Choose an external drive if you want a local copy without a continuing cloud-storage subscription and can back it up regularly, then keep it disconnected. A cloud service can suit files you need across devices, provided it backs up the right folders and you understand its recovery limits. For photos or records you could not replace, keep an independent copy in another location or service and test that you can restore it.
If a computer is lost or fails, family photos and documents need to be recoverable from somewhere else. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping an independent copy in another safe place or service, rather than relying on one attached drive.
Accessing files on a Windows PC, Mac, phone or tablet raises a separate question from backing them up. Microsoft describes access to selected OneDrive folders across devices; Apple's storage guidance shows why the drive format and connection also matter for portable storage.
Working records may need both a recoverable copy and protection against unwanted access. If the files contain other people's personal information, the Information Commissioner's Office says data-protection responsibilities can apply to sole traders and self-employed people.
An external drive, a cloud service and a combined setup solve different parts of the recovery problem. Whichever you choose, confirm that the files you care about are included and that you can open a restored copy.
Choose it when: You want a local copy or cannot depend on an internet connection for each backup.
Allow for: You must run the backups and store the drive safely; one drive cannot protect against loss of that drive or its location.
Choose it when: You need configured backup and access across eligible devices, with an off-site copy.
Allow for: Access depends on your account, connection and the service's rules for restoring deleted or changed files.
Choose it when: Losing access to one device, place or account must not leave you without your photos or working records.
Allow for: Maintaining two independent copies takes more equipment, service provision or time, as well as regular restore checks.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Independent recovery | Keep a copy separate from the original device and check that sample files can be restored. The National Cyber Security Centre advises an independent copy in another safe place or service. | If losing a computer or access to one backup would leave my photos or records gone, recovery elsewhere comes first; roughly 36% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Access across devices | Confirm which devices and folders are covered, and distinguish synchronisation from a recoverable backup; check the service's restore limits. | When I use several computers or mobile devices, I need the right files protected without copying them by hand; around 29% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Local capacity | Compare the drive's capacity with the files you have and expect to add, and plan when to connect and disconnect it. | For a growing photo and document collection, I want room for a local copy without an ongoing cloud-storage subscription; about 21% of consumers would make that their primary need. |
| Portable confidentiality and compatibility | Check the exact drive's unlocking method, file format, connectors and any phone or tablet power requirements. | If I carry sensitive files between different devices, I need to be able to protect and reopen them; roughly 14% of consumers would put that requirement first. |
Synchronisation can carry an unwanted edit or deletion to linked devices. Microsoft describes a limited deleted-file restoration window for personal OneDrive accounts; the National Cyber Security Centre advises an independent copy of important data.
Check how long you can restore deleted or earlier versions, and keep a separate copy that does not depend on that folder's recovery controls.
The National Cyber Security Centre warns that malware can affect connected USB and network storage as well as the original computer.
Disconnect the drive after a completed backup and store it securely. Do not make a permanently attached drive your only recovery route.
A drive that works with a computer will not necessarily connect to a phone in the same way. Apple specifies format and single-partition requirements for iPhone external storage, while some hard drives need external power.
List the devices that must read the files, then check their formats, ports, adapters and power requirements before buying.
Direct phone use may require a compatible adapter or powered USB hub; changing a drive's format also takes time and needs care with existing files.
An encrypted drive can restrict access if it is lost, but it does not preserve the only copy. Seagate's secure-drive instructions also illustrate how unlocking can depend on model-specific software and credentials.
Confirm the exact drive's setup and recovery requirements, keep credentials securely apart from the drive, and test unlocking it on a device you could use for restoration.
The T7 Touch portable SSD is a local-storage option for buyers considering an unlockable drive they can carry.
The One Touch portable hard-drive range is relevant when a local archive and drive security are both on the shopping list.
OneDrive offers folder backup and cross-device access for selected files, particularly in a Windows-based workflow.
IDrive is a cloud-backup service to consider when several eligible computers and mobile devices need scheduled protection.
These portable drives offer ways to keep a local copy of photos or records. Choose capacity and connections for your files and devices, then arrange a separate copy elsewhere if losing the drive would leave you without them.
Image unavailable
Consider this for a local copy of photos and documents if 2 TB meets your capacity needs.
USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Check the file format and connections against the devices you will use to restore files.
Keep another independent copy; a portable drive alone is not an off-site backup.
Image unavailable
Consider the 5 TB capacity for a large local photo and document collection.
Before relying on it with a Mac, phone or tablet, check the required format and connection. Keep a separate copy in case this drive or its location is lost.
Image unavailable
The 1 TB capacity is worth comparing with the size of the photo or document collection you want to copy.
USB 3.2 Gen 2. Check the file format and any unlocking requirements on the devices you would use for recovery; keep an independent copy elsewhere.
Image unavailable
Consider it for a portable local copy if 1 TB covers the files you need to keep.
The title specifies USB 3.2 Gen 2 and iPhone 15/16 compatibility. Check the connection and file format for your exact devices, and test how you would reopen the copied files.
Image unavailable
This USB-C drive is a local-copy option when 256 GB is enough for the files you intend to move from a compatible device.
Check which files your intended backup method covers and test that you can retrieve them. Keep another independent copy of anything you cannot replace.
Not on its own if you need an independent recoverable copy. Synchronisation can pass changes between linked devices, while deleted-file and version recovery have service-specific limits; the National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping an independent copy of important data in another safe place or service.
Restore a small set of files to another folder or device and open them. Check that the photos and records you need were included, that you can access the account or reconnect the drive, and that you know how to repeat the process after losing the original computer.
Possibly, but check the drive format and each device's connection requirements before choosing it. Apple identifies exFAT as Windows-compatible and specifies supported formats and a single data partition for iPhone external storage; some hard drives also require an external power source.
No. Encryption addresses access to files on the drive, not recovery if that drive fails or disappears. Check the exact model's unlocking and credential-recovery requirements, and retain another independent copy.
Check how the service handles access to the personal information you store and whether the arrangement meets your applicable responsibilities. The Information Commissioner's Office says UK GDPR international-transfer rules can apply to sole traders and self-employed people who handle personal information; the answer depends on the actual service arrangement and data flows.