Choose an account-based cloud backup if automatic backup, access across devices or a supported phone-restoration process matters most; check what data it includes and whether your available storage is sufficient. An external drive gives a computer a separate local copy, but its connection, capacity and backup software must suit the device. Using both routes can preserve different kinds of access; a USB stick or memory card used for file copies should not be assumed to provide a restorable device backup.
If photos and device data need to be available during setup of a replacement, check the backup process before erasing the old phone. Apple Support describes iPhone backup through iCloud or a computer; Google One Help describes restoring Android backup data during new-device setup.
For photos and documents needed on another signed-in device, check which folders or files the service makes available and how much account storage is already used. Google One Help says Google Account storage is shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos; Microsoft Support describes access to OneDrive-backed folders across devices.
An external drive can hold backups before a computer is replaced or reset. Apple Support documents Time Machine backup to external storage, while Microsoft Support describes regular File History backups to an external drive or network location.
Start with what you need to recover on the replacement device, then check whether the chosen route has enough capacity and works with your equipment.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Restoration | Check the operating system’s replacement-device instructions, the data included and the most recent successful backup. A copied photo folder is not necessarily a backup of settings or app data. | I need more than my photos back when setting up another phone or computer. |
| Automatic backup and access | Confirm what backs up automatically and under which conditions; check which files are available on another signed-in device. Apple Support describes iCloud Backup conditions for iPhone, while Microsoft Support describes access to OneDrive-backed folders across devices. | I do not want to depend entirely on remembering manual copies, and I may need documents on another device. |
| Capacity | Compare the data you need to preserve with free space in the account or on the drive. Google One Help says Google Account storage is shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos; Apple Support recommends a Time Machine disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity. | My photo library and backup must fit alongside anything already stored, with room for future files. |
| Device compatibility | Check the ports, cable, operating-system support and intended backup or file-copy workflow. For its T7 Shield speed claims, Samsung specifies a USB 3.2 Gen 2 host and cable with UASP mode enabled; those figures do not establish performance on every connection. | I want to connect the storage I buy to the actual phone or computer I will use, not just match the connector shape. |
| Separate copy | Decide where another copy will be kept and whether a local drive can be disconnected when not in use. The National Cyber Security Centre explains the resilience value of having at least one backup offline. | For photos and documents I cannot replace, I want a copy separate from the device I am changing. |
A file copy may leave out data needed when setting up a replacement device. Apple Support and Google One Help describe device-backup processes separately from access to individual files.
Before erasing the old device, review what its backup includes, check when it last completed and confirm that you can reach important files or the intended restore process.
Google One Help says Drive, Gmail and Photos share Google Account storage. A backup also needs enough available space in the account used for it.
Check current storage use and the expected backup size before choosing a capacity tier; account-based storage may involve a continuing subscription.
A drive’s connector does not establish that a phone supports the intended backup workflow. Samsung’s stated T7 Shield maximum speeds depend on the specified host, cable and UASP conditions.
Check the device’s storage workflow, ports, supplied cable, any adapter and file-system requirements before copying data.
A connected drive is not an offline copy. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping at least one backup offline so an incident affecting connected storage is less likely to affect every copy.
Keep a separate backup route for important files and disconnect a local backup when it is not needed.
These examples illustrate different backup workflows; the brand alone does not determine whether a particular device or file is covered.
For iPhone, iPad and Mac owners comparing account-based backup with a backup made through a computer or external drive.
For Android users considering device backup and account-based access to photos and files.
For Windows users choosing between access to OneDrive-backed folders and a File History copy on external or network storage.
Its portable T7 SSD range is relevant to local file copies between compatible devices.
Its DataTraveler examples show USB flash-drive options for manually moving selected files.
These drives offer ways to store local copies of selected files before changing devices. Choose between a computer backup workflow and manual file transfer according to what you need to recover.
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For a local copy of computer files before replacement, the listing describes 2TB storage, USB-A connection and scheduled file backups. Check which files the backup software covers; for a Mac, confirm the required setup before relying on the drive.
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For moving files from a compatible USB-C Apple device, the listing describes 128GB storage and app-based automatic backup of photos and videos. Check the exact device and app support; that photo-and-video feature does not establish backup of settings or other device data.
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For copying a computer’s photos and documents to local storage, the listing specifies 4TB, USB 3.2 Gen 1 and an included USB-A cable. Check the computer’s port and backup workflow; use with a Mac or another operating system may require reformatting.
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For carrying a local copy between compatible devices, this listing specifies 1TB storage and USB-C connectivity. Samsung states maximum speeds of up to 1,050MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write only under its specified host, cable and UASP conditions; check the intended device’s file-storage workflow separately.
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For a local file copy using a compatible computer or phone, the listing specifies 1TB storage and USB-C-to-C and USB-A-to-USB-C cables. Its described iPhone 15/16 magnetic mounting uses the included case or ring; check the phone’s file-storage workflow and any formatting requirement before use.
Yes: make and check a current backup before the old phone is erased or handed over. Apple Support describes using an iPhone backup when replacing a device, and Google One Help describes restoring Android backup data during new-device setup.
An external drive can provide a separate local copy, but it does not automatically provide account-based access across devices or the same phone-restoration process. Apple Support documents Time Machine for Mac, and Microsoft Support documents File History backups to external or network storage; check which process covers the data you need.
Do not assume it will. Apple Support describes iPhone backup using iCloud or a computer. Check the exact iPhone and intended workflow before buying removable storage, and distinguish copying selected files from making a backup that can restore device data.
Apple Support recommends a storage device with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity for Time Machine. Check the capacity of the Mac you are backing up and whether the drive will also hold other files.