The best disc cloning software makes it easy to make a copy of your hard drive as a backup and then restore it if you need to. You can save your work with backup software, but that will only save your folders and files. If you want to copy your applications and computer registry, you will need disc cloning software to be able to restore a full and working version of your operating system.
You could set up and clone a backup drive inside your PC’s case, or you might set it up as an external drive that you could store off-site if you needed to. Cloning apps have their place, but if you want to make regular backups, you will need an app that is trustworthy, reliable, and likely to keep data integrity without compromising it. Here are the best disc cloning programs you can get right now.
The Best Free Cloning Software to Create Hard Drive Backups
Below are the tools you need to clone disk for free. Use them to back up the hard drive and put all your data related worries to rest.
1. EaseUS Todo Backup
When the talk is about the best free cloning software, we cannot miss the name of EaseUS Todo Backup. This utility helps you create disk backups effortlessly in just a few clicks. Let’s have a look at its prominent features.
Features
- Doubles up as a file image compressor.
- It allows you to create automated file and directory backups.
- Lets you store the backup on the hard drive and cloud platforms such as Google Drive and Dropbox.
- With its smart backup functionality, you can create disk backups every thirty minutes
2. MiniTool Partition Wizard
Here comes a feature-rich disk cloning software. It encompasses several features like the option to recover data, create backups, disk partitioning, etc. Below are its other exciting features.
Features
- In the case of larger target drivers, it changes the size of Windows partition so that you can effortlessly create a hard drive image
- Hosts three themes for creating backups, namely incremental, full, and deferential.
- It is also the best cloning software for SSD if you clone the SDD drive on the same PC.
- Lets you restore the PC to the earlier state.
3. Acronis Disk Director
This best free disk imaging software helps you keep all your data related worries at a bay. It lets you create disk partitions and resize or move the disk without making you lose even a bit of data. Apart from this, below is what else it offers.
Features
- It lets you clone disk for free and creates partitions in a snap of fingers.
- You can retrieve the deleted data with its disk editing functionality.
- Lets you replace the hard disk without installing the applications, settings, and OS again.
- There is support for even 4K hard disks.
Also read: Best 11 Free Audio Sound Equalizer For Windows 10
4. CloneZilla
Whenever the discussion about the best disk image software begins, the name of CloneZilla definitely comes to the mind. Seamless cloning and imaging have made this tool a favorite of millions. Here are the features that we liked in this utility.
Features
- Lets you select from three different software versions depending upon the number of computers you want the cloning tool for.
- It supports multiple file systems such as ext2, ext4, ext3, etc.
- Saves the used part of the hard disk for better cloning.
5. AOMEI Backupper
This is another best drive cloning software that you may consider. This free utility hosts tools such as disaster recovery to keep your data secure. Let’s talk about more of its features.
Features
- Boasts three backup modes, namely incremental, full, and differential.
- Lets you sync files and folders in real-time.
- With this best free disk imaging software, you can also scan HDD to SSD, SSD to SSD, and HDD to HDD for data transfer and updates.
- Supports all the Windows versions.
6. O & O DiskImage 15
This is among the best free hard drive cloning software to create file backups without hampering your work. Moreover, it also makes it easy for you to retrieve the data. Below we discuss more of its features.
Features
- There is support for both SSD drives and UEFI systems.
- Lets you restore the system and create hard drive duplicates.
- It allows you to retrieve the hard drive through different hardware.
- With this software, you can backup the drive both manually and automatically.
Also read: Best Free Uninstaller Software for Windows in 2022
7. PING
If you are looking for the best software to clone hard drive on Windows 11/10 for free and that too without the internet, then this is our topmost recommendation. It lets you create a bootable restoration disk offline. Moreover, below are its additional features.
Features
- It allows you to locally backup and restores the files/partitions.
- With this software, you can also restore and create backup for BIOS data.
- Doubles up as a CD/DVD burner.
- Lets you create a restoration bootable DVD.
8. R-Drive Image
This entrant on our list is also the best disk cloning software for Windows 11 or 10. The simplistic user interface and functionalities such as seamless byte to byte disk copying attracted us to this utility. In addition to this, below are its other attractive features.
Features
- Boasts a shortcut menu to quickly perform actions such as restoring data.
- It allows you to burn the image on a CD/DVD.
- Compresses the data so that the hard drive can get breathing space.
