How to back-up your devices the right way

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Computers don’t last forever. Hard drives fail, devices get stolen, and ransomware attacks can lock you out of your own files in seconds. If that happens and you don’t have a backup, your photos, documents, and personal data could be gone for good. The good news is that protecting your files is easier than ever. With the right backup plan, you can recover your data quickly and avoid a major digital disaster.

 

 

 

Build a backup plan before disaster strikes

Creating a backup plan does not have to be complicated. In this guide, we will walk through the most common ways to protect your files and the tools that make the process easier.

In this article, you will learn about:

• How to pick the right size backup drive
• Cloud Storage options
• External Storage such as hard drives
• Portable flash drive backups

 

The Perfect Backup Plan

Since most of us keep our most precious personal data on a computer, it’s important to have a backup plan ready for that moment when said computer bites the dust.

You’ve got two paths here. The choices are fairly simple: in the cloud or on an external drive. Keeping a backup in the cloud somewhere other than in your real possession, or backing up to an external drive that you control. I’ve long ago lost trust in storing anything valuable and meaningful on someone else’s cloud. I still use cloud storage, just not for what’s sensitive and truly important. My assumption is that anything you store on a cloud system is not private.

Use an external drive and unplug

I recommend backing up to a physical drive that you keep in a safe place once your info is backed up. That means, you make occasional backups, then for safety, unplug the external backup drive and store it in a safe place such as a fireproof safe, safety deposit box, etc. When it’s not plugged into your computer, a hacker has little to no chance of gaining access to your stuff.

 

On Windows (built-in options)

Option A: File History (easy, automatic)

• Plug in your external drive
• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup
• Click Add a drive and choose your external drive
• Turn on Automatically back up my files

👉 This continuously backs up your documents, photos, Desktop, and more.

Option B: Full system backup (more complete)

• Go to Control Panel > Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
• Click Create a system image
• Choose your external drive

👉 This creates a full copy of your system you can restore later.

 

🍎 On Mac (Time Machine)

• Plug in your external drive
• Go to System Settings > General > Time Machine
• Click Add Backup Disk
• Select your drive

👉 Time Machine automatically backs up everything, including apps and settings.

 

How to pick the right size backup drive

Before we dive into options, be sure to check out this article on how to understand file size and how much you are currently using.  Once you understand this, you’ll be able to make an informed decision as to which external drive to get. For those set on taking the backup plan toward the cloud instead of a physical backup drive, here’s what to consider.

 

Cloud Storage

The four most familiar names in this category are Apple’s iCloud, Dropbox, iDrive, and Microsoft’s OneDrive. Each offers the ability to set it up once and forget about it. The biggest plus to using cloud storage is that it is easily scalable. If you need more storage space, you can have it instantaneously (for a price, of course). The biggest drawback: you never know who can see your stored data. FYI, there is no actual cloud involved; your data is sitting on someone else’s server where it could be vulnerable to hackers, snoops and other data ne’er-do-wells.

While you’ll see many plans offer monthly packages, backing up data should really be viewed as a long-term investment versus one that is month-to-month. You’ll count your lucky stars knowing you have a backup in place when the day comes that your computer either stops working or gets hacked.

iDrive

Our top solution in this category is iDrive. It can back up and restore entire file servers as well as personal computers and mobile devices. The setup is straightforward, and its pricing is very competitive. If you have a large amount of data, iDrive also offers a convenient restore option. Instead of downloading everything over the internet, the company can ship you a physical hard drive containing your backed-up files so you can restore them faster. The only real downside is that iDrive does not make file sharing as easy as services like iCloud and Dropbox, which are designed more for collaboration and syncing across devices.

Plans

• iDrive offers a 10 GB free plan.
• 5TB – $99.50/year ($69.65 first year)
• 10TB – $149.50/year

Promotions sometimes offer steep first-year discounts, but regular pricing starts around $99/year for 5TB.

Click here to save 90% for CyberGuy readers (limited time only)

 

 

iCloud

iCloud can be set to back up your Mac (or PC) as well as your iPhone and toggle back and forth between the two. If you are an Apple user, the seamless backing up through all your devices is an advantage.

 

Plans

Apple provides every user with 5GB of free iCloud storage. Most people will back up apps, images, videos, or documents. However, as you can imagine, you can easily reach the 5GB limit really fast considering how large a video file can be and add up. Additional storage starts at $0.99 per month for 50GB in the US.

With Apple One, you can also bundle iCloud storage with other Apple services, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Fitness+.

• 50GB – $0.99/month
• 200GB – $2.99/month
• 2TB – $9.99/month
• 6TB – $29.99/month
• 12TB – $59.99/month

Get iCloud here

 

 

 

Dropbox

Dropbox is a favorite here with the CyberGuy team as it not only provides cloud storage, but easily allows for file sharing, content collaboration and lets users store and access files on multiple devices from anywhere. Another great feature with the Professional plan is that Dropbox will allow you to revert to an earlier version of your documents, in the event you make a mistake and need to start over. We love this feature!

Plans

Like iCloud, Dropbox offers a free 2GB plan. However, before you know it, you will need more storage, especially for all of your photos and videos.

