Where restored files go, and what happens to files already there
The three places a restore can write to, the three rules for a file that is already there, and dates and attributes.
Every restore answers two questions: where should the files go, and what if a file is already there? Both are on the right of the page where you tick the files, under Restore to.
Restore to#
The examples restore D:\Users\Alex\Documents\Invoices\2026-03.pdf with D:\Restored as the folder you pick.
| Option | The file lands at |
|---|---|
| Original location | D:\Users\Alex\Documents\Invoices\2026-03.pdf, where it came from |
| Another folder, keeping the tree | D:\Restored\D\Users\Alex\Documents\Invoices\2026-03.pdf: the whole original path, with the drive as a folder |
| One flat folder | D:\Restored\2026-03.pdf: every ticked file straight into one folder |
Which to choose:
- Original location puts back what was lost.
- Another folder, keeping the tree lets you look before you replace anything, keeps an old version next to the current one, and suits a new PC whose folders are laid out differently.
- One flat folder is for "those twelve photos in one place". When two files have the same name, the second becomes
2026-03 (2).pdf.
A restore to the original location needs the drive the files came from. On a PC without that drive it stops before it starts: The drive these files came from (E:) isn't connected. (E-SET-004). Choose another folder instead.
Two restores cannot write into the same folder at once. The second is refused until the first ends.
If a file already exists#
| Rule | What happens |
|---|---|
| Never replace | the file already there is left alone and counted as Skipped. Use it to bring back only what is missing |
| Replace only if the backup is newer (default) | the backup's copy replaces the file only when its modified date is later. It undoes damage without undoing work done since |
| Always replace | the backup's copy wins every time and is counted as Replaced. Use it to get exactly the point in time |
Every file is checked against its checksum before it is written, so a damaged copy or a wrong password never replaces a good file. A large file is written under a temporary name and takes its real name only when it is complete.
Restore dates and attributes#
On by default. Each restored file and folder gets back its created and modified dates and its read-only, hidden and system attributes, and empty folders come back too. Turn it off if you want the restored files to look new, for example so a sync program picks them up.