How to Fix Windows Backup and Restore Stuck on Windows 11

Windows Backup and Restore is a useful built-in feature that allows you to back up files or create a system image for recovery. However, some users report that Windows Backup and Restore gets stuck—often at stages like “Preparing to back up”, “Creating a system image”, “Backing up files”, or “Cleanup”. When this happens, the backup may run indefinitely without progress or fail silently.

This issue can be frustrating, especially when you rely on backups for data protection. The good news is that Windows Backup getting stuck is usually caused by stalled services, disk errors, corrupted system files, insufficient permissions, or conflicts with external drives—not permanent data loss. In this guide, we’ll walk you through all the effective ways to fix Windows Backup and Restore stuck on Windows 11.

Fix Windows Backup and Restore Stuck on Windows 11

Follow the solutions below in order. In most cases, one of these methods will allow the backup to complete successfully.

1. Give It Some Time (But Not Too Much)

Before stopping the process, make sure it’s truly stuck.

Large backups can take a long time, especially system images
Disk activity light blinking = backup may still be working
No disk activity for 30–60 minutes usually means it’s frozen

If there’s no progress for an extended period, move on to the next steps.

2. Restart Windows Backup Services

Backup relies on several background services that can become unresponsive.

Press Windows + R
Type services.msc and press Enter
Restart the following services:
- Windows Backup
- Volume Shadow Copy
- Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
Close Services
Retry the backup

Restarting these services often unsticks stalled backups.

3. Restart Your PC and Try Again

A clean restart can clear temporary glitches blocking the backup process.

Cancel the stuck backup (if possible)
Restart your PC
Do not open other apps
Start Backup and Restore again

Avoid multitasking while the backup is running.

4. Check the Backup Destination Drive

Problems with the destination drive are a very common cause of stuck backups.

Make sure the external drive is properly connected
Ensure the drive has enough free space
Avoid using network drives temporarily
Try a different USB port
Avoid USB hubs

If possible, try backing up to a different drive.

5. Run Check Disk on Source and Backup Drives

Disk errors can prevent Windows from copying files.

Open Command Prompt (Admin)
Run the following commands one by one: chkdsk C: /f /r chkdsk X: /f /r (Replace X: with your backup drive letter)
Press Y if prompted
Restart your PC and allow the scan to complete

After the scan, retry the backup.

6. Run SFC and DISM Scans

Corrupted system files can cause Backup and Restore to hang.

Open Command Prompt (Admin)
Run: sfc /scannow
After it completes, run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart your PC

These tools repair system components used during backups.

7. Disable Third-Party Antivirus Temporarily

Some antivirus programs interfere with file copying and shadow copies.

Temporarily disable third-party antivirus software
Run the backup again
Re-enable antivirus once the backup finishes

Only disable antivirus briefly and only during the backup process.

8. Check Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) Errors

Windows Backup depends heavily on Volume Shadow Copy.

Press Windows + X
Select Event Viewer
Go to: Windows Logs > Application
Look for VSS or VolSnap errors
Note any error messages or codes

If VSS errors are present, restarting VSS services (Fix #2) usually helps.

9. Clean Up Old Backup Files

Corrupted or incomplete old backups can cause new backups to hang.

Open Control Panel
Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
Click Manage space
Delete older backups
Retry the backup

This clears conflicts caused by old backup sets.

10. Perform Backup in a Clean Boot Environment

Background apps can interfere with backup operations.

Press Windows + R, type msconfig, press Enter
Go to the Services tab
Check Hide all Microsoft services
Click Disable all
Open Task Manager > Startup
Disable all startup apps
Restart your PC
Run Backup and Restore again

If the backup works, re-enable services gradually to find the conflict.

Wrapping Up

With that, we wrap up our complete guide on how to fix Windows Backup and Restore stuck on Windows 11. While a stuck backup can be worrying—especially when safeguarding important files—it is usually caused by service issues, disk errors, corrupted system files, or destination drive problems, not permanent data loss.

By restarting backup services, checking disk health, repairing system files, and ensuring the backup drive is stable, you should be able to complete your backup successfully.