6 Useful Ways to Fix File History Backup Not Working in Windows 10

Windows' own file history feature is convenient and quick to back up documents, pictures, videos, music or offline OneDrive files to an external drive. But it is not omnipotent and error-prone, such as the inability to back up programs, systems and settings, and may also be interrupted during the backup process. This article will explore the reasons why file history fails to work and 6 common solutions.

Part 1: Reasons why file history backup stops working

There are many reasons why Windows 10 file history fails to work. Before backing up, you may experience "File History does not recognize this drive" or "File History does not find available drive" error. During the backup process, the file history may also suddenly stop working. Here are some possible reasons:

• Old or corrupt Windows operating system: Old versions or system files corrupt Windows system may cause file history to stop backup.
• File History Service is disabled: If the file history suddenly stops working, it is likely that the service is disabled unexpectedly and cannot be rerun automatically.
• Encrypted drive/file: File history cannot back up encrypted files. If your drive is encrypted with BitLocker, or the file is encrypted with EFS, the file history will not be backed up after the encrypted file is detected.
• Insufficient drive space: If the drive is not available for backup of files, the file history will stop backing up.
• Unstable network connection: If you back up your Windows files to a network drive, a disconnected network may cause the file history backup to stop.

Part 2: How to fix the problem that file history does not work

• Method 1: Update Windows operating system
• Method 2: Restart the file history service
• Method 3: Reset file history settings
• Method 4: Run the SFC tool
• Method 5: Decrypt BitLocker Drive Encryption
• Method 6: Decrypt EFS file

Method 1: Update Windows operating system

Old versions of Windows may have bugs that cause unstable file history to work. If you encounter this problem on older Windows systems, you can try updating the system to resolve it. The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Go to Settings > "Update and Security" > "Windows Update".

Step 2: Click the "Check Update" button to update Windows, and then check whether the file history is back to normal work.

Method 2: Restart the file history service

The most common way to fix file history does not work is to restart it. You need to check if the File History service is disabled or run manually. If yes, follow these steps to make sure the File History service is enabled and run automatically:

Step 1: Press Win R and enter services.msc.

Step 2: Right-click on "File History Service" and then click "Restart". The file history will be restarted and set to run automatically.

Method 3: Reset file history settings

If the file history stops working during the backup process, one of the effective ways is to reset its settings. You can try to delete the unfinished backup file in the drive and start the backup again using the same drive or a different drive.

Step 1: Go to Settings > System and Security > Backup > More options . Scroll down and click "Stop using drive".

Step 2: Return to Settings >System and Security >Backup. Then click "Add Drive" to select the previous drive or other available drive.

Method 4: Run the SFC tool

If there is an unknown problem with the Windows system, resulting in the system files being lost or corrupted, the file history may stop working. In this case, you can try to repair the system using the sfc tool to make the file history restore work properly. The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Press Win X, and then press A to run the command prompt as administrator.

Step 2: Enter sfc /scannow in the "Run" window, and press Enter.

Method 5: Decrypt BitLocker Drive Encryption

If your computer is protected by BitLocker drive encryption, but the file history drive is not protected, file history may not work. Therefore, closing BitLocker may also solve this problem. You can disable BitLocker by following the steps below:

Step 1: Click the "Start" menu and select "Control Panel" > "System and Security" > "BitLocker Drive Encryption".

Step 2: Find the encrypted drive, then click the "Unlock" button next to it and enter the correct password. Then select "Close BitLocker".

When BitLocker is disabled, return to check whether the file history is working properly.

Method 6: Decrypt EFS file

Sometimes, file history cannot process all files with the prompt "File history has been found for files encrypted with encrypted file system", which means you need to decrypt the encrypted files before you can back them up. You can follow these steps:

Step 1: Right-click the encrypted file or folder and select "Properties". Then click the "Advanced" button.

Step 2: In Advanced Properties, make sure Encrypted content to protect data is not selected. Then click "OK" twice to complete the decryption.

Extra tip: How to back up Windows 10 without using file history

Due to various limitations and issues with file history, it is recommended that you use an alternative backup tool such as iSumsoft Cloner. iSumsoft Cloner allows you to easily and quickly full backup of Windows compared to file history not being able to back up everything. In addition to backing up Windows, it allows you to migrate your system without reinstalling Windows and create bootable disks to fix system failures. Now let's try to use iSumsoft Cloner for backup.

Before you start, install iSumsoft Cloner on your computer and start it. Meanwhile, connect your external hard drive/USB drive to your computer and format it as an NTF/exFAT file system. Then follow the steps below.

Summary

The above are 6 common ways to fix file history that fails to work. In fact, it's easy to deal with a problem in file history. However, you may encounter different problems in file history and need to find a corresponding solution to solve them. Therefore, to make backups easier without having too many annoying issues, it is recommended that you use professional cloning/backup tools such as iSumsoft Cloner to back up your Windows files.

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