Choose cloud storage if automatic updates and access across devices matter most; choose an external hard drive for a large local copy, or an external SSD if you will carry and update that copy frequently. For irreplaceable files, using both cloud and local storage gives you separate recovery routes. Whichever approach you take, check what is actually backed up, whether there is room for future files and how you would restore them without the original device.
If photos and documents are spread across phones, tablets and computers, automatic cloud backup can reduce the need to connect a drive manually. Check the account, storage allowance and backup settings for each device. Microsoft, Apple and Google describe cross-device access for their supported services.
If a growing collection of photos, videos and computer files is the priority, an external drive provides a local backup route without a continuing cloud-storage subscription. Check capacity, connection and how backups will be run. The National Cyber Security Centre identifies external hard drives as removable-media backup locations.
If losing family photos or essential documents would be especially disruptive, consider recovery routes that do not depend on one device or location. The National Cyber Security Centre identifies theft, breakage, deletion and malware among the reasons important data can become inaccessible.
Start with the event you need to recover from, then decide how much data to copy and how often it must be updated. The National Cyber Security Centre recognises both cloud storage and removable media as backup routes; the checks below determine how well either route fits your files.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Separate recovery copy | Where each copy is kept; whether you can restore a file without the original device. | If my computer is lost or its files are deleted, I need a copy I can still reach. About 33% of consumers put independent recovery first. |
| Automatic, multi-device access | Which folders and device data are backed up; account access and the storage allowance. | When my files are spread across household devices, I want recent copies without connecting a drive each time. About 27% of consumers make automatic access their main concern. |
| Large local capacity | Current storage use and expected growth; computer connection and backup-software compatibility. | For a growing photo or video library, I need enough room for a local archive without a continuing storage subscription. This is the primary concern for about 27% of consumers. |
| Portable, selective copies | Whether the copy covers selected files or a whole device; capacity and connector type. | If I carry only essential files between locations, a compact removable copy matters more to me than a whole-computer archive. About 13% of consumers prioritise that need. |
A USB flash drive can hold a deliberately limited extra copy, but check that its capacity fits the files you intend to protect. For files you cannot replace, combining a cloud copy with a separately kept local copy avoids relying on just one recovery route; both copies still need a workable restore process.
Cross-device access does not establish how long an older or deleted file remains recoverable. The National Cyber Security Centre notes that some cloud services offer recovery of older or deleted versions for a limited time.
Check the service’s version-history and deleted-file rules, protect account access and keep a separate recovery route for irreplaceable files where appropriate.
A backup may need room beyond the files currently in use, particularly if older versions are retained. Apple recommends a Time Machine backup disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity.
Compare the drive capacity with your source device and growing photo or video folders before choosing a drive for Mac Time Machine.
The same incident could affect both the computer and a nearby drive. The National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy kept in a separate safe location.
Disconnect removable storage after a backup where practical and keep it separately, or arrange another separate-location copy.
Connection and durability claims belong to particular models. Samsung lists USB 3.2 Gen 2 and controlled-test resistance claims for the specified T7 Shield model; they do not describe every portable SSD or every connection setup.
Match the exact model, cable and device port to your intended use, and check the stated limits of any durability claim.
iCloud+ is a cloud option for Apple-device households; Time Machine backs up a Mac to external storage.
OneDrive folder backup is relevant to Windows households that want supported computer folders available through a Microsoft account.
Google One is relevant to households using Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos that need more shared cloud capacity.
The Backup Plus Portable line is an example of external hard drives intended for local computer backups.
The T7 Shield portable SSD is relevant when a local copy will be carried regularly.
These external hard drives and SSDs are options for keeping a removable local copy of household files. Choose a backup routine for your devices and keep the drive apart from the source device when it is not in use.
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Consider this portable hard drive for a large local copy of Mac files. Its listing states 5TB capacity, a USB-C connection with USB-C-to-C cable and USB-C-to-A adapter, and backup software. For Windows use, check the stated downloadable HFS+ driver requirement; confirm scheduling and restore features if you need unattended or older-version backups.
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Consider this portable hard drive for scheduled local backups of computer files. The listing states 2TB capacity, Windows and macOS support, backup-scheduling software and optional 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection. Check compatibility with your operating-system version and the software’s restore and version-history features.
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Consider this SSD if you want a portable 2TB local copy for supported Windows, Mac or Android devices. Its listing states USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C-to-C and USB-C-to-A cables, and optional 256-bit AES encryption. Check the backup routine for each device; the listed maximum transfer speeds depend on the device, port and cable used.
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Consider this 1TB SSD for a portable local copy if its capacity covers your files and expected growth. The listing names Windows, Mac and Android support, USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C-to-C and USB-C-to-A cables, and optional 256-bit AES encryption. Check how backups will be run on your intended devices.
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Consider this SSD when the local copy will be carried regularly. The listing states 1TB capacity, USB 3.2 Gen 2, Mac, PC and Android compatibility, IP65-rated dust and water resistance, and drop resistance up to 3 metres. Samsung’s model-specific resistance claims have exposure limits, including no long-term submersion; check the device connection and your backup routine.
It should leave you with a recoverable copy when the original files cannot be accessed. The National Cyber Security Centre identifies device loss or theft, breakage, accidental deletion, malware and device replacement among the reasons to back up important data.
Apple recommends a Time Machine backup disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity. That advice is specific to Time Machine; also consider whether your files will grow and what else you intend to keep on the drive.
Cloud storage can suit automatic backups and access across supported devices, but its recoverability depends on the account, backed-up data and restore options. If you want another recovery route for irreplaceable files, keep a separate local copy as well and test that you can restore from it.
Check the storage allowance, which services or family members share it, exactly what is backed up, and the cancellation and file-recovery terms. Google says the standard Google Account allowance is up to 15GB shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos; an allowance advertised for one account may therefore serve several uses.