Windows' built-in file history feature helps users recover old versions of files. To use this feature, you need to connect an external drive and enable file history, and then you can adjust the backup frequency as needed. When restoring the file, right-click the target file and select "Restore previous version" and select the required version. If file history is not enabled, try in-app recovery, OneDrive online version, or data recovery tool. 1. To enable file history, you need to connect to the storage device; 2. Set the backup frequency and saving time; 3. Restore the old version through the right-click menu; 4. If it is not enabled, you can try other recovery methods.
If you've ever accidentally overwritten a file or made changes you want to undo, Windows has a built-in feature that can help: file version history. It lets you restore previous versions of files and folders, so you don't have to rely solely on backups or third-party tools.

What is File History in Windows?
File History is a built-in Windows feature that automatically saves copies of your files at different points in time. It works by tracking changes in specific folders like Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and others. These saved versions allow you to go back and restore earlier iterations of a file if needed.
To use this feature effectively, you need to have File History already turned on and connected to an external drive or network location. If you haven't set it up yet, the next section will help with that.

How to Set Up File History
Before you can restore old versions, make sure File History is active:
- Connect an external drive or use a network folder to store the backups.
- Go to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > File History .
- Turn on File History and select the drive you want to use.
- You can adjust how often backups are made (every hour by default) and how long versions are kept.
It's a good idea to leave the drive connected regularly so File History can keep updating. If you only plug it in once a week, that's how often your file versions will be saved.

How to Restore an Older Version of a File
When you need to get back an older version of a file, here's how to do it:
- Right-click the file or folder you want to restore.
- Choose Restore previous versions from the context menu.
- A list will appear showing available versions based on File History backups.
- Select the version you want and click Restore , or click Open to view it before restoring.
If you're restoring a file that was deleted, navigate to the original folder location and follow the same steps — Windows will show deleted versions if they exist.
One thing to note: if you're not seeing any previous versions, either File History wasn't enabled at the time or the file was changed outside the tracked folders.
What If File History Wasn't Enabled?
If you didn't have File History set up, your options are more limited, but not completely gone:
- Some apps (like Microsoft Word) autosave temporary versions — check the app's recovery options.
- If your system is connected to OneDrive, check the online version history there.
- As a last resort, data recovery tools might help if the file was recently deleted and not overwritten.
Still, the best approach is to enable File History early and keep it running — it's the most straightforward way to recover older file versions without extra hassle.
Basically that's it.
The above is the detailed content of How to restore previous versions of files in Windows. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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