7 Best Free Imaging Software for Windows 10/8/7
Losing data without a backup is a terrible situation, as it means you've lost access to important information with no way to recover it.
You can protect your data by having a backup or image, making it easy to restore in case of a problem.
Why Do You Need a Windows 10 Disk Imaging Software
Disk imaging is a process where a complete copy of a data storage media, such as a hard drive, is created, including its contents and structure, by sector-by-sector backup using disk imaging software.
With the rapid advancement of computer technology, users often face disk troubles like system crashes, which can lead to significant data loss or harm to the computer. Windows 10 users are particularly prone to this issue. To prevent data loss and the hassle of reinstallation, disk imaging software for Windows 10 can be a lifesaver, enabling users to clone their system disk and perform backup and restore operations with minimal effort.
While not all disk imaging solutions are created equal, there are several top-notch options available. Unlike some software that only backs up specific files or has limited platforms, the seven best free imaging software listed here offer a range of features and compatibility with Windows 10, including backing up specific files, files with limited platforms, and more.
- Qiling Disk Master
- Acronis True Image
- Macrium Reflect
- Iperius Backup
- Clonezilla
- Zinstall Full Back
- Active Disk Image
Top 1. Qiling Disk Master Free
Here, we recommend Qiling Disk Master Free, a free disk imaging software for Windows, for its robust, safe, and easy-to-use feature, allowing you to quickly backup your system state, files, folders, partition, and disk in minutes. This can save time to reinstall Windows OS & applications to recover lost data from an unexpected disaster.
Price: free
Platform: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP
Interface: New and user-friendly
Highlighted Features:
- One-click backup and restore functions
- Support system backup, file backup, disk/partition backup
- Scheduled backup is allowed
How to Back Up Data with the Best Free Imaging Software
Step 1. Launch Qiling Backup software and then choose "File Backup", "Disk/partition Backup" or "System Backup" for different backup purpose.
Step 2. Choose the system, disk partition, files or apps that you want to back up, then select a destination to store the backup file.
Step 3. Click "Proceed" to start the data backup process.
Top 2. Acronis True Image
Acronis True Image provides full disk image and incremental backups, notifications, and more, making it a top disk imaging solution for users who need to protect their data.
Price: $34.99/year; 30-day free
Platform: Windows 10/8.1/8/7
Interface: New and less user-friendly
Highlighted Features:
- Schedule automatic backup
- Open an image at any time
- Backup full disk images and individual files
Top 3. Macrium Reflect
This disk imaging software allows for incremental and differential backups, as well as scheduled backups to automatically protect files. It's a free solution that meets both commercial and personal users' needs.
Price: $69.95/year; 30-day free
Platform: Windows 10/8/7, Vista, and XP
Interface: Old and less user-friendly
Highlighted Features:
- Pre-defined backup plan templates
- Protect your backups from ransomware
- File and folder backup
Top 4. Iperius Backup
Iperius Backup offers full system backup and disaster recovery, allowing you to backup and restore images to various cloud storage services, making it ideal for organizations seeking a user-friendly disk imaging solution.
Price: $84; 30-day free
Platform: Windows 10, 7, 8 - Server 2008
Interface: Old and less user-friendly
Highlighted Features:
- Disk cloning and P2V conversion
- Instant restore by starting the cloned system in Hyper-V
- Standard format for backup files (VHD/VHDX)
- Complete BitLocker support (backup and restore)
Top 5. Clonezilla
Clonezilla is a free imaging software for Windows 10 that enables system deployment, bare metal backup, and recovery. It comes in three versions: Clonezilla Live, Clonezilla Lite Server, and Clonezilla SE, which can be downloaded for use.
Price: free
Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux
Interface: Old and hard for beginners
Highlighted Features:
- Clone disk/partition to a separate hard drive
- Support multiple file system: FAT 12/16/32, ext2/3/4, NTFS, HFS+, UFS
- Provide a number of encryption options to encrypt disk images
Top 6. Zinstall FullBack
Zinstall FullBack creates a backup of programs, software settings, accounts, and emails, which can be saved on cloud storage or a USB drive or through services like Dropbox, OneDrive, or Amazon.
Price: $199 one-time payment; 30-day free trial
Platform: Windows 10/8.1/8/7
Interface: New and simple
Highlighted Features:
- Easy on CPU
- Full and Partial Restore is possible
- Single One-time payment
Top 7. Active Disk Image
The last Windows 10 free imaging software is Active Disk Image, which allows backing up to various disks, including HDD, SSD, CD, DVD, USB, and more, with scheduled backups for regular updates.
Price: $39 for the standard version
Platform: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP
Interface: Old and complex
Highlighted Features:
- Clone disk images and partitions
- Scheduled backup
- Incremental and differential images
- AES-128, AES-192, and AES-256 encryption
The Best Free Windows 10 Disk Imaging Software
Qiling Backup and Recovery software stands out among the top imaging software for Windows 10. It offers one-click system backup and restore, allowing you to quickly recover your system in case of a crash or hardware failure. Additionally, it enables you to back up and restore Windows 10 disk, partition, files, or folders after a virus attack, unstable software download, or hard drive failure.
To provide continuous protection for the system, you can back up the Windows 10 system with incremental backup after the first backup, which only backs up the changed files.
Qiling Backup is useful if you want to upgrade the older smaller hard disk without reinstalling the operating system and applications in Windows 10.
Conclusion
The disk-Qiling Backup is the top disk imaging software, offering advanced features, an intuitive interface, and an affordable price, making it the best choice for protecting your data at any time.
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