文件历史记录(File History)是一个有用的应用程序，内置于Windows 10和Windows 8中。它可用于自动备份个人文件和文件夹，如您的文档、图片和视频，无需任何用户干预(user intervention)，除了打开它并配置它的工作方式。如果您使用Windows 10 ，则可以从“设置”(Settings)应用程序和“控制面板”与“(Control Panel)文件历史记录(File History)”进行交互。在每个地方，您都可以访问File History的不同设置和选项。以下是您可以从“控制面板”中使用“(Control Panel)文件历史记录(File History)”执行的所有操作：
注意：(NOTE:)本指南适用于Windows 10和Windows 8.1。
如何从控制面板访问(Control Panel)文件历史记录(File History)
打开控制面板(Control Panel)，然后单击“使用文件历史记录保存文件的备份副本”链接。(Save backup copies of your files with File History.")
或者，您可以单击System and Security，然后单击File History。
现在您应该看到“文件历史记录”(File History)窗口。如果没有找到可用的存储驱动器(storage drive)，窗口应该类似于下面的屏幕截图。
如何在Windows 10中打开和关闭文件历史记录(File History)
要使用文件历史记录(File History)，您必须插入外部硬盘驱动器或具有足够可用空间的大型USB 记忆棒。(USB memory)文件历史记录(File History)应该检测到它，并将其显示为备份的默认驱动器。(default drive)您接下来要做的就是单击或点击“打开”(Turn on")按钮，文件历史记录(File History)将从第一次备份开始。
注意：(NOTE:)如果您在家庭网络(home network)中设置了家庭组(Homegroup)，系统可能会询问您是否要向家庭组的其他成员推荐该驱动器(Homegroup)。
如果要暂时停止文件历史记录(File History)，或者要停止使用它，请转到同一文件历史记录(File History)窗口，然后单击或点击关闭。(Turn off.)
然后你可以拔掉你的备份驱动器(backup drive)，删除上面的数据，或者做任何你想做的事情。文件历史记录(File History)不再起作用，直到您再次手动激活它。
如何更改用于文件历史(File History)备份的存储驱动器(storage drive)
如果您对File History(File History)选择的驱动器不满意，并且您有多个存储驱动器(storage drive)连接到您的 PC，您可以为File History选择另一个驱动器。为此，在“文件历史记录”(File History)窗口中，单击或点击左侧的“选择驱动器”链接。(Select drive)
“选择驱动器(Select Drive)”窗口打开，您可以在其中看到可供使用的驱动器。选择所需的驱动器，然后单击或点击(click or tap) 确定(OK)。
注意：(NOTE:)如果您需要的驱动器未显示在列表中，请确保它已连接到您的Windows PC，然后单击刷新(Refresh)图标或按键盘上的F5键。
如果您过去曾在另一个驱动器上使用过文件历史记录(File History)，系统会询问您是否要移动现有的备份文件。回答Yes或No，这取决于你想要什么。
文件历史记录备份(File History backup)哪些数据以及执行备份需要多长时间？
文件历史记录(File History)有一组预定义的可自动备份的项目：您的用户文件夹和库、桌面、已保存的游戏、来自Internet Explorer 的(Internet Explorer,)收藏夹和搜索。从控制面板(Control Panel)使用文件历史记录(File History)时，您无法设置它可以备份的特定文件夹；您只能设置要排除的文件夹和库。要更好地控制File History的这一方面，您必须从Settings应用程序而不是Control Panel使用此功能。有关详细信息，请参阅本指南：如何使用文件历史记录在(File History)Windows 10中备份您的数据。
如何从文件历史备份中删除文件夹(File History backup)
要从文件历史记录(File History)备份中排除文件夹，请单击或点击左侧列中的排除文件夹。(Exclude folders)
在排除文件夹(Exclude folders)窗口中，单击或点击添加(Add)按钮。
在打开的“选择文件夹(Select Folder)”窗口中，导航您的 PC，选择要从备份中排除的文件夹，然后单击或点击“(click or tap) 选择文件夹(Select Folder)” 。
所选文件夹现在显示在“从文件历史记录("Exclude from File History)中排除”列表中。根据需要(") 继续(Continue)将任意数量的文件夹添加到排除列表(exclusion list)中。完成后，按Save changes。
文件历史记录(File History)不再备份所选文件夹。
配置(Configure)文件历史记录(File History)运行的频率，以及它存储数据的量
文件历史记录(File History)的默认设置并不适合所有人。要更改文件历史记录(File History)的工作方式，请单击或点击左侧的高级设置链接。(Advanced settings)
在“高级设置”(Advanced Settings)窗口中，您可以设置文件历史记录(File History)运行的频率、保存文件版本的时间、向其他家庭组(Homegroup)成员推荐用于备份的驱动器以及打开文件历史记录(File History)事件日志。
