✅ WHAT YOU CAN BACK UP

These items can be safely copied to another drive and restored after reinstalling Windows:

✔ Photos, Videos, Music, Documents

Everything in your user folders.

✔ Browser Bookmarks/Favorites

• Chrome/Edge/Firefox bookmarks

• (Passwords too, only if synced)

✔ Game saves

(If stored in Documents or cloud-synced)

✔ Personal Files & Project Files

• Word, Excel, PDF

• QuickBooks company files

• AutoCAD drawings

• etc.

❌ WHAT YOU CANNOT DIRECTLY BACK UP

You are correct that Windows cannot simply “copy and restore” these:

✘ Installed applications/programs

You cannot copy the program folder and expect it to work after reinstall.
Most apps must be reinstalled.

✘ App settings stored in the Windows registry

These are wiped during reformat unless the app has its own export/import option.

✘ Most software licenses/activations

Licenses do not transfer automatically unless:

• The app uses a cloud account (Microsoft Office, Adobe, Steam, etc.)

• The app provides an export option

• You manually save the license key

✘ Drivers

Drivers are reinstalled after Windows setup.

⚠️ IMPORTANT — SOME EXCEPTIONS

While you cannot fully back up programs, there are a few exceptions:

🔸 Some programs allow exporting settings manually

Examples:

• Google Chrome sync

• Firefox sync

• OBS Studio profile export

• Microsoft Office account login

• Some games (Steam/EA/etc.) cloud sync saves

• QuickBooks backup file (.QBB)

🔸 Software with license keys can often be saved

If you have:

• A product key

• A login account

• A license file
  You can re-activate after reinstall.