How to Extract Individual Files from Windows System Image Backup

Making a backup on a regular basis is the most effective way to tackle data loss on Windows computer. One of the most commonly-used backup methods on Windows 10, 8, 7 is System Image.

If you have an available System Image backup and need to restore just a couple of files from the backup, you don't have to factory reset your PC and restore the whole backup. Here is a helpful trick for you to extract individual files from System Image backup on Windows 10/8/7.

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Extract Individual Files from Windows 10/8/7 Image Backup Step-by-step

Step 1: Launch Computer Management
Click the Start button and search for Computer Management to launch the program.

Step 2: Attach VHD from System Image Backup Files
In Computer Management, click Action > Attach VHD. In the pop-up menu, click Browse to navigate to the location of your System Image backup files.

You'll see one or more VHDX files in your Windows Image Backup folder and each VHDX file is a backup. Select the backup that contains the files you want to restore and click Open.

Tip: VHD stands for virtual hard disk. When you are making a system image backup on your PC, you are actually creating a VHD file to back up your data. That's why you can attach the image backup as a VHD and extract the files from the drive.

Step 3: Check VHD in Disk Management
Now the System Image backup is attached as a virtual hard drive. You should find the new drive with a blue icon in Disk Management. If the drive doesn't have an available drive letter, you'll have to assign a drive letter to it manually.

Step 4: Extract Files from Windows Image Backup
After you have ensured that the Image backup is available as a drive in the Disk Management, open File Explorer and select the new drive to access and restore needed files from the backup. After you get all the files you need from the backup, right-click the drive and select Eject to close the VHD of your Windows PC.

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