On a Windows 10 based computer with the System Protection enabled, the following problem appears when trying to restore a file/folder using the ‘Restore Previous versions’ feature: “There are no previous versions available”.
The error “There are no previous versions available” occurs because in Windows 10 the “Restore Previous versions” feature works only if you have configured the ‘File History’ to back up your files. This means that the ‘Restore Previous Versions’ feature in Windows 10, looks at the backup location of the “File History Backup tool” to find a previous version of a file/folder, and not at the System Restore Points, as happens in Windows 7. To enable the File History in Windows 10, follow the instructions on the following articles:
- Related articles:
- How to Backup Personal Files with File History in Windows 10.
- How to Create Shadow Copies of your Files with Task Scheduler in Windows 10
How to FIX: There No Previous Versions of Files Available in Windows 10.
If ‘File History’ is already enabled* on your Windows 10 PC, but you receive the message “There are no previous versions available”, when you try to restore the previous version of a file or folder, follow the instructions below:
* Note: The below instructions doesn’t work if the File History is not ALREADY enabled on your Windows 10 PC.
1. Download and install the ShadowExplorer utility on your PC.
2. Open ‘ShadowExplorer’ and select the date from where you want to restore the file. *
* Note: If you do not see a previous date, it means that File History is disabled. Keep in mind that even if you turn on File History now, the result will be the same, because File History creates snapshots of your files from the moment it is activated and then.
3. Navigate to the storage location of the file/folder that you want to restore to its previous version.
4. When you locate the file that you want to restore, right click on it and select Export.
5. Select a different disk (location) to save the restored file and click OK. *
Important: Save the restored files(s) to another disk (e.g. a flash drive), and only after ensuring that you have the correct files, copy them to the original location in order to avoid overwrite the original files.
That’s all folks! Did it work for you?
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