Macrium Reflect, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, Macrium Reflect will create a Windows 11 full backup during your specified schedule.

If the backup plan includes a differential backup, it’ll also run on schedule. If you ever need to recover the system, you’ll need the full backup and the most recent differential backup to restore the computer with the most up-to-date data.

4. Create Macrium Reflect recovery media

To create a Reflect recovery media, connect a USB flash drive with enough space, and use these steps: After you complete the steps, you can use the USB recovery media to start the computer and restore the latest backup.

Restore full backup of Windows 11 using Macrium Reflect

To restore a previous backup, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, Macrium Reflect will restore the latest backup of Windows 11 on the computer.

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