Our verdict: Macrium Reflect is a fast, reliable disk imaging tool with incremental backups, quick restores and protection for backup files. The old free edition is gone: today there is only a 30-day trial, after which a yearly subscription is needed to keep making backups.
About Macrium Reflect Home
Macrium Reflect Home, now built on Macrium's Reflect X engine, creates image backups of whole disks and partitions and file-and-folder backups on a schedule. Rapid Delta Restore copies back only changed data, interrupted backups can resume, and Image Guardian blocks other programs from changing Macrium backup files to protect them from ransomware.
Macrium no longer offers a free edition: its own FAQ says the only free version is the 30-day trial. The trial is started from a Macrium account and does not need a credit card. When the trial or a subscription ends, Reflect falls back to restore-only mode, so you can still restore existing backups but cannot make new ones. Reflect Home costs $49.99 a year for one PC.
What it does well
- Disk imaging. Back up whole disks or partitions, including the running Windows system.
- Incremental and scheduled backups. Run backups automatically and save only changed data.
- Rapid Delta Restore. Restores only the blocks that changed, so recovery is quick.
- Image Guardian. Stops other programs from modifying Macrium backup files.
- Open file formats. Macrium publishes its image and file backup formats as open source.
Who it is for
Good fit
Home users who want dependable full-disk images and fast restores and are fine with a subscription.
Look elsewhere
Anyone looking for a free backup tool for long-term use.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Fast imaging and restores
- Ransomware protection for backup files
- Resumes interrupted backups
- Supports ARM-based Windows PCs
Cons
- No free edition any more, only a 30-day trial
- Yearly subscription; after it ends the app is restore-only
- Trial requires a Macrium account
How to install Macrium Reflect Home
Start the trial from the Macrium Reflect Home page; it goes through a Macrium account, but no card is needed. After installing, create rescue media straight away so you can restore an image if Windows will not start. Each license covers one PC.
Questions about Macrium Reflect Home
Is Macrium Reflect free?
No. The free edition was discontinued; Macrium offers a 30-day trial without a credit card, started from a Macrium account. After it, Reflect Home costs $49.99 a year per PC, and without a license it only restores existing backups.
What happens to my backups when the Macrium subscription expires?
Macrium says Reflect falls back to restore-only mode, so existing backups stay accessible and restorable.