要更改文件历史记录(File History)备份数据的频率，请单击“保存文件副本”的下拉列表，("Save copies of files,")然后选择备份频率(backup frequency)。对于大多数人来说，每小时运行一次文件历史记录(File History)应该足够了。
默认情况下，文件历史记录(File History)会永久保存文件的保存版本。如果您经常编辑、添加或删除文件，此设置可能会让您相对较快地没有存储空间进行备份。(storage space)单击(Click)“保留保存的版本”(Keep saved versions")下拉列表，然后选择另一个时间范围(time frame)来保留旧文件版本。大多数人应该使用 1 个月到 6 个月之间的值。
如果您在使用文件历史记录(File History)时遇到问题并且想了解发生了什么，请在“高级设置”(Advanced Settings)窗口中单击或点击以下链接：“打开文件历史记录事件日志以查看最近的事件或错误”。(Open File History event logs to view recent events or errors.")此操作将打开事件查看器(Event Viewer)，您可以在其中查看有关您的问题的更多数据。
当您改进了文件历史记录(File History)的工作方式后，不要忘记按下保存更改(Save changes)按钮，以便应用您的更改。
如何手动运行文件历史记录备份(File History backup)
设置后，文件历史记录(File History)会在后台自动执行其工作，只要它使用的存储驱动器(storage drive)连接到您的 PC。但是，您现在可能需要运行手动备份。为此，请打开本指南前面所示的“文件历史记录”窗口，然后单击或点击(File History)“立即运行”(Run now)按钮，如下所示。
文件历史记录(File History)从您选择的备份位置备份您的最新文件。
断开文件历史记录备份(File History backup)驱动器时会发生什么
文件历史记录(File History)的一个显着特点是它在后台静默工作，不会占用太多处理器时间(processor time)，也不会给硬盘造成压力。该工具需要一段时间来备份数据，尤其是第一次备份数据时，但无需用户输入即可完美运行。如果您拔下备份驱动器(backup drive)，文件历史记录(File History)将停止使用该驱动器，并将您的数据备份到 C: 驱动器上的临时位置。此外，默认存储驱动器(default storage drive)突出显示为Disconnected。
如果您尝试在存储驱动器(storage drive)断开连接时运行手动备份，文件历史记录(File History)会显示：“您的文件将暂时复制到您的硬盘驱动器，直到您重新连接文件历史记录驱动器并运行备份。”("Your files will be temporarily copied to your hard drive, until you reconnect your File History drive and run a backup.")
重新插入驱动器后，文件历史记录(File History)会继续将您的数据备份到其中，无需您进行任何干预。
您喜欢使用文件历史记录吗？
我们在Digital Citizen(Digital Citizen)的团队使用文件历史记录(File History)来备份个人文件和文件夹。我们还通过OneDrive(OneDrive,)将相同的文件备份到云端，以便我们始终有两个副本可供恢复。试试Windows 10（和Windows 8）的这个有用功能，并在下面的评论中告诉我们它对您的效果如何。
Working with File History from the Control Panel: What you can and can't do!
File History is a useful app that is built into Windows 10 and Windows 8. It can be used to automatically back up personal files and folders, like your documents, pictures, and videos, without any user intervention, except for turning it on, and configuring how it works. If you use Windows 10, you can interact with File History both from the Settings app and the Control Panel. In each of these places, you get access to different settings and options for File History. Here is everything that you can do with File History from the Control Panel:
NOTE: This guide applies to both Windows 10 and Windows 8.1.
How to access the File History from the Control Panel
Open the Control Panel, and click the link that says "Save backup copies of your files with File History."
Alternatively, you can click on System and Security and then on File History.
Now you should see the File History window. If there is no usable storage drive found, the window should look similar to the screenshot below.
