Use both a separately kept local drive and a cloud copy when losing photos or documents to theft, damage or malware would be especially disruptive. A drive gives you a copy you can disconnect; cloud storage keeps a copy away from the computer, but depends on account access and the service’s recovery rules. If choosing just one route, check its capacity, compatibility and restore process before relying on it.
If family photos or personal records would be difficult to replace, consider incidents that could affect both your computer and a nearby drive. Which? identifies loss, theft, damage and malware as reasons to keep another copy; the NI Cyber Security Centre advises keeping one copy offline in a different location.
If you keep many photos, videos or documents locally, compare the space you need with the drive’s capacity and check its connection and format. For Mac Time Machine backups, Apple recommends a disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity.
If you want selected folders backed up automatically or available when changing devices, check exactly what the software includes. Microsoft says Windows Backup can sync selected folders to OneDrive through a personal Microsoft account; account access, storage allowance and recovery rules still matter.
Choose the destination by the event you need the copy to survive, then check whether your computer and backup method can create and restore that copy reliably.
Consider it when: You want a compact local drive for frequent file transfers between compatible computers.
Remember: It remains a physical copy that can be lost with the computer unless kept separately.
Consider it when: You want a local copy under your control and can connect the drive for regular backups.
Remember: A drive kept beside the computer can be affected by the same theft or physical damage.
Consider it when: Off-device access and automatic syncing of selected folders suit your routine.
Remember: Access and restoration depend on the account, available storage and service terms.
Consider it when: You need important files to remain available after either a local-drive or computer incident.
Remember: Both destinations need setting up, maintaining and testing.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Protection across incidents | Keep a copy separate from the computer; disconnect a local drive when it is not backing up. | If losing the computer and a nearby backup together would leave me without important files, I need copies exposed to different risks. About 31% of consumers put this protection first. |
| Capacity and compatibility | Compare file volume with drive capacity, and confirm ports, cables and disk format before use. | With a growing photo or document library, I need a drive that fits my files and works with my computer. For about 25% of consumers, capacity and compatibility are the primary concern. |
| Automatic copying and restoration | Check which folders are covered, how backups run and how to restore a file. | If I am likely to forget manual copies, I need the intended folders backed up and a restore process I can follow. Roughly 25% of consumers prioritise that routine and recovery. |
| Cloud account control | Review account recovery, data-location information, renewal terms and options for copying files elsewhere. | Before keeping important files in an online account, I want to know how I would regain access or leave the service. Account and service control comes first for about 19% of consumers. |
A connected drive can be affected alongside the computer, while a drive kept in the same place may be lost in the same physical incident. The NI Cyber Security Centre advises keeping an offline copy in a different location.
Disconnect the drive after backups finish, and keep another independently stored copy of important files.
Apple says Time Machine cannot back up to a Windows-formatted disk. Reformatting that disk for Mac use permanently removes its existing data. A quoted SSD transfer rate may also depend on the computer’s connection and cable.
Check the disk’s current format, your computer’s ports and the intended backup software before moving files or reformatting anything.
Microsoft and Apple describe 30-day recovery windows for eligible deleted files in personal OneDrive and iCloud accounts, respectively. Those recovery features are not a substitute for another copy.
Find the service’s restore steps before you need them, and retain a separate copy of irreplaceable files.
GOV.UK consumer guidance warns that suspension, cancellation, inactivity or a payment lapse can affect access to stored data.
Check renewal and account-recovery arrangements, and copy files elsewhere before closing a service.
Windows Backup and OneDrive are relevant to personal Windows users who want selected folders associated with a Microsoft account.
Mac users can consider Time Machine with an external disk and iCloud for account-based file storage.
Google Drive is an online file-storage route for people who want access through an account rather than relying only on a local drive.
Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 and T7 Shield lines are relevant to compact local storage and frequent file transfers.
My Passport Ultra for Mac is a portable hard-drive option for a Mac user considering a larger local destination.
These external SSDs and hard drives provide local storage options for computer files. Choose one against your file volume and computer connection, then decide how you will make and restore backups; a local drive does not itself provide a cloud copy.
No image available
A local SSD option for a sizeable photo or document library, provided 4 TB leaves enough room for the files and backup history you intend to keep.
The title specifies USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Check your computer’s connection and the backup and restore method you plan to use.
No image available
A local hard-drive option for Mac files and backups, subject to checking that 5 TB meets your storage needs.
Joybuy lists USB-C connectivity and macOS 11+ support for this model. Check its format for your intended backup method, and confirm any driver needed if you also plan to use Windows.
No image available
A compact local-copy option if your files and intended backup history fit within 1 TB.
The title specifies USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Check the computer connection and set up a backup and restore routine rather than treating file storage alone as an automatic backup.
No image available
A local hard-drive option for a file collection that fits within 2 TB, allowing for the backup history you want to retain.
The listing describes scheduled-backup software, but its Mac compatibility descriptions differ. Confirm the drive format, any driver and software support for your operating system before setting up backups.
No image available
A 4 TB local destination to consider for copying a larger file library, once you have checked how much space your backup will need.
The title specifies USB 3.0. Check the drive format for your computer and decide how backups will be scheduled and restored; reformatting a drive can erase files already on it.
Allow space for the folders you want to protect, future files and any backup history you intend to keep. For a Mac using Time Machine, Apple recommends a disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity; that is not a universal minimum for other backup methods.
Not in its Windows format. Apple says Time Machine requires the disk to be reformatted for Mac use, which permanently removes existing data. Copy any files you need elsewhere before reformatting.
Cloud synchronisation provides an off-device route, but do not assume it offers indefinite recovery after deletion. Microsoft and Apple describe 30-day windows for eligible deleted personal files in OneDrive and iCloud; the NI Cyber Security Centre recommends copies across different devices, including one kept offline in another location.
Check that the intended folders are included, arrange regular copying and practise restoring a file. The NI Cyber Security Centre advises disconnecting an external drive when it is not backing up and protecting a cloud account with a strong password and two-factor authentication.
Copy or export important files before ending the service, and check its account-recovery and cancellation terms. GOV.UK consumer guidance warns that suspension, cancellation, payment lapses and inactivity can affect access to stored data.