Windows Backup Settings Greyed Out: How to Choose Backup Location
If you're trying to back up your Windows system to a local USB disk but finding that the backup settings are greyed out, you're not alone. Many Windows users have encountered this issue and wondered how to choose a custom backup location.
Why are Windows Backup Settings Greyed Out?
By default, Windows uses OneDrive as the backup location for its built-in backup and restore tool, called Windows Backup and Restore. If you don't have a OneDrive account or don't want to use it for backup, you might find that the backup settings are greyed out and unchangeable.
Additionally, if you have a third-party backup software installed, Windows might disable its own backup tool to prevent conflicts. In this case, you might need to uninstall the third-party software or adjust its settings to allow Windows Backup and Restore to run.
How to Choose a Custom Backup Location in Windows
To change the backup location in Windows, you need to follow these steps:
- Open the Control Panel and go to System and Security.
- Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7) (yes, it's called that even in Windows 10).
- If the backup settings are greyed out, click on Set up backup to start the backup wizard.
- In the wizard, choose Let me choose when it asks where to back up your files.
- Now you should be able to select your local USB disk as the backup location.
If the above steps don't work, you might need to adjust some system settings or use a third-party backup software that allows more flexibility.
Adjusting System Settings for Custom Backup Location
If the built-in backup tool still doesn't allow you to choose a custom backup location, you might need to adjust some system settings.
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, type
regeditand press Enter to open the Registry Editor. - Navigate to
HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WindowsBackup. - Find the value named
BKSPageBackupTargetand change its data to the drive letter of your USB disk. - Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
Note that editing the registry can be risky, so make sure to back up your registry before making any changes. Also, this method might not work on all versions of Windows or in all situations.
Using Third-Party Backup Software
If you still can't choose a custom backup location in Windows, you might need to use a third-party backup software.
There are many backup software available, both free and paid, that allow you to choose a custom backup location, such as Acronis True Image, EaseUS Todo Backup, and Paragon Backup and Recovery.
These software usually have more features and options than the built-in backup tool, such as incremental backup, differential backup, and disk imaging.
- The built-in backup tool in Windows might have the backup settings greyed out if you don't have a OneDrive account or have a third-party backup software installed.
- To change the backup location in Windows, you can follow the steps in the backup wizard or adjust some system settings in the registry.
- If the built-in backup tool still doesn't work, you can use a third-party backup software that allows more flexibility and features.