Most small businesses we talk to have some kind of backup. Far fewer have ever tried to get a file back from it. That matters, because a backup only proves its worth on the day you need it — and that's the worst possible day to discover it stopped running months ago, or that it never included the folder you actually care about.
The NCSC's guidance for small organisations is straightforward: back up the data your business needs to operate, keep a copy separate from the device it came from, and make sure the backups are recent and can be restored. This post covers the last part: how to run a simple restore test on Windows 11 and macOS.
What a good restore test looks like
You don't need to rebuild a whole computer to test a backup. A useful test answers four questions:
- Is the backup still running? Check the date of the most recent backup.
- Does it include the right things? Look for a folder you know matters — invoices, quotes, client files.
- Can you get a file back? Restore one real file to a different location and open it.
- Could someone else do it? Write the steps down so the test doesn't rely on one person's memory.
Restoring to a different location is the key safety habit. It means a test can never overwrite the current version of a file.
Windows 11: File History
File History backs up copies of files in your libraries and user folders to an external drive or network location. It still lives in Control Panel rather than the Settings app.
Check it's running:
- Connect the backup drive.
- Open Control Panel, then go to System and Security > File History.
- Check that File History is turned on and look at when files were last copied.
Test a restore:
- In the same File History window, select Restore personal files.
- Use the arrows at the bottom to move between backup dates, and browse to a folder you care about.
- Select a file. To avoid overwriting the current copy, right-click the green restore button (or select the cog icon) and choose Restore to, then pick a test folder such as a new folder on the desktop.
- Open the restored file and check it's complete and readable.
Then disconnect the drive. The NCSC specifically warns that backup devices shouldn't stay connected when not in use, because some malware, including ransomware, can spread to attached storage.
Windows 11: Windows Backup and OneDrive
The Windows Backup app works differently. It backs up selected folders, settings and some apps to your Microsoft account and OneDrive, and its full restore is designed to happen when you set up a new or reset PC by signing in with the same Microsoft account.
You can still test the file side without resetting anything:
- Open Windows Backup from the Start menu and check which folders are being backed up and that syncing is up to date.
- Sign in to OneDrive in a web browser and browse to one of those folders.
- Download a file and open it.
Bear in mind that a synced folder isn't the same as an independent backup. If a file is deleted or encrypted on the PC, that change syncs to OneDrive too. OneDrive's version history and recycle bin help, but for business-critical data it's worth having a second, separate copy as well, as the NCSC suggests.
macOS: Time Machine
Time Machine backs up your whole Mac to an external drive or a supported network location.
Check it's running:
- Open Apple menu > System Settings, select General in the sidebar, then Time Machine.
- Check the backup disk is listed and look at the date of the latest backup.
Test a restore of a single item:
- Open a Finder window for the folder that holds the file you want to test, such as Documents.
- Open Time Machine — use Spotlight, or the Time Machine icon in the menu bar if you've added it.
- Use the arrows and the timeline on the right to move back to an earlier backup.
- Select a file and click Restore.
Restored items return to their original location. If a file with the same name already exists, macOS asks whether to keep the original, keep both, or replace it — choose Keep Both for a test. Then open the restored copy and check it.
Many Mac apps also offer File > Revert To > Browse All Versions, which shows earlier versions of a document from Time Machine. It's a quick way to confirm that recent changes are being captured.
Know how a full restore works: If a Mac fails completely, Apple's Migration Assistant can restore your apps, user accounts and files from a Time Machine backup onto a working or replacement Mac. You don't need to rehearse this every month, but it's worth knowing where it is — Applications > Utilities > Migration Assistant — and that large transfers can take hours.
How often to test
There's no single right answer, but a simple rhythm works for most small businesses:
- Monthly: check the last backup date on each computer and restore one file.
- Quarterly: restore a whole folder to a test location, and check a backup from at least a few weeks ago, not just yesterday's.
- After any change: a new computer, a new backup drive, a new cloud service or a reorganised folder structure is exactly when a backup silently stops covering the right things.
Write it down
Keep a short log: the date, which computer, what you restored, from which backup date, and whether it worked. It takes a minute and turns "I think the backups are fine" into evidence. It also means that if the person who usually handles IT is away, someone else can follow the steps.
Protect the backup itself
- Keep at least one copy disconnected or offsite. A drive that's always plugged in can be hit by the same problem as the computer.
- Turn on 2-step verification for any cloud account that holds backups. Anyone who can sign in to that account can reach your backups too.
- Encrypt backup drives where possible. Time Machine offers an encryption option when you add a backup disk.
Where People's Digital fits
Backups and updates monitoring is built into our Business Care plan at £90/month, along with monthly checkups and a plain-English report of what we checked. If you're not sure your backups would actually get you back up and running, contact us and we'll help you find out — before you need them.