# Back up folders from your computer

Back up your Desktop, Documents, Pictures or any folder of your PC to Drime with Drime Desktop: one-way, read-only copies, in real time or on a schedule.

Updated: 2026-10-21  
Source: https://drime.cloud/support/desktop/back-up-your-computer

Backups copy folders from your computer to Drime, in one direction only. Your local files are never modified or deleted by Drime.

## Add a backup

1. Open the Drime window from the notification area, then **Preferences** \> **Backups**.

2. Click **Add backup**.

3. Choose a folder: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, or any other folder.

4. Choose when it runs: in real time, on a schedule, or manually.

Backups run while Drime Desktop is running. The first backup can take a while: you can keep using your computer in the meantime. Drime may also ask **Start your backups automatically?**, so that they start every time you sign in.

## Choose when a backup runs

Open the backup's menu and choose **Schedule backup**. Under **Mode**:

- **Real-time backup**: changes are watched and uploaded automatically;
- **Scheduled**: runs **Every** so many **Hours**, **Days**, **Weeks**, **Months** or **Years**, on the **Allowed days**, starting at the **Next run** you set. A run missed while Drime was closed starts at the next launch;
- **Manual only**: nothing runs on its own; use **Rescan now** in the backup's menu.

Click **Save schedule**.

## The backup's menu

Each backup has a menu with **Pause backup** (then **Resume backup**), **Schedule backup**, **Rescan now**, **View details** (files queued, uploading and excluded, last scan), **Show in Explorer**, **Open in Drime** and **Stop backup**.

## Backup statuses

A backup shows, for example, **Up to date**, **Backing up**, **Paused** or **Manual only**. **Needs attention** means some files failed: open **View details**. **Folder moved**, **Folder not found** or **Drive disconnected** means Drime cannot reach the folder: click **Locate folder** to point to its new place, or reconnect the drive.

**Cloud copy missing** means the backup's copy no longer exists on Drime, because it was removed from the web. Click **Stop on this PC** to stop the backup on this computer. Your local files are never deleted.

## Exclude files from a backup

Open the backup's menu and choose **Manage exclusions** to leave out files by name, extension, size or with your own rules.

## Find and restore backed-up files

In the web app, open **Backups** from the left rail. Your computer appears there with its backed-up folders. Backup copies are read-only: you can download them, or restore them with **Restore to…**.

To change the name your computer has there, use **Rename PC** in **Preferences** \> **Backups**.

## Stop a backup

When you stop a backup, choose what happens to the copy in Drime:

- **Move backup folder to my Drive**: it becomes a normal folder in your Drive;
- **Delete the cloud copy**: it is moved to the Drime Trash. Drime first asks **Confirm it's you**: enter your password, then the 6-digit code from your authenticator app or sent to your email.

Your local files are never deleted.

## If a folder is refused

When you add a folder, Drime refuses it with a reason:

| What you see | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| **Already backed up on this device** | This folder already has a backup. |
| **Overlaps another backup** or **Nested folder** | The folder is inside, or contains, a folder you already back up. Choose only one of them. |
| **System folder** | Windows system folders cannot be backed up. |
| **Permission needed** | Your Windows account cannot read the folder. |
| **Path too long** | Move the folder closer to the root of the drive. |
| **Unsupported folder** or **Folder unavailable** | The folder is on a location Drime cannot back up or reach. |

## Good to know

- A folder cannot be backed up and synced at the same time: **Already synced with Drime. A folder cannot be backed up and synced at the same time** appears. See [Sync or backup: which one to use](https://drime.cloud/support/desktop/sync-vs-backup).
- Backups is in public beta: **Public beta: feature is stable but evolving**.

To back up with another program, see [Back up your computer to Drime with Duplicati](https://drime.cloud/support/integrations-and-api/back-up-with-duplicati).