Security & Backup

Back Up a Windows 11 PC: What to Check

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A backup only helps when it contains the files you need and you know how to recover them.

List your important files

Check Documents, Desktop, Pictures and any project folders outside the usual locations. Include application files, website exports and business records where relevant.

Review Windows Backup

Search Start for Windows Backup. Review its folder and settings options and confirm the correct account is signed in. If folders use OneDrive, check storage availability and whether files appear on another device.

Keep another copy

Synced settings and a list of apps are not the same as a full backup of every folder. Keep an independent copy of important data on another drive or trusted backup service.

Test recovery

Restore a harmless test file and open it. If you cannot recover it, adjust the plan before relying on it. Disconnect a removable backup drive when you are not using it.

Further reading: Microsoft Support: Windows Backup.

Find Your BitLocker Recovery Key Before You Need It

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An encrypted Windows PC may ask for a recovery key after certain changes. Find out where yours is stored before there is an emergency.

Identify who manages the PC

For a personal device, a recovery key may be saved to the Microsoft account used during setup. On a work or school device, the organisation’s IT administrator may hold it.

Match the correct key

From another device, follow Microsoft’s official recovery-key instructions. If the locked PC displays a key ID, use that ID to find the matching recovery key. Your sign-in PIN is not the recovery key.

Store recovery information safely

Keep recovery information somewhere you can access without the locked PC. Do not post a key in a support forum or share it with an unexpected caller. If there is no matching key, recovering data may not be possible.

Further reading: Microsoft Support: find your BitLocker recovery key.

Check Windows Security and Run a Safe Scan

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Windows Security provides a starting point if you suspect malware or want to check protection status.

Check the dashboard

Search Start for Windows Security, then open Virus & threat protection. Review warnings and the active provider. If another antivirus product is installed, its provider may be shown instead.

Run a suitable scan

Begin with Quick scan. For a wider check, open Scan options and select Full scan. Save your work before running Microsoft Defender Offline scan because it restarts the PC.

Handle results carefully

Follow the security app’s instructions and review Protection history. Do not turn off protection or add an exclusion at the request of a pop-up or unknown caller. Contact your employer’s IT team if company data may be involved.

Further reading: Microsoft Support: virus and threat protection.

Spot Phishing Emails Before You Click

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An unexpected message asking for urgent payment, a password reset or a one-time code deserves a pause even when its logo looks familiar.

Examine the request

Check the sender address, unusual wording and whether the request matches something you expected. A display name is easy to imitate, and polished spelling does not prove a message is genuine.

Verify through another route

Do not use a link or telephone number from the suspicious message. Open the organisation’s official app or enter its known web address yourself. For an invoice, use a supplier contact number you already trust.

If you responded

If you entered a password, change it on the real service and review your account security. If you downloaded a file, stop opening it, run a security scan and inform your workplace IT team where relevant.

Further reading: NCSC: spotting scams.

Make a Simple 3-2-1 Backup Plan

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A 3-2-1 backup plan keeps three copies of important data, uses two types of storage and keeps one copy off-site.

Map your copies

The working files on your PC are the first copy. An external drive can hold another; an off-site backup service or securely stored drive can provide the third. Make sure the plan covers files outside the usual Documents folder.

Consider deletion and ransomware

Sync alone may copy accidental deletions to other devices. Review version history and retention. Keep at least one backup protected from the same device and account risks as your everyday files.

Test a restore

Once a month, restore a harmless file from your backups and open it. Record when each backup last succeeded, where it is kept and who can access it. Include website and database exports if you run an online business.

Further reading: NCSC: data security.