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HopeBuell's avatar
HopeBuell
Iron Contributor
Jul 16, 2025

How can I backup windows 11 to external drive?

New to Windows 11. My Thinkpad laptop only has 256GB SSD and there are many important files o it. It is recommended taking a full backup in case of unexpected data loss. I purchased a large portable ...
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AldousStone's avatar
AldousStone
Iron Contributor
Jul 16, 2025

You can back up Windows 11 to an external drive using PowerShell with built-in tools using WBAdmin for system images).

Best for: Full Windows 11 backup to external drive, including Windows 11 OS, apps, and files (like a Macrium Reflect alternative).

# Run PowerShell as Administrator
Start-Process powershell -Verb RunAs

# Check backup target disk (replace "E:" with your external drive letter)
Get-Disk

# Create a system image backup (adjust -backupTarget and -include as needed)
wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:E: -allCritical -quiet
  • -backupTarget: Your external drive letter.
  • -allCritical: Backs up all system-critical partitions.
  • -quiet: Runs silently (no prompts).

Note: WBAdmin requires NTFS-formatted drives and may fail on FAT32/exFAT.

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