How to turn File History on and off in Windows 10
To use File History, you have to plug in an external hard drive or a large USB memory stick with plenty of free space on it. File History should detect it, and display it as the default drive for your backup. All you have to do next is click or tap the "Turn on" button, and File History starts with the first backup.
NOTE: If you have set up a Homegroup in your home network, you may be asked if you want to recommend the drive to other members of your Homegroup.
If you want to stop File History temporarily, or you want to stop using it, go to the same File History window, and click or tap Turn off.
Then you can unplug your backup drive, delete the data on it, or do whatever you wish. File History is no longer working until you manually activate it again.
How to change the storage drive used for File History backups
If you are not satisfied with the drive that File History has chosen, and you have more than one storage drive connected to your PC, you can choose another drive for File History. To do that, in the File History window, click or tap the Select drive link on the left.
The Select Drive window opens, where you see the drives that are available for use. Select the drive that you want, and click or tap OK.
NOTE: If the drive that you want is not shown on the list, make sure that it is connected to your Windows PC, and then click the Refresh icon or hit the F5 key on the keyboard.
If you have used File History on another drive in the past, you are going to be asked whether you want to move your existing backup files. Answer Yes or No, depending on what you want.
What data does File History backup and how long does it take to perform a backup?
File History has a predefined set of items that it backs up automatically: your user folders and libraries, the desktop, saved games, favorites from Internet Explorer, and searches. When using File History from the Control Panel, you cannot set which specific folders it can back up; you can only set what folders and libraries to exclude. For more control over this aspect of File History, you have to use this feature from the Settings app, instead of the Control Panel. For more information, see this guide: How to use File History to back up your data in Windows 10.
How to remove folders from the File History backup
To exclude a folder from the File History backup, click or tap Exclude folders in the column on the left.
In the Exclude folders window, click or tap the Add button.
In the Select Folder window that opens, navigate your PC, choose the folder that you want to be excluded from the backup, and click or tap Select Folder.
The selected folder is now displayed in the list "Exclude from File History." Continue adding as many folders to the exclusion list, as you want. When done, press Save changes.
The selected folders are no longer backed up by File History.
Configure how often File History runs, and how much it stores your data
The default settings for File History are not the best for everyone. To change how File History works, click or tap the Advanced settings link on the left.
In the Advanced Settings window, you can set how often File History runs, for how long it keeps saved versions of your files, recommend its drive for backups to other Homegroup members, and open the File History event logs.
To change how often File History backups up your data, click the drop-down list for "Save copies of files," and choose the backup frequency. Running File History once every hour should be enough for most people.
By default File History keeps saved versions of your files, forever. If you edit, add, or remove files frequently, this setting may leave you out of storage space for backups, relatively quickly. Click on the dropdown list for "Keep saved versions" and choose another time frame for keeping your old file versions. Most people should use a value between 1 month and 6 months.
If you had problems with File History and you want to understand what is going on, in the Advanced Settings window, click or tap the link that says: "Open File History event logs to view recent events or errors." This action opens the Event Viewer, where you can see more data about your problems.
When you are done improving how File History works, do not forget to press the Save changes button, so that your changes are applied.
How to manually run a File History backup
After you set it up, File History does its job in the background, automatically, as long as the storage drive that it uses is connected to your PC. However, you may need to run a manual backup, right now. To do that open the File History window as shown earlier in this guide, and click or tap the Run now button, highlighted below.
File History backs up your newest files from the backup locations that you chose.
What happens when you disconnect the File History backup drive
A significant feature of File History is that it works silently in the background, without taking up too much processor time and without stressing your hard disk. It takes a while for this tool to backup data, especially the first time you do it, but it works flawlessly without user input. If you unplug the backup drive, File History stops using that drive, and it backs up your data to a temporary location on your C: drive. Also, the default storage drive is highlighted as Disconnected.
If you try to run a manual backup, while the storage drive is disconnected, File History says that: "Your files will be temporarily copied to your hard drive, until you reconnect your File History drive and run a backup."
After you plug the drive back in, File History resumes backing up your data to it, without any intervention on your part.
Do you enjoy using File History?
Our team at Digital Citizen uses File History for backing up personal files and folders. We also back the same files to the cloud, through OneDrive, so that we always have two copies available for recovery. Try this useful feature of Windows 10 (and Windows 8), and tell us how well it works for you, in a comment below.
