Backup utility

Before any major operation you perform on a PC that can put important files at risk, it’s best to save them either in a secure archive, or somewhere on an USB flash drive to keep them safe. In this regard, specialized applications like Backup utility come with the means to easily and efficiently pack a selection of files and folders into archives for extra protection from malicious content or accidental removal.

Create backups through archives

Aesthetics are not the main concern here, so the application keeps all of features in a classic window frame, with a large area spread into two panels, for source, and target. This simplicity makes the program easy to figure out, but the overall design still doesn’t feel intuitive.
The core function is to allow you to select important folders and either bundle them up in existing archives, or create new ones. Sadly, drag and drop is not supported, so you need to rely on the built-in browse dialog, which gets really frustrating to use, due to the choice in default layout and folder arrangement.

Good but far from being a pro

Once you load directories, all that’s left is to specify where they need to end up. Unfortunately, there aren’t any extra security options bundled in the application, which means there’s no way to add a password, even if the output archive is RAR and not ZIP.
When choosing to add folders to an existing archive, there’s a special field that lets you add custom parameters. File path also needs to be added, but you must write down the path manually. If you pick an internal type, you’re only asked for the output archive format, which can either be RAR or ZIP.
In other words, the application just saves you some time when creating archives, or at least it attempts to. There’s no context-menu integration, unlike regular utilities, and even though the task can be saved and later on continued, the overall process feels shallow, and confusing at times.

On an ending note

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that Backup utility is nothing more than a central point from which to bundle target directories inside a couple of archive formats, even if the host applications are not installed. The visual design, as well as the set of features itself leave more to be desired, thus many are easily tempted to look for alternative backup solutions.