Editing Shadow Copy (section)

{{Short description|Microsoft technology for storage snapshots}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Shadow Copy
| screenshot = Previous Versions Vista.png
| screenshot_size = 300px
| caption = ''Previous Versions'' in [[Windows Vista]], a part of [[Windows Explorer]] that allows persistent shadow copies to be created
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| other_names = {{Plainlist|
*Volume Snapshot Service<ref name=VSS-symantec-glossary>{{cite web|title=Volume Snapshot Service (VSS)|url=http://www.symantec.com/security_response/glossary/define.jsp?letter=v&word=volume-snapshot-service-vss|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513111005/https://www.symantec.com/security_response/glossary/define.jsp?letter=v&word=volume-snapshot-service-vss|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 May 2016|work=Glossary|publisher=Symantec|access-date=2 May 2013}}</ref>
*Previous Versions
*Shadow Copies for Shared Folders8
*VSS<ref name=VSS-msdn>{{cite web|title=Volume Shadow Copy Service Overview|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa384649%28v=vs.85%29.aspx|work=[[MSDN#Library|MSDN Library]]|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=2 May 2013|date=5 November 2012}}</ref> 
  }}
| service_name = VSS<ref name=VSS-msdn />
| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
}}
'''Shadow Copy''' (also known as '''Volume Snapshot Service''',<ref name=VSS-symantec-glossary /> '''Volume Shadow Copy Service'''<ref name=VSS-msdn /> or '''VSS'''<ref name=VSS-msdn />) is a technology included in [[Microsoft Windows]] that can create backup copies or [[Snapshot (computer storage)|snapshots]] of [[computer file]]s or [[volume (computing)|volumes]], even when [[File locking|they are in use]]. It is implemented as a [[Windows service]] called the ''Volume Shadow Copy'' service. A software ''VSS provider'' service is also included as part of Windows to be used by Windows applications. Shadow Copy technology requires either the Windows [[NTFS]] or [[ReFS]] filesystems in order to create and store shadow copies. Shadow Copies can be created on local and external (removable or network) volumes by any Windows component that uses this technology, such as when creating a scheduled [[Windows Backup]] or automatic [[System Restore]] point.