Last Updated on October 7, 2026
**Macrium Reflect is no longer free so for information on how to clone a hard drive to another disk using the free version of Macrium Reflect, as well as how to download the free version, check out this article.
As you probably know, you should be performing backups of your important files on a regular basis. Many people like to do file level backups while others like to do image backups which backup the operating system, programs and your files. When it comes to restoring backup images, there are a couple of ways to do so. Most of the time, you will use the backup software within Windows to restore the image back to the computer.
But if for some reason you can’t load Windows to restore your backup image, you can boot into the recovery mode of the backup software and restore it that way, assuming the software you are using supports this method. In this video, we will be showing you how to create & restore a Windows backup image in Macrium Reflect using the recovery media option. This way you can restore your computer even if it won’t boot into Windows.
The main thing you need to realize when using this method is that you need to create recovery media before your computer crashes, otherwise you will not have a way to restore your backup image.
Creating a Windows Backup Image Using Macrium Reflect
1. Build the Rescue Media
If you plan on making a bootable CD, DVD, or flash drive, then you will need to click on Other Tasks and then Create Rescue Media. You will then click on ISO file and choose a name and location where you will have the ISO file created. Then you can burn it to a disc or create a bootable flash drive using a tool such as Rufus. This physical drive becomes your lifeline during a severe system crash.
2. Add Macrium to the Boot Menu
There is also an option to add an entry for Macrium Reflect directly to the Windows boot menu. When you do this, you will have an option to boot into the Macrium Reflect recovery mode every time you turn on your computer. This saves you from needing a physical USB drive. It provides instant access to the recovery tools before Windows even loads.
3. Select the Drive to Backup
To create the Windows backup image, you can click on the Create Backups tab and choose your main Windows drive. There you will see two options for creating a system image. Both the image selected disks on this computer and the create an image of the partitions required to backup and restore Windows work in a similar manner. If you use the image selected disks on this computer option, just be sure to choose all the partitions on your Windows drive.
4. Specify the Backup Location
Once you select your Windows drive and its partitions, you will need to specify exactly where you want to save the backup image. You also need to give it a descriptive name. Just be sure to save it on a completely different drive other than your primary Windows drive. Saving it to the same drive defeats the entire purpose of a backup.
5. Open Advanced Backup Options
Clicking on Advanced Options will allow you to change a variety of settings for your backup job. You can easily adjust the compression level and target file size. You can also have your image verified to make sure there is nothing wrong with it. There is even an option to send email notifications when the job is complete.
6. Configure Compression and File Size
Under the compression settings, you can adjust exactly how much the backup will be compressed. The more you compress it, the smaller it will be on your drive but the longer it will take to backup. The File Size option can be used to split your backup file into smaller individual files rather than one large file. If you are using the FAT32 filesystem on your backup drive, you will not be able to have backup files larger than 4GB.
7. Set Passwords and Verification
Here you can add a password or encrypt your backup file for extra security. This prevents unauthorized users from extracting your personal data. Auto Verify Image is used to verify the integrity of your backup file immediately after creation. You always want to know your backup is fully functional before an emergency strikes.
8. Adjust Naming and Shutdown Rules
The Backup Set File Name Prefix is used to define the starting part of the file name for all the image files in a backup set. Comments allow you to add a note to help keep track of your backups directly inside the file metadata. The Shutdown menu lets you tell the program to do things such as restart or shutdown the computer automatically after the backup is complete. If you want to have an email sent for backup success, warnings, or failures, you can do so here but you will need to configure your email server settings first.
9. Schedule the Backup Job
It is also possible to schedule the backup job if you plan on making backups on a regular basis. You should know that your backup will only be as current as the exact date and time it was made. If you restore a backup image that is 6 months old, any system changes such as updates, new apps, and edited files will be lost. You can schedule them and also choose from full, differential, and incremental backups. There are also backup templates you can use such as grandfather, father, son, or intra-daily backups.
10. Save the Backup Definition File
Once you have everything configured the way you want, you will then be shown a summary screen. You can then click on the Finish button to start the backup. You will then be prompted to save your backup settings in a definition file in case you want to run this backup again with the exact same options. This is an optional step but can come in very handy when repeating backup jobs frequently.
11. Run the Backup Process
The Windows backup image will then be created immediately. This should not take that long but the process will vary depending on the speed of your hard drive. It also depends heavily on exactly how many files and folders are currently on the disk.
Restoring a Windows Backup Image Using Macrium Reflect
1. Boot into the Recovery Environment
When it comes to restoring a Windows backup image, there are a couple of ways to accomplish this. You can boot your computer to the recovery image you created on a CD or flash drive to get into the Macrium recovery mode. If you chose the option to add an entry to the Windows boot menu, you can then choose the Macrium Reflect System Recovery option when you start your computer. This is the screen you will see each time you boot your computer, and you can simply click on the Windows option to start your computer normally. If you do not choose an option, it will eventually time out and load Windows.
2. Navigate the Recovery Interface
Either method will get you into the Macrium recovery section as seen in the image below. It will look very similar to the main interface you used to create the image originally. This familiar layout makes navigating the recovery tools incredibly simple.
3. Locate Your Existing Backup
You will then click on the Existing Backups tab. If you do not see your backup image, you can right-click All Folders and browse to the location where you saved the image file. Once you have found the image you want to restore, you can right-click on it and choose Restore Image from the context menu.
4. Confirm Source and Destination Drives
Macrium should then show you the source and destination drives side by side. These should both be the exact same drive since you are restoring your backup image over your current Windows installation. Double check these drive letters to ensure you do not overwrite the wrong disk.
5. Customize Advanced Restore Options
After you click the Next button, you will then be shown a summary screen. At the lower left, there will be a link for Advanced Options where you can customize how the restoration will be performed. You can toggle features like Rapid Delta Restore to speed up the recovery process significantly.
6. Accept the Overwrite Warning
After you click the Next button, you will have to check the box that says All target volume data will be overwritten to continue. This is your final warning before the software wipes the target drive. Make absolutely sure you have selected the correct destination.
7. Complete the Restore Process
The image restore process will then start immediately. Your computer will automatically be rebooted after the process is complete unless you change the option from the dropdown menu next to After Restore. If you chose the option to have the boot menu shown, you will then need to choose Windows rather than Macrium Reflect System Recovery.
8. Boot Back Into Windows
Once your computer reboots, you will then be running the exact version of Windows that was made during the image creation process. Everything will look and perform exactly as it did on that specific date. Your system is now fully recovered and ready for use.
For additional training resources, check out our online IT training courses.
Check out our extensive IT book series.