- Lets you copy a whole disk on another one.
Also read: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10
9. NovaBackup PC
The next on our list is an incredible and the best free cloning software for Windows 10. It encompasses an ocean of options to let you effortlessly backup and restore the disk data. Here are some of its incredible features.
Features
- Lets you backup both specific files as well as the entire hard disk.
- It even supports restoration of a single file.
- Allows you to schedule the backups as per your preference.
- There is support for NTFS drives.
- Encrypts the data using AES 256-bit, AES 192-bit, and AES 128-bit encryption.
10. Macrium Reflect
If you are looking for the best hard drive cloning software for professional use, then you may consider this utility. This freely available tool offers a variety of options to backup the data and keep it secure. Here we discuss the central ones out of them.
Features
- With this software, you can clone the disk as well as create disk image backups.
- Grants 30-day support through email.
- It allows you to schedule backups according to your wish.
- Boots the backup in a Hyper-V VM.
11. Paragon Drive Copy
Here’s another hard disk cloning software that lets you effortlessly transfer the data. With this tool, you can even copy your OS to a USB. Apart from this, below are its other striking features.
Features
- It allows you to effortlessly transfer the OS to a new computer.
- This program recovers and copies data even if there is a variation in the sector size.
- With this software, you can merge and split partitions with ease.
- Lets you create and manage partitions without any hassles.
12. PCmover
This best free hard drive cloning software is your go-to place if you want to clone individual files, folders, and account settings. Not only this several other features also make it a popular choice among users. Here we talk about the same.
Features
- Boasts an easy to use wizard.
- Lets you exclude the files and folders that you don’t want to be cloned.
- It allows you to undo the actions and changes made to your PC.
13. Daemon Tools Pro 8
If a disk mounting utility is what you need, then we would suggest Daemon Tools Pro. This best drive cloning software lets you mount images from an app or explorer without any hassles. Let’s talk about more of its features.
Features
- With this software, you can even create a virtual and dynamic HDD.
- It allows you to compress the files and convert them.
- Lets you password-protect the important files.
- Hosts a variety of tools to create and edit data images.
14. DriveImage XML
This is another best HDD cloning software that lets you backup the drives and partitions easily.With this tool, you can even make or restore images to other drives. Apart from this, here are its other features.
Features
- Lets you schedule the backups.
- It is a straightforward and user-friendly tool to clone HDD for free.
- With Microsoft Volume Shadow Services, you can create images even when you are busy doing something else on the PC
- There is support for directly copying from one drive to another.
15. Active Disk Image
This is perhaps the best free tool to clone HDD to SSD. No matter whether you want to clone HDD, USD, CD, Blu-ray, it lets you do it all. Moreover, below is what else it offers to delight users.
Features
- With this best cloning software for SSD, you can schedule backups.
- It allows you to backup the disk image as well as store the same again.
- There is support for Windows servers.
- Lets you reduce the image size for increased disk space.
Above were the best free cloning software that you can use. But, before jumping on trying any of them, it is important to clear some doubts that you may have. The below section answers the frequent questions about disk cloning tools to clear all your confusion.
Frequently Asked Questions about Disk Cloning Software
Q1. What is the need for disk cloning?
You never know when your PC may crash or the hard disk gets corrupt. To keep data safe in such situations, creating a backup is crucial. Disk cloning helps you easily backup the data.
Q2. How is disk imaging different from disk cloning?
Most of the users think that these terms mean one and the same. But, their meanings are different.Disk cloning direct copies the hard drive. Whereas, disk imaging is the process of creating hard drive achieves that can be used later to create direct copies.
Q3. What is better between disk cloning and imaging?
In our view, it is better to use disk cloning as it creates the hard drive’s direct copy. Whereas, disk imaging only reduces the file sizes and compiles everything into a single large file
Wrapping Up: The Best Cloning Software For Windows Devices
This post was about the best free software for copying hard drives. You can use any of the software listed above, as they all work just as well as each other.
The best way to have a backup plan in case a computer goes down is to back up your systems and make copies of disc images. The best thing about hard drive cloning software is that it lets you back up your os and files.
Since more companies are looking for ways to recover data, disc cloning software has become more popular, so there are more tools available. Last but not least, before we say goodbye, we suggest that you subscribe to and bookmark Explorate Global Blog so you can get more tech news and information like this.
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