For irreplaceable household photos and documents, use both a local drive and a cloud copy if you need a way to restore files at home and a copy kept outside it. Choose an external hard drive for a mainly at-home local copy, or a portable SSD if you regularly carry the drive or transfer large files; cloud storage adds access from another device but depends on successful uploads, account access and available storage.
If losing family photos or important documents is the main worry, keep a usable local copy and another copy outside the home. Which? describes loss, theft, damage and malware as risks to files, while the Information Commissioner’s Office advises keeping important copies away from home.
Automatic cloud back-up can reduce the need to remember a drive, but check which folders and photo libraries are included. Access on a replacement device also depends on the relevant account and service settings.
Measure the photos, videos and documents to be protected before choosing drive capacity or a cloud plan. A large local copy still needs a separate off-site copy if a home incident is part of the risk you want to cover.
Decide how you would recover files after losing a device or access to your home, then size the storage and check that the chosen folders are actually backed up. A portable SSD, an external hard drive and cloud storage address different parts of that job; using a drive alongside cloud storage also means maintaining both copies.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Off-site protection | Confirm that important folders have uploaded to a cloud account or are copied to a drive stored elsewhere. Test a restore. | If theft or damage at home could affect the computer and its nearby drive, I want another copy beyond the home. Around 31% of consumers put this off-site protection first. |
| Automatic back-up and recovery | Check folder selection, account-recovery details, available storage and the service’s restore options. | When files change across devices, I need back-up to run without connecting a drive each time and want to regain access after replacing a device. For around 31% of consumers, that automatic recovery is the primary need. |
| Capacity and ongoing cost | Measure the library, allow room for growth and back-up history, and check whether household members share a cloud quota. | With a growing photo and video library, I want enough space without committing to more cloud storage than I need. Capacity and ongoing cost come first for around 23% of consumers. |
| Portability and compatibility | Match the drive’s connector, cable and file format to the intended devices; treat quoted maximum speeds as conditional. | If I carry a local copy between computers or move large files regularly, the connection and ease of carrying matter most. Around 15% of consumers prioritise portable transfers. |
Only selected folders and successfully uploaded files are available through a cloud back-up. A synchronised deletion may also call for a restore feature or another independent copy; Microsoft OneDrive and Apple iCloud recovery options have conditions and limits.
List the folders and device libraries you need, inspect their settings and restore a non-critical test file from each back-up route.
A portable SSD’s quoted maximum rate can depend on the computer’s port, the cable and protocol support. Samsung states these conditions for its T7 Shield transfer-rate claims.
Check the intended computer’s connection and the supplied cables before deciding whether a speed claim is relevant to your use.
The same theft, fire or flood could affect both devices. The Information Commissioner’s Office identifies a copy outside the home as part of a back-up solution.
Keep an additional copy off-site, whether through a suitably configured cloud service or a separate drive stored securely elsewhere.
Google says a full account can prevent new Drive uploads and Google Photos back-ups, and affect Gmail sending and receiving. Several family members may use a shared storage quota.
Check storage use regularly and leave enough room for new files and photos.
The T7 and T7 Shield portable SSD lines are relevant when a compact local copy will be carried between compatible devices.
A cloud option for households using Windows Backup to copy selected folders and access them through a personal Microsoft account.
Relevant to Apple-centred households using iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive and iPhone or iPad back-up.
Relevant to households using Google accounts for automatic photo back-up and storage across Photos, Drive and Gmail.
These portable hard drives and SSDs can provide the local-copy part of a household back-up plan. Choose capacity against the files and back-up history you intend to keep; add a separate off-site copy if you also need protection against a loss affecting your home.
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A portable local-copy option for household photos and documents when 2TB accommodates the files and back-up history you intend to keep.
Check the required driver and read/write compatibility before using it with a Mac.
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A portable local-copy option for a larger library, provided 4 TB allows for the files and back-up history you plan to retain.
The product name specifies USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Check the computer’s port and cable before relying on a particular transfer rate.
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Consider this portable local drive if 1TB covers the photos and documents you need to retain, including back-up history.
The product name specifies USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2; confirm that the intended device has a suitable connection.
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A 4TB local-drive option for a household file library; compare that capacity with current storage use and the back-up history you want to keep.
The product name specifies USB3.0. Check file-format requirements before using the drive with a non-Windows device.
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This 1TB portable drive can serve as a local copy if your files and planned back-up history fit within its capacity.
Check the required file format before using it with a Mac or another non-Windows device.
Choose a drive that holds the files you plan to protect, with room for growth and back-up history. For a Mac using Time Machine, Apple recommends a disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity; that is Time Machine guidance, not a sizing rule for every back-up method.
Cloud sync can provide an off-site copy, but do not assume it independently preserves every file or deletion. Check which folders have uploaded and what recovery options apply; Apple advises making an additional archive or copy of information stored in iCloud.
On consumer Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices using a personal Microsoft account, Windows Backup can copy selected standard folders to OneDrive. Microsoft names Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music; check the selection and available storage rather than assuming files elsewhere are included.
Make sure you can regain access to the account as well as the files. Use a unique strong password, enable multi-factor authentication where available, keep recovery details current and check the service’s storage and restore conditions. The Information Commissioner’s Office recommends strong, unique passwords for important cloud-stored files.
A paid cloud plan involves a recurring charge while you keep that plan. Before choosing one, compare the storage your household uses with the plan’s quota, check sharing arrangements and review the current renewal terms.