Now that we all know the upcoming version of Windows, i.e. Windows 10, will be free for anyone, it gives us even more reason to upgrade. Time and again, I have always mentioned the fact that flashing an Android OS is way easier than formatting/upgrading a Windows operating system. Data backup of photos, music, and other important files can be easily performed on both the operating systems, but Android gives the ability to take backups of app settings to be restored after an upgrade.
Saved app data on Android, when restored, takes away the hassle of going to every nook and cranny of the settings in order to make them just like you had it before flashing.
Well, till just a few months back, there was no software available that could pull that stunt on Windows. But not anymore. Just in time for most of us to upgrade to Windows 10, there’s a tool that can back up your installed application settings.
The CloneApp for Windows
CloneApp is a nifty tool that can easily back up and restore application-based settings of some popular Windows applications. The app is portable in nature, so you can extract it to a folder when you download it – Although it’s advisable not to extract the app in the system directory.
After you download and run the application, the very first thing you will notice is that the interface resembles CCleaner.
Creating Backups on CloneApp
Under the Clone settings, you will find a list of all the apps supported by CloneApp. The complete list can be found at this link, but some of the most useful are Google Chrome, Microsoft Office, iTunes, uTorrent. Now all you need to do is select the apps you have installed on the system and click on the button Start CloneApp. The Select Installed option automatically selects the apps that you have installed on the system and makes sure you don’t miss out on anything.
See What’s Being Backed Up
The app makes a backup of all the files and registry settings it has on your computer. The backup doesn’t include the installed files, but related files used by the app or any profile data it has on your system. Like in the case of iTunes, the app backs up the entire library along with user settings from the registry. The backup is saved to the same folder where you extracted the app.
Note: Registry backups are quick, but if files have to be copied, it might take some time to copy all the related files. If the process is interrupted in between, please delete all the items in the backup folder and start the process again.
Backup Settings
To restore the settings after all the apps have been installed, click on the Restore button.
Added Bonus
Officially, the app supports around 138 applications, but additional apps can be added in the future using simple plugins. If you know the backup path of a particular app, click on custom and create a manual backup. Select the files, folders, and registry keys and add it into the list of backups.
Manual Back Up
Another interesting feature of the app is the ability to create a list of all the apps that are currently installed on your system. This list can then be used to keep track of every app you require after your system is upgraded. The list can be created by hitting the Windows button and clicking on the option Export Apps to Test File.
Create a list of installed Windows Apps
Let’s Collaborate to Upgrade to Windows 10 Effortlessly
Ninite, DriverMagic, and now CloneApp. The combo of these three free utilities can really take away the pain of initial configuration after installing a fresh version of Windows. Make a cloud backup of the data from these apps and you are covered for years to come. Additionally, if you would like to recommend a tool that would help in the Windows 10 migration, please drop a comment. It would help me and our readers to have a smooth transition.
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