When Windows backup is turned on, Windows backs up the settings you choose across all your Windows devices that you've signed in to with your Microsoft account. This article describes in detail what's synced.
Turn on Windows backup
You can turn on Windows backup using the Windows Backup app or from Settings. For details how configure your backup, see Back up and restore your Windows PC.
Windows Backup settings and preferences catalog
Expand each section to learn about what's backed up for each item that you can select from Settings or from the Windows Backup app.
Apps
Note
In Windows Settings > Accounts > Windows backup this is the Remember my apps switch.
| Setting page | Setting |
|---|---|
| Apps | List of installed apps |
Accessibility
| Setting page | Subpage | Setting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Text size | Size of text on your device | ||
| Visual effects | Always show scrollbars Transparency effects Animation effects Dismiss notifications after preferred amount of time |
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| Mouse pointer and touch | Mouse pointer style Mouse custom color Cursor size Touch indicator Make the touch indicator circle darker and larger |
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| Eye Control | Eye control On/Off Choose how to click Show gaze cursor Use Shape Writing Use advanced mouse features Typing Dwell Time General Dwell Time Smoothing Lag |
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| Text cursor | Text cursor indicator Text cursor indicator size Text cursor indicator color Text cursor indicator thickness |
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| Magnifier | Start Magnifier before sign-in Start Magnifier after sign-in Zoom level Zoom increment |
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| View | View preference | |||
| Have Magnifier follow my: | Mouse pointer Keyboard focus Text cursor Narrator cursor |
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| Keep the mouse pointer location Keep the text cursor location |
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| Invert Colors Smooth edges of images and text Reading shortcut |
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| Color filter | Color filters Preferred color filter selection Keyboard shortcut for color filters |
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| Contrast themes | Contrast themes | |||
| Narrator | Narrator’s voice | Choose a voice Speed Pitch Volume |
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| Lower the volume of other apps when Narrator is speaking | ||||
| Verbosity level | Verbosity level Emphasize formatted text Read phonetically when reading by character Pause slightly when reading punctuation Read advanced details like help text on buttons and other controls Change how capitalized text is read |
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| Context level for buttons and controls | Context level for buttons and controls Read hints on how to interact with buttons and other controls Tell me why actions can’t be performed Play sounds instead of announcements for common actions Tell me details about buttons and other controls |
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| Have Narrator announce when I type | Letters, numbers, and punctuation Words Function keys Arrow, Tab, and other navigation keys Toggle keys, like Caps lock and Num lock Shift, Alt, and other modifier keys |
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| Narrator key On touch keyboards, activate keys when I lift my finger Read and interact with the screen using the mouse Show the Narrator cursor Move my text cursor with the Narrator cursor as Narrator reads text Sync the Narrator cursor and system focus Decrease verbosity in Outlook |
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| Audio | Mono audio Preference for flashing screen during audio notifications |
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| Captions Live Captions |
Caption style Filter Profanity (In-app setting) Position (In-app setting) |
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| Speech | Voice access | Start voice access after you sign in to your PC Start voice access before you sign in to your PC Start Filter Profanity (In-app setting) Automatic Punctuation (In-app setting) |
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| Voice typing | Voice typing launcher (In-app setting) Automatic punctuation (In-app setting) |
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| Keyboard | Sticky keys | Use Sticky keys Keyboard shortcut for Sticky keys Show the sticky keys icon on the taskbar Lock shortcut keys when pressed twice in a row Turn off Sticky keys when two keys are pressed at the same time Play a sound when shortcut keys are pressed and released |
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| Filter keys | Use filter keys Keyboard shortcut for Filter keys Show the Filter keys icon on the taskbar Beep when keys are pressed or accepted |
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| Ignore quick keystrokes (slow keys) | Wait before accepting a key stroke | |||
| Ignore unintended keystrokes (bounce keys) | Wait before accepting repeated keystrokes | |||
| Ignore repeated keystrokes (repeat keys) | Wait before accepting the first repeated keystroke Wait before accepting subsequent repeated keystrokes |
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| Toggle keys | ||||
| Notification preferences | Notify me when I turn on Sticky, Filter, or Toggle keys from the keyboard Play a sound when I turn Sticky, Filter, or Toggle keys on or off from the keyboard |
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| Underline access keys Use the Print screen key to open Snipping Tool |
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| Mouse | Mouse keys | Mouse keys Only use mouse keys when Num lock is on Show the mouse keys icon on the taskbar Hold the Ctrl key to speed up and the Shift key to slow down Mouse keys speed Mouse keys acceleration |
Language preferences
| Setting page | Subpage | Setting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time & language | Language & region | Language profile Windows display language Country or region Regional format |
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| Typing | Touch keyboard | Play key sounds as I type Capitalize the first letter of each sentence Add a period after I double-tap the Spacebar Show the voice typing mic button |
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| Show text suggestions when typing on the physical keyboard Multilingual text suggestions Autocorrect misspelled words Highlight misspelled words |
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| Privacy & security | Inking & typing personalization | Custom dictionary | |
| Activity history | Store my activity history on this device |
Other Windows settings
| Setting page | Subpage | Setting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| System | Display | Multiple displays | Remember window locations based on monitor connection Minimize windows when a monitor is disconnected Ease cursor movement between displays Night Light |