Plus – 2TB for $9.99/month

Professional – 3TB for $16.58/month (annual billing)

Get Dropbox here

 

 

OneDrive

 

Microsoft’s OneDrive is another strong contender in the cloud storage arena, especially for users already integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem. OneDrive allows seamless backup and synchronization across devices and integrates well with Microsoft Office applications. OneDrive offers 5GB of free storage to all users. For those needing more space, additional plans are available:

• 100GB: $1.99/month
• Microsoft 365 Personal: $99.99/year (includes 1TB of storage and access to Office applications)
• Microsoft 365 Family: $129.99/year (includes 6TB of storage shared across six users)

OneDrive also features file-sharing and collaboration tools that make it easy to work on documents with others in real-time. Additionally, OneDrive provides personal vault functionality for sensitive files, adding an extra layer of security.

Get OneDrive here 

 

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EXTERNAL STORAGE

Backup to External hard drives

Virtually every major computer manufacturer makes external hard drives, so you have plenty of options. For many people, a 1TB or 2TB drive provides plenty of space for backups. However, if you store large photo libraries or lots of video files, you may need more capacity. Some external drives also include software that can automatically back up your important files on a regular schedule.

One strong option is Western Digital’s My Passport SSD. It offers fast performance and comes in capacities ranging from 500GB up to 4TB. The drive is compact, roughly the size of a handheld calculator, making it easy to store safely when it is not connected to your computer.

 

MY PASSPORT SSD PORTABLE DRIVE

The My Passport SSD drive easily plugs into a USB port to back up at blazing speeds, then eject and unplug it so that hackers cannot get access to your backup. You can set password-enabled hardware encryption to protect valuable content.

• 5-year limited warranty.
• Drop resistant up to 6.5 feet, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB sizes.

Get it here

 

 

SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD

My external drive is hooked up to my PC 24/7, but if your data travels with you and you need a more rugged solution, the SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD would be an excellent choice. Its rugged IP55 water and dust-resistant exterior can survive a drop of 2 meters which is about 6 feet 7 inches.

Get it here

 

 

Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync

This SanDisk Ixpand does two things really well – it wirelessly charges a phone and backs up at the same time.  Lay down a Qi-compatible smartphone on the Ixpand, and it charges as well as backs upright onto the charger.  That means it keeps your private information off the cloud and stores it safely at home instead.

The Ixpand can be shared with every member of the family by easily creating separate profiles for each person.

Get it here

 

See all of my best external hard drives here

Best external hard drives

 

 

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Flash Drives

These scrappy little guys are the most portable, and some are even designed to fit on your keychain, but you have to manually sync your files to them. Also, because of their small size, they are easy to lose. Their compact size also limits the amount of storage available, so you may want to simply put a few critical files on them to stash in a very safe place, such as digital copies of birth certificates, deeds, agreements and the like. Flash drives are usually measured in gigabytes (GB), whereas external hard drives can hold terabytes (TB) of data, which is substantially larger in storage capacity.

 

SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO USB 3.2 Solid State Flash Drive

With speeds up to 420MB/s read and 380MB/s write, the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.2 Flash Drive is fast! Plus, its durable metal case means it’s tough for everyday use. It’s got security features, is backward compatible, and offers up to 1TB storage. Perfect for creators who want top-notch performance.   It also has password protection with 128-bit AES encryption for Windows 8, Windows 10 and macOS v10.9+. At the time of publishing, this product had over 4,800 global reviews, with 84% giving it 5 stars.

Get SanDisk 1TB Extreme Pro USB

 

Check out all of my Best thumb drives to store your photos and videos here

Best USB Flash Drives of 2023

 

 

What files should you back up?

The best thing about external storage is that you control your data at all times. The biggest minus is that if your computer is lost or stolen, your backup drive can easily suffer the same fate. The same fire/flood/tsunami that wiped out your computer can just as easily wipe out your backup drive.

Once you have decided where your backup files will be stored, you’ll need to figure out what files need to be backed up. Hopefully, you have your hard drive well-organized. You should plan to back up the following types of files:

• Documents
• Photos
• Music & videos (that aren’t stored by the applications themselves)
• Email account (including your Contacts, Calendar & To Do list)
• Browser settings
• Password keychain (if you use one)

You usually don’t need to manually back up programs or operating system files because they can be reinstalled. However, in the event of failure, those will need to be restored from the media or website from which they were originally downloaded.

Now that you have an emergency backup, a total loss of your computer or original files makes your backup the best insurance policy ever.

 

How to determine how much storage is needed to backup your computer

 

Once you have a backup device for storing your data, as noted in this article, be sure to head over to my article:

• How to Back Up Your Windows or Mac Computer
• You’ve likely been backing up your mobile device the wrong way
• Top data backup and recovery software solutions

 

Kurt’s key takeaways

Computers fail. Hard drives crash. People lose devices, and thieves steal them. Ransomware attacks happen every day. When that moment comes, the difference between panic and a quick recovery often comes down to one thing: whether you have a reliable backup. Fortunately, protecting your files is easier than ever. You can use cloud storage, an external drive, or both. The most important step is simply getting started. Even a basic backup plan can protect years of photos, documents and personal files. In addition, many experts recommend keeping more than one copy of your data. For example, a cloud backup protects you if your device fails. At the same time, an unplugged external drive can help protect you from ransomware or hacking attempts. Together, these options give you stronger protection. Most importantly, a few minutes spent setting up a backup today could save you hours, days or even years of frustration later. After all, backups are not just about technology. They protect the memories, work and important records that live on your computer.

Do you currently back up your computer regularly, or would losing your device today mean losing your files too? Let us know in the comments below. 

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