Choose cloud storage when automatic access across household devices and a copy away from home matter most. Choose an external drive or portable SSD for a local copy you manage yourself; a network-attached storage device suits a household prepared to maintain shared storage and back it up elsewhere. Whichever route you use, check which files are copied and whether you can restore them.
Photos and documents spread across phones, tablets and computers call for a routine that covers each device, rather than just one computer. Ofcom reports that smartphones account for most UK online time; check the backup coverage of every device your household uses.
An external drive gives you a copy on hardware you hold yourself. The National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy kept in a separate safe location, so plan where the drive will be stored and when it will be disconnected.
A substantial photo or video library may call for more local capacity or a shared destination for several computers. A network-attached storage device can serve that role, but Synology recommends backing up its data to another destination as well.
Decide which files need a separate copy and where that copy will live, then check device coverage, capacity and the restore routine. Cloud storage, external hard drives, portable SSDs and network-attached storage offer different destinations; backup software can schedule copying to a chosen destination but does not provide separation on its own.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage across devices | Check supported phones and computers, included photo libraries and folders, and how to restore files on another device. | If our photos and documents are spread across devices, I need a routine that will not miss new files when I forget to copy them. Around 36% of consumers would put automatic multi-device coverage first. |
| Separation from the original | Check whether a copy can be kept away from home or whether removable storage can be disconnected and stored separately. | If a loss affects both my device and the place it is kept, I need a copy I can still reach. For around 29% of consumers, separation would be the primary concern. |
| Control and account access | Decide where the copy will be held; check account protection and recovery for cloud storage, or a safe storage routine for a local drive. | I want to know who can access our files and what happens if we cannot get into an account or reach a drive. Direct control would come first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Library size and transfers | Allow space for the selected files and future copies; check connector and file-system compatibility before relying on a drive across devices. | When our photo and video library grows, I need enough room and a copying routine we can keep using. Capacity and practical transfers would lead the choice for around 14% of consumers. |
A drive beside the original computer can be lost in the same incident. The National Cyber Security Centre also warns that connected USB and network storage can be affected alongside original data.
Keep an additional copy separate from the original device. Disconnect removable storage when a backup or restore is finished, and plan another destination where needed.
Photos, videos and documents can fill a destination, while other services may use the same cloud-storage allowance.
Check the storage already in use across devices and accounts, then allow room for the files you intend to copy and for future versions if your method retains them.
Transfer speed does not schedule copying or place files away from home. Samsung’s stated transfer speed for its T7 line also depends in practice on the connected device, port and cable.
Choose a portable SSD for the local-copy workflow you can maintain, then set a copying schedule and decide where another copy will be kept.
A stored copy is of little use if the photos or documents you need cannot be retrieved and opened.
After setting up a backup, restore a small selection to another folder or device and check the files. Repeat the check as your devices and file locations change.
iCloud+ is a cloud-storage route for households using Apple devices.
Google One is relevant to households storing photos and files through Google accounts.
OneDrive is a cloud-storage option for households using Microsoft accounts and Windows or other supported devices.
Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 line is a local-storage option for copying files between compatible devices.
Western Digital offers external hard drives for local computer backups.
Synology network-attached storage is a route for households willing to manage a shared local destination.
These external drives, portable SSDs and network-attached storage provide local destinations for household files. Choose one alongside a workable copying routine and decide where a further separate copy will be kept.
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Consider this external hard drive for a local copy of a household computer’s files.
The listed capacity is 4TB. Check the backup software and operating-system requirements for the computers you will use, and keep another copy separate from the drive.
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Consider this portable local-storage option when moving a large file library between compatible devices is part of your backup routine.
The listed capacity is 4 TB and the interface is USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. Check device and file-system compatibility; a separate storage device does not schedule backups or create an off-site copy by itself.
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Consider this portable SSD for an additional local copy of photos and personal files.
The listed capacity is 2 TB. Confirm its connector works with each device you intend to use, and establish a copying and restore routine rather than treating the drive alone as a complete backup plan.
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Consider this portable SSD if a 2TB local destination fits the files you intend to copy.
Check connector and file-system compatibility with your phones, tablets and computers. Plan when you will copy files and where you will keep another separate copy.
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Consider this network-attached storage device if your household will manage a shared local destination for files and backups.
It is a 4-bay NAS. Confirm which drives are included, the compatible drive models and the usable capacity of the configuration you choose; plan a further backup destination for its data.
No: access to synchronised files alone does not tell you whether you can recover an earlier or deleted copy. Check which folders and camera rolls are included, how versions and deletions are handled, and whether you can restore files without the original device.
Choose cloud storage if automatic access across devices and a copy away from home are your priorities; choose an external drive if you want a local copy you manage yourself. The University of Edinburgh advises using multiple backup solutions in case one fails, so either choice may form part of a wider arrangement.
Disconnect a removable backup drive when it is not needed for copying or restoring files, and keep it separately from the original device. The National Cyber Security Centre warns that connected USB and network storage can be affected in the same incident as original data.
Check your household’s current storage use, which services share the allowance, which devices and folders are covered, and how account and file recovery work. If you intend to share storage with family, also check whether individual files remain private under the chosen sharing settings.