How to Restore Backup Files From External Hard Drive on Windows 10 computers

Do you like to keep your precious memories and important data safe by using an external hard drive for backup? Just like many other computer users, you're probably saying a resounding YES. However, this plan doesn't always guarantee safety.

Accidental deletions, formatting, file system corruption, or hardware/software problems can occur with your external hard drives, resulting in varying degrees of data loss. But upset not! Today, we're here to help you tackle this frustrating issue with guidance on how to restore backup files from external hard drive on Windows computers.

2 ways on how to restore backup files from external hard drive on Windows 10

Windows 10 is the most widely used Windows OS, so, here we take it as an example to guide you restore lost files on hard drive. If you use other Windows OS but need to restore the backed-up files, you can go directly to the second method.

Way 1. Use Windows File Recovery to restore files from external hard drive

Microsoft has developed a useful tool called Windows File Recovery. It's like a helpful friend for your deleted photos – it can bring them back from SSDs, HDDs, SD cards, and USB drives. This tool is flexible and works with different types of file systems, including NTFS, exFAT, FAT, and more.

To use this handy tool, just make sure your Windows OS is version Windows 10 20H1 Build 19041 or newer. If it is, you're all set! Follow these steps to rescue your precious photos that you thought were gone for good.

Step 1. Download Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store and install it with administrative privileges.

Note:

• Please type the command: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]
• Two scanning modes can be chosen: Default and Extensive. You can select according to your specific situation.

The Extensive mode can be further classified as two modes, Signature and Segment:
• Signature mode: you can recover all lost files under the file system using file headers.
• Segment mode:you can restore lost files with file record staging specifically for NTFS.
• Here are some switches you can use to customize the recovery task.

•  Kindly please be careful when entering commands. Incorrect commands can result in serious data loss.

Step 2. Select the Default mode and input the command "winfr C: D: /n *.docx" to search for all DOCX files on the C drive and copy them to the D drive. Press "Y" to proceed. Please remember to replace "C:" with the source drive and "D:" with the destination drive as per your requirements.

Way 2. Try a broad-compatibility tool to easily restore backed up files from external hard drive

The Windows File Recovery utility can help Windows 10 users to restore backup files from external hard drives. However, as for other Windows OS users, how to restore files from external hard drives?

AOMEI FastRecoverycan be a standout solution. As of now, it is compatible with almost all Windows versions, including Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and Windows Server editions, and will continue to update for new Windows OS releases. That means, if you upgrade to a higher Windows OS in the further, it can still be helpful. Besides, its user-friendly interface allows users to avoid complex commands and easily restore lost data. Within this versatile software, you can also reap the benefits of these key features:

Functions of AOMEI FastRecovery:
✔ Recover deleted or lost files from HDD, USB, SD card and various storage devices.
✔ Retrieve Word, Excel, PPT, photos, videos, audio, emails, zipped files, and over 200 other file types.
✔ Keep the original format of recovered files.
✔ Search for target Word files by typing the file name during the scan, or wait for automatic discovery with Quick Scan and Deep Scan.
✔ Supports NTFS, exFAT, FAT32 and ReFS file systems.
✔ Compatible with Windows Server and Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 64-bit and 32-bit.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Conclusion

Today we discuss how to restore backup files from external hard drive Windows 10, if you need to recover lost files in other Windows OS, AOMEI FastRecoveryt is an ideal choice. By the way, if you're a Windows Server user, there's also a Server Edition available for you.