| Notifications | Get notifications from apps and other senders | Allow notifications to play sounds Show notifications on the lock screen Show reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen |
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| Multitasking | Snap Windows | Snap windows When I snap a window, suggest what I can snap next to it |
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| Show tabs from apps when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab preference On the Desktop taskbar, show all the open windows Show all open windows when I press Alt+Tab |
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| For developers | File Explorer | Show file extensions Show hidden and system files Show full path in title bar Show empty drives |
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| Sound | Output | Mono audio | |
| Advanced | More sound settings (Sound schemes only) | ||
| Bluetooth & devices | Mouse | Primary Mouse Button Mouse pointer speed Roll the mouse wheel to scroll Lines to scroll at a time Scroll inactive windows when hovering over them |
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| Touchpad | Touchpad | ||
| Gestures & interaction | Cursor speed Touchpad feedback Haptic intensity |
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| Taps | Touchpad sensitivity Tap with a single finger to single-click Tap with two fingers to right-click Tap twice and drag to multi-select Press the lower right corner of the touchpad to right-click |
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| Scroll & zoom | Drag two fingers to scroll Scrolling direction Pinch to zoom |
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| Touch | Three- and four-finger touch gestures Tap to wake |
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| Pen & Windows Ink | Pen handedness Use the pen button as a right-click equivalent when it’s available Use the top of the pen to erase ink when it’s available Choose what your shortcut button does |
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| Choose what your shortcut button does | Single-click Double-click Press and hold (only supported by some pens) Allow apps to override the shortcut button behavior When available, show pen menu after I remove my pen from storage |
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| Additional pen settings | Show visual effects Show cursor Let me use my pen as a mouse when it’s available Ignore touch input when I’m using my pen Display additional keys pressed when using my pen |
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| Handwriting panel settings | Font Font size When I tap a text field with my pen, use the handwriting panel or touch keyboard to input text Write with your fingertip |
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| Autoplay | Use AutoPlay for all media and devices Choose AutoPlay removable drive default Choose AutoPlay memory card default |
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| USB | Connection notifications Show a notification if this PC is charging slowly over USB |
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| Printers & scanners | Let Windows manage my default printer | ||
| Network & internet | Wi-Fi | Random hardware addresses | |
| VPN | Allow VPN over metered networks Allow VPN while roaming |
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| Cellular | Cellular data per-app Wi-Fi failover Metered Let Windows keep me connected Data roaming option dropdown |
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| Accounts | Windows Backup | Remember my preferences | Accessibility Accounts and passwords Personalization Language preferences Other Windows settings |
| Email & Accounts | Accounts used by other apps (MSA accounts only) | ||
| Time & language | Date & time | Set time zone automatically Time zone | |
| Gaming | Game Bar | Open Game Bar using a button on a controller All shortcuts |
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| Game Mode | Use Game Mode | ||
| Windows Update | Get the latest updates as soon as they're available | ||
| Advanced options | Receive updates for other Microsoft products Get me up to date Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating |
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| Other | File Explorer | Single click to open an item (point to select): Underline icon titles Double click to open an item (single-click to select) Decrease space between items (compact view) Display full path in title bar Hide extensions for known file Types Hidden files and folders: Don’t show hidden files, folders, or drives/Show hidden files, folders, and drives Use check box to select items |
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| Recycle Bin | Display delete confirmation dialog | ||
| Desktop | View (Icon size, Auto arrange icons, Align icons to grid, Show desktop icons) Sort by (Name, Size, Item type, Date modified) |
Personalization
| Setting page | Subpage | Setting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personalization | Background | Personalize your background Choose a fit for your desktop image |
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| Colors | Choose your mode Choose your default Windows mode Choose your default app mode Transparency effects Accent color Show accent color on Start and taskbar Show accent color on title bars and window borders |
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| Themes | Current theme Custom inbox theme |
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| Lock screen | Personalize your lock screen Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen |
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| Text input | Theme for touch keyboard Touch keyboard size Show key background Key text size |
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| Start | Layout Show recently added apps Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists |
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| Folders | Settings File Explorer Documents Downloads Music Pictures Videos Network Personal folder |
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| Taskbar | Taskbar items | Task View Widgets |
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| Taskbar behaviors | Taskbar alignment Automatically hide the taskbar Show badges on taskbar apps Show flashing on taskbar apps Show my taskbar on all displays When using multiple displays show my taskbar apps on Show recent searches when I hover on the search icon Share any window from my taskbar Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars |
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| Other | Pins on Taskbar and Start Menu |
Credentials
Note
In Windows Settings > Accounts > Windows backup this is the Accounts and passwords checkbox.
| Setting page | Subpage | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Network & internet | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi profiles (only WPA profiles) |
| Other | Passwords | Web credentials |
