For irreplaceable household photos and documents, use an automatically updated local backup alongside a separate cloud or off-site copy: the two locations help when a device fails or an incident affects the home. An external drive provides local storage, while cloud storage can keep a copy away from home; whichever route you choose, check the folders covered, available capacity, account or drive security, and how to restore a file.
If losing access to a computer would also mean losing important files, choose a backup you can restore from—not merely more space on that computer.
Keep a copy separate from the computer in case it is lost, damaged or stolen. The Information Commissioner's Office notes that cloud storage can keep important files outside the home if fire, flood or theft affects local copies.
Microsoft Support describes two different routes: Windows Backup syncs selected folders through OneDrive, while File History makes regular copies to an external drive or network location. Check the selected folders and destination before relying on either.
Apple Support says Time Machine can automatically back up Mac files to external storage and recommends a disk with at least twice the Mac's storage capacity. iCloud Drive offers access to selected files across devices, but it serves a different purpose from a separate local backup.
Start with what you need to recover, then choose where each copy will live and how it will be updated.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Separate copies | Check that a copy lives outside the computer. For an incident affecting the home, consider a cloud or other off-site copy as well as a local drive. | I want my photos and documents to remain recoverable if the computer is lost or damaged. The Information Commissioner's Office describes an outside-the-home copy as part of a backup solution for incidents such as fire, flood or theft. |
| Automatic coverage | List the folders to protect and check the tool's selected folders, schedule and destination. Microsoft Support says Windows Backup syncs specified folders to OneDrive; File History makes regular copies to an external drive or network location. | I would rather have routine backups than remember to copy files myself, but I need to know whether files outside the selected folders are covered. |
| Capacity and drive type | Measure the files to protect and allow room for growth and backup history. Apple Support recommends a Time Machine disk with at least twice the Mac's storage capacity; compare any cloud allowance with the files you intend to store. | My photo or video collection may grow. For a local drive, Which? distinguishes HDDs used for long-term computer-file backup from portable SSDs, which offer faster transfers; the choice depends on how I will use the drive. |
| Security and restoration | Check account protection, whether an external drive can be disconnected between backups, and the steps for restoring a test file. The National Cyber Security Centre warns that neither local nor cloud backups resist ransomware by default. | I need a copy I can actually retrieve after an incident. The NI Cyber Security Centre advises disconnecting an external drive when it is not backing up, enabling two-factor authentication for cloud storage and practising restoration. |
Microsoft Support says Windows Backup syncs the folders you select; files elsewhere may need a separate arrangement. A synced folder is not proof that every file on the computer is protected.
List the files that matter, inspect the selected folders and restore a test file from the chosen route.
A drive kept with the computer can be affected by the same physical incident. The National Cyber Security Centre also warns that backups are not ransomware-resistant by default.
Disconnect the drive when a backup is not running, as the NI Cyber Security Centre advises, and keep another copy off-site or in the cloud for irreplaceable files.
A growing file collection and retained backup history both need space. Apple Support recommends a Time Machine disk with at least twice the Mac's storage capacity.
Measure what you plan to protect and check how much room the chosen drive or cloud allowance leaves for future files and backup history.
A copy is less useful if the household does not know how to access it. Recovery features also have different conditions: Microsoft Support says restoring an entire OneDrive to an earlier point is a Microsoft 365 subscriber feature.
Restore a non-critical file after setup and keep the account-recovery and drive-location details accessible to the people who may need them.
These platform tools can shape how you use a drive or cloud account; they are not interchangeable whole-computer backups.
For Windows households considering built-in folder backup or local file history.
For Mac households choosing between automatic local backup and access to files through iCloud.
For households using Google Drive for desktop to sync computer files.
These external HDD and portable SSD options are for keeping a local copy of household files. A drive alone is not an off-site copy; check how your computer will schedule backups and restore files before relying on one.
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A 2TB local-drive option for a separate copy of home files. Check which folders its backup setup covers and how to restore them; for Mac use, confirm the required driver setup.
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A portable 2 TB local-copy option with USB 3.2 Gen 2. Check the connection to your computer and set up a backup routine that covers the intended folders; test a restore before relying on the drive.
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A 1TB USB Type-C local-copy option for files you want to keep on a separate drive. Confirm the computer connection, choose the folders to back up and try restoring a file.
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A 1TB portable local-copy option with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2; its product name states transfer speeds of up to 2000MB/s. Confirm your computer's USB-C compatibility and arrange backup scheduling and file restoration separately.
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A 2TB portable drive for a local copy of photos and documents. Confirm compatibility with your computer, then check the backup schedule, folder coverage and restore process you intend to use.
Not necessarily: coverage depends on the files and folders configured. Microsoft Support says Windows Backup syncs specified folders to OneDrive, so check what lies outside them, the available storage and how you would restore a file before making a cloud account your only copy.
For long-term local file backup, consider an external HDD; if transfer speed and portability matter more, consider a portable SSD. Which? distinguishes those uses and notes that SSDs are faster as a category. Compare the capacity you need and the connection your computer supports, then choose a backup tool or routine for the drive.
Apple Support recommends an external backup device with at least twice the Mac's storage capacity for Time Machine. Check your Mac's capacity when choosing the drive; this recommendation is specific to Time Machine, not every backup method.
Keep another copy separate from the computer, disconnect an external drive when it is not backing up, and protect a cloud account with a strong password and two-factor authentication. The NI Cyber Security Centre recommends these practical steps, while the National Cyber Security Centre warