Families using several devices
If photos sit on different phones, tablets and computers, check how each device sends pictures to the chosen destination and how you would retrieve them after replacing a device.
Who needs which setup?
Households protecting irreplaceable pictures
A library that is easy to view is not necessarily a separate backup. The National Cyber Security Centre defines a backup as a copy kept in a separate safe location; plan how to restore that copy after loss or accidental deletion.
People planning a shared home library
Decide whether relatives need access to selected photos, shared storage capacity or one common destination. These arrangements offer different levels of access to each person’s files.
What should you check?
Start with the copy you would restore if a phone or computer disappeared, then check how photos reach it and who can access them.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Separate copy | Identify where the backup lives, whether it remains separate from the original device, and how often you will update it. The National Cyber Security Centre defines a backup as a copy held in a separate safe location. | I want to recover family pictures even if the phone or computer holding them is lost or fails. |
| Deletion behaviour | Check whether deletion changes connected copies. Apple says iCloud Photos reflects changes across devices; Google Photos warns that deleting backed-up items can also delete them on devices with backup enabled. | A mistaken deletion should not remove the only copy I could restore. |
| Device workflow | Confirm how each phone and computer uploads or copies photos, whether the process needs manual action, and how to check that it finished. | Photos are spread across our devices, so I need a routine that accounts for each one. |
| Sharing and privacy | Distinguish pooled storage from access to photos. Google says members sharing Google One storage cannot access one another’s files without permission; Apple says an iCloud+ plan can be shared with up to five other family members. | We may want to share selected pictures without opening everyone’s private files. |
| Capacity | Compare the size of existing photos and videos with the available capacity, allow for new files, and monitor upload status. Microsoft says new OneDrive uploads cannot continue when Microsoft storage is exceeded. | Our collection will grow, and I need to notice if new pictures stop uploading. |
| Restoration | Find the export or restore steps, then retrieve a small selection of files and open them. The NI Cyber Security Centre advises practising restoration before it is needed. | If a device is replaced, I want to know that the stored pictures can actually be opened again. |
Common backup mistakes
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Treating a synchronised library as a separate backup
Changes can follow the library across devices. Apple says iCloud Photos reflects changes made on one device on the others, while Google Photos warns that deleting backed-up items can remove them from devices with backup enabled.
Keep another copy of irreplaceable pictures outside the live library, and test that you can restore it.
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Assuming a NAS or RAID completes the backup
A shared home destination can still lose data through drive or RAID failure. Synology recommends copies at a separate destination rather than relying on the NAS alone.
Plan an additional destination and decide who will check completed backups and practise restoring files.
Running a NAS also means managing its drives, access and backup routine.
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Sizing storage only for today’s photos
New photos and videos use capacity over time. Google says account storage is shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos, and Microsoft says exceeding Microsoft storage prevents new uploads.
Measure the collection across devices and accounts, allow room for growth, and check upload status as the library expands.
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Leaving the only backup drive connected
A drive left attached may be exposed to the same incident as its computer. The National Cyber Security Centre advises disconnecting an external drive when a backup is not running.
After checking the copied files, disconnect the drive and store it separately. Keep another copy away from the home if a local incident is part of the risk you want to cover.
Relevant service and NAS brands
These brands illustrate different photo-storage workflows; their inclusion does not mean that a live library or a NAS replaces a separate backup.
Apple
iCloud Photos is relevant to households using Apple devices and wanting one photo library across them.
- Apple says an iCloud+ plan can be shared with up to five other family members.
- Apple says changes in iCloud Photos carry across devices. Plan a separate copy if you need protection from an unwanted change, and check how you will download your originals.
Google Photos and Google One are relevant when household members use Google accounts for photos and storage.
- Google says relatives sharing Google One storage cannot access one another’s files without permission.
- Google says account capacity is shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos. Google Photos also warns that deleting backed-up items can remove them from devices with backup enabled.
Microsoft
OneDrive is relevant to households using Microsoft storage for computer files and mobile camera uploads.
- Microsoft describes OneDrive camera-roll upload on iOS as one-way, rather than two-way photo synchronisation.
- Microsoft says version history works with photos, but check the recovery options and retention available to your account before relying on them.
Synology
Synology NAS devices are relevant when a household is prepared to manage a shared local photo destination.
- Synology describes a backup approach using three copies, two storage media and one off-site copy.
- Synology warns that drive or RAID failure can still cause data loss. A NAS needs its own separate backup destination.
External drives for a local copy
These Joybuy drives are options for storing a separate local copy of family photos. Choose capacity against your library size, then set up a copying routine and test a restore; a drive does not do those steps by itself.
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Samsung MU-PG4T0B 4 TB USB-C SSD, black
This external SSD can hold a local copy of a photo collection. Its listed connection is USB Type-C with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2; check your devices’ ports, set up a copying routine and practise restoring files.
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Samsung Portable SSD T7 2 TB, grey
This portable SSD offers a destination for a separate local photo copy. The title specifies USB Type-C and USB 3.2 Gen 2; compare 2 TB with your existing library and future growth, then test a restore.
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Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD 1 TB, blue
This external SSD can be used as a local destination for copied photos. The title specifies USB 3.2 Gen 2; check whether 1 TB covers the collection, and keep the backup routine and restore test separate from the choice of drive.
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Samsung Portable SSD T7 1 TB, blue
This portable SSD provides space for a separate local photo copy. Its title specifies USB Type-C and USB 3.2 Gen 2; compare 1 TB with your library before choosing it, and check that copied files can be restored.
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Western Digital My Passport Ultra 5 TB, blue
This portable external hard drive is a local destination for a larger photo copy. If you will use it with a Mac, confirm the required file-system setup before copying files; establish a backup routine and test a restore.
Family photo backup questions
Is photo synchronisation the same as backup?
No, not on its own. The National Cyber Security Centre defines a backup as a copy kept in a separate safe location; Apple says iCloud Photos changes carry across devices, and Google Photos warns that deletion can affect backed-up items on connected devices. Keep another restorable copy if accidental deletion is a concern.
Can I remove phone photos after uploading them to OneDrive?
Microsoft describes OneDrive camera-roll upload on iOS as one-way, so removing an uploaded photo from the phone does not remove its OneDrive copy through two-way synchronisation. Before deleting anything, confirm that upload has finished and that you can open the copy you intend to keep.
Does sharing Google One storage let relatives see my photos?
Not automatically: Google says family members cannot access one another’s files without permission. Check that your chosen plan supports family sharing, and use the service’s photo-sharing controls for pictures you do want others to see.
How can we check that a family photo backup works?
Restore a small selection of photos from different devices to another folder or device, then open the files and check that they are the copies you expected. The NI Cyber Security Centre advises practising restoration so the process is familiar when it is needed.