Choose backup storage by how you will recover your files, not capacity alone. An external hard drive suits scheduled copies from one computer, a portable SSD suits a drive you regularly carry, and a NAS can serve several computers; cloud storage can add an off-site copy if you manage account access, storage limits and exports. Whatever the route, check that you can restore a file: a synchronised folder is not necessarily an independent backup.
If photos and documents live mainly on one PC or Mac, keep a separate copy that you can restore after a drive failure or accidental deletion. The National Cyber Security Centre advises storing important backups in a separate safe location.
A growing photo library calls for enough space and a routine that covers each computer and relevant folder. A shared network destination may simplify that routine, but it still needs a separate recovery copy.
If the computer and a drive kept at home could both become unavailable, consider a copy in another location. With a cloud service, plan how you would regain account access, check storage limits and export the files you need.
Start with the computers and folders you need to protect, then decide where a recoverable copy should live and how often it will be made.
Consider it when: You can connect a drive for regular local backups from one computer.
Trade-off: A drive kept at home offers no off-site copy by itself; the National Cyber Security Centre advises against leaving the only removable backup permanently connected.
Consider it when: You regularly carry the backup drive or transfer large folders.
Trade-off: Advertised transfer speeds depend on the computer and cable, while a portable drive still needs another protected copy.
Consider it when: Several computers need scheduled backups to a shared home destination.
Trade-off: A NAS needs drives, setup and access management, and does not become an off-site backup simply by being on the network.
Consider it when: You need a copy accessible when local equipment is unavailable.
Trade-off: Recovery depends on account access, internet access and the service’s storage and retention rules.
Consider it when: You want a local restore option and a copy in another location.
Trade-off: Both destinations need monitoring, account security where applicable and occasional restore tests.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Recoverable copies | Check folder coverage, backup frequency and how to restore an earlier file. If a removable drive is your only local backup, plan when to disconnect it. | If my computer fails or files are deleted, I need a separate copy I can actually restore. Roughly 27% of consumers put recoverability first. |
| Capacity and shared use | Measure the files to protect, allow for growth and backup history, and identify every computer that needs a backup. | My photo library is growing across several computers, so a routine covering them all matters more than occasional manual copying. Around 27% of consumers prioritise capacity and a shared workflow. |
| Off-site access | Check account recovery, storage limits, retained versions and the steps for exporting files before changing a cloud plan. | If both my computer and local drive are unavailable, I still need access to the files elsewhere. About 33% of consumers put off-site recovery and account control first. |
| Portable use | Check the drive’s capacity and connector, the computer’s supported USB mode, and the limits of any model-specific protection claims. | I carry a backup drive between locations and need transfers that work with my computer. Roughly 13% of consumers make portability and transfer needs their primary concern. |
Changes and deletions can spread to synchronised copies. Microsoft Support and Apple Support both describe deletion behaviour that can remove a synced file from other devices.
Keep a separate backup, or check the service’s version retention and restore controls before relying on it. Restore a test file.
Backup history takes space as a photo library grows. Apple Support says Time Machine removes the oldest backups when its disk fills.
Measure the files you will protect and leave room for growth and retained versions. For Time Machine, Apple recommends a disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity.
Malware affecting a computer may also reach connected storage. The National Cyber Security Centre advises that removable backup media should not be permanently connected.
Use a routine that still makes regular copies, disconnect the drive when practical and test that you can restore a file.
Google and Microsoft state that exceeding an account’s storage quota can stop new uploads or syncing. An off-site copy is less useful if nobody can access or export it when needed.
Keep account-recovery details up to date, monitor storage use and confirm how to export files before changing or cancelling a plan.
The T7 Shield is a portable SSD option for a backup drive that is carried between locations.
The DS224+ and DS124 are network-attached storage options for a shared household backup destination.
Time Machine provides a Mac-focused route for automatic backups to a compatible disk.
File History and OneDrive offer different local or network backup and cloud-storage workflows for Windows households.
Google Drive and Google Photos offer a cloud-storage route with an account-data export option.
These portable drives provide local storage options for home photo and document backups. Set up a suitable backup routine and consider another location if a drive kept at home would not meet your recovery needs.
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A portable local destination to consider for a Mac household’s photo and document backups.
The product description specifies 5TB, USB-C connections and password protection with 256-bit AES. For Windows use, check the stated HFS+ driver requirement; also confirm that your backup software covers the right folders and can restore a file.
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A portable local-drive option for a household planning regular copies from a computer.
The product description specifies 2TB, USB 3.2 Gen 1 and 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and describes scheduled-backup software. Check the current software, folder coverage and restore steps before relying on that routine; a second destination is needed for off-site recovery.
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A separate local storage destination for photos and documents, provided it fits your computer and backup routine.
The product description specifies 4TB, USB 3.2 Gen 1 and a supplied USB-A cable. It says reformatting may be needed for Mac or other operating systems; check compatibility before use, particularly if the drive already holds files, and test your intended restore process.
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A portable SSD to consider if you carry a local copy or regularly transfer large photo folders.
Samsung specifies USB 3.2 Gen 2 and up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s sequential read/write for this model; reaching those figures requires compatible computer hardware, cable and UASP. Check that 1TB accommodates the files and backup history you need, and establish a restore routine and another protected copy.
Not on its own if you need an independently recoverable copy. Microsoft Support says deleting a synced online-only file can remove it from both devices and the cloud; check separate backup or version-retention controls and try restoring a file.
Apple Support recommends at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity for a Time Machine disk. This is guidance for that Mac backup route, not a capacity rule for every drive or cloud plan.
Avoid leaving it permanently connected if it is your only local recovery copy and malware exposure is a concern. The National Cyber Security Centre advises disconnecting removable backup media when it is not needed; keep a routine that still makes regular backups and allows restore tests.
Check the storage allowance you will have afterwards and copy or export files you need to keep accessible. Google says cancelling a storage plan can return an account to up to 15 GB of personal storage, while an over-quota account cannot upload or sync new Drive files; Google also provides an archive-export process for documents and photos.