The default option for running an operating system on a Raspberry Pi is using a microSD card. In most cases this is adequate; a few years ago, SD cards were prone to data corruption when used with a Raspberry Pi, but it’s less of an issue now.
Better card error correction and an operating system more optimized for SD storage has reduced the likelihood of corrupt cards. But it’s a good idea to back up your Raspberry Pi SD card.
What You Need to Back up a Raspberry Pi on Windows
Before starting, ensure your computer has enough storage space for the backup.
If you’re using Windows for your main PC, a couple of tools are available for backing up your Raspberry Pi.
- Balena Etcher
- Win32 Disk Imager
Both do a good job of backing up an SD card, so it’s really a matter of preference.
The steps below will explain how to clone your Raspberry Pi SD card and make a backup with both Etcher and Win32 Disk Imager.
What Type of Backup Can You Make?
Backing up a Raspberry Pi’s SD card lets you restore the operating system and all your apps and user data. This might be important for an electronics project, a coding project, or just as good back up practice.
Both SD card copying tools above will create an IMG file of your Raspberry Pi’s SD card. It’s essentially a direct copy of the data, or a clone, which is why the term is used interchangeably with “back up” in this context.
The IMG can be stored on your PC, on another device, or even copied direct to another microSD card.
Creating this backup will save time in the future, both when installing a fresh Raspberry Pi system and when installing apps and utilities.
Limitations of Raspberry Pi Backups
Providing there is enough storage space on the target device, the Raspberry Pi’s SD card can be backed up.
How long it takes to write the Raspberry Pi disk image to the target device will depend on various factors. These include the speed of the PC, the quality of the card reader, and the speed of the flash storage on the microSD card.
Read on to learn how to clone your Raspberry Pi microSD card on a Windows PC or laptop. Before starting, power down your Raspberry Pi and eject the SD card.
How to Clone Your Raspberry Pi SD Card With Etcher
To clone your Raspberry Pi SD card with the multi-platform Etcher tool, start by downloading the app.
Download: Etcher for Windows (Free)
Make a Raspberry Pi SD Card Back in Etcher
To make a back-up of the Raspberry Pi’s microSD card, first insert it into your computer’s card reader. Then, ensure you have a target device connected.
Using a disk partition that is not a removable device or dedicated partition will erase all data on the target.
Etcher is a fully-featured flash drive writing and copying tool, and getting the steps wrong can lead to a loss of data. To clone your Raspberry Pi SD card:
- Launch Etcher
- Select Clone drive
- In Select source highlight the SD card as the source drive
- Click Select 1 to proceed
- In Select target choose a destination - this should be a second SD card, USB flash device, or a dedicated partition on your computer’s SSD or HDD
- Click Select 1 with the destination selected (additional SD cards can be written to simultaneously if inserted)
- Click Flash to start cloning
The Etcher app will notify you when the process is complete, and you can eject the card.
Restore a Cloned SD Card Disk Image in Etcher
Creating a new SD card for your Raspberry Pi with the backed up data is simple.
- Launch Etcher
- Select Flash from file
- Browse to the cloned IMG file
- Click Select
- In Select target, highlight the target microSD card and click Select 1
- Click Flash
Again, a notification will inform you when the process is complete. After safely ejecting the SD card, you should be able to boot it in your Raspberry Pi