File Names And Exclusions

Use naming templates to keep backups organized and exclusions to leave out data you do not need.

File Name Templates

Open the plan's format and other options, then File names. Templates can include the date, time, user name, computer name, and extension. For example:

Backup_{Year}{Month}{Day}_{Hours}{Minutes}{Seconds}{Extension}

The storage-folder template can also contain placeholders. Keep folder structures short and predictable, especially on network shares. Changing the application's language does not rename existing plans' files and folders.

Global templates under Settings > Defaults for new backups > File names apply to new plans. Adjust an existing plan directly to change its future file names.

Exclusions

Open Contents in the backup options to review excluded files and folders. Supported entries include a full file path, a folder path, a wildcard such as *.tmp, or a path fragment such as \System Volume Information\.

Common temporary files, paging and hibernation files, and DiskImage backup containers are excluded where applicable. Virtual disks such as VHD/VHDX files are included by default, while DiskImage's own virtual-disk backups remain excluded. Review any warning that a rule excludes all virtual disks on a drive.

Folder exclusions also apply to their contents. Excluded files cannot be recovered from that backup and are not offered in its restore browser.

Changing Exclusions

Choose exclusions before the first backup. Once a plan has saved versions, its exclusion list is locked even if the destination is disconnected. Create a new plan if you need a different list.

Avoid storing backup files inside the source folders. Do not exclude Windows system folders from an entire-PC image unless you understand how that affects recovery.