8 Best Time Machine Alternatives for Windows to Back-Up Your Data،
Time Machine is the backup mechanism of macOS, the desktop operating system developed by Apple. It is designed to work with both local storage devices and network-attached drives and is most often used with external drives connected via USB or Thunderbolt. The best advantage of using this backup tool is that you can recover your lost data anytime if you have backed it up using Time Machine.
As for Windows, it does not have a Time Machine tool to backup data, but various third-party applications can come close to what Time Machine does for macOS. There are various applications available that claim to offer top-notch backup services for Windows, but only a few of them are useful. In this article, we have listed the 8 best Time Machine alternatives for Windows devices.
Best Time Machine Alternatives for Windows
1. Acronis Backup
Acronis is a well-known backup tool that is a 3rd party option for Windows to Time Machine for macOS and Windows. It comes with backup services and also offers many protection benefits. Features include keeping your data across multiple network storage devices, including Google Drive and Azure.
Acronis protects data and backups from cyber threats and the user has the option to back up the entire system via Acronis Backup Tool on Windows. The encryption offered by Acronis protects the backed up data well and also includes cloud storage. The restoration processes are quick and easy and the tool also offers detailed backup reports that help with troubleshooting. It is suitable for all types of data, but may encounter minor bugs while saving data. Acronis has a large number of resellers and can be slightly expensive for small-scale projects.
Link- Acronis Backup
2. Macrium thinks
Macrium Reflect is a cloning and restoration program and is a great Time Machine alternative that can be used to keep files, folders, and other data secure. There are different versions of Macrium Reflect. The basic version covers all major features, including backup, disk cloning, disk imaging, scheduling backups, restoring a system that won't boot, and more. Recovery of backed up data is quick and efficient. You get an access log with a basic version that gives a detailed report of the backup process, including failures. No free trial is available and the tool may encounter errors while cloning boot partitions.
Link- Macrium thinks
3. Clonezilla
Clonezilla is a tool used to clone partitions and storage drives for backup and recovery in Windows. System development, bare metal backup and recovery are 3 of its main functions. Clonezilla has 3 versions: Clonezone Live, Clonezone SE and Clonezone Life Server. While the liver version is a single-machine backup, the other two are designed for large-scale deployment. It supports almost all file systems and to clone and restore, Clonezilla uses only the used chunks on the hard drive. Imaging and cloning can be customized along with features like image encryption, single image restoration, multi-file system support, etc. This is an open source project, so while users will get the latest updates for free, the lack of support is a drawback that should not be overlooked.
Link- Clonezilla
4. Timeline of Engineering
Genie Timeline is one of the best backup solutions for Windows. It's the closest thing to Time Machine on a non-macOS computer. The tool follows a simple 3-step process with a set-it-and-forget-it approach. This ensures that any options you select for backup are preserved without any intervention on your part. Genie Timeline integrates with Windows Explorer with visual indicators so you can not only control the backup process via the right-click context menu, but also see which files have been backed up. It supports a variety of 3rd party cloud storage services and even offers iPhone/iPad apps that let you view the status of your backup no matter where you are. It also offers a seamless recovery option if things go wrong, and it's sensitive to your usage habits so the backup process doesn't slow down your computer. It is priced at $39.95 (free trial also available) and supports all Windows versions starting from XP.
Link- Engineering Timeline
5. Backfire
Backblaze is a cloud-based backup solution that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and offers a unique offering. It is unique in the way it restores your data. The tool offers unlimited online backup that you can download and restore your data over the Internet, and even order a physical USB drive or external hard drive containing backed up files. This is chargeable, but there is an option where you can damage the physical device within 30 days to get a full refund of your cost.
It offers version control, scheduled backups, mobile apps to access files and locate a missing/stolen computer, bandwidth management for optimal usage, and more. It offers external drive backup to the cloud, ensuring that all your data, no matter where it is stored. , is kept safe. Backblaze is available for $5 per month for personal backup.
Link- Backfire
6.Mozy
Mozy is not only a backup service but also a cloud data protection service. Everything backed up and synced with Mozy is subject to military-grade encryption. At the same time, the tool also offers true file synchronization, with all backed-up data accessible via a web interface or via mobile apps for iPhone and Android. Mozy isn't a replacement for a system image backup tool, but if it's your data you're worried about, Mozy will help. Pricing starts at $5.99/month with the option of a free trial before you decide to use the tool. If your needs don't exceed 2 GB, there is a free version that offers 2 GB cloud backup.
Link- Mozy
7. Duplication
Duplicati is free and open source backup software that puts up a tough fight against Apple's Mac Time Machine. It works with most standard protocols like FTP, WebDAV, SSH, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, Amazon S3, Microsoft OneDrive, etc. It is a web and command line interface for backing up data, it can be used with Windows, macOS and Linux. Duplicati can be integrated with NAS to store all data in one place.
Link- Duplication
8. Crisis plan
CrashPlan is a backup tool designed for small businesses. It makes it easy to access and store data for just $10/month/computer, which is affordable for small businesses. You just need to complete the setup once and then leave everything on CrashPlan. The tool automatically backs up the device without affecting the speed of the computer system. There are no file restrictions when it comes to saving. It offers advanced protection against ransomware data theft so you can rest easy.
Link- Emergency plan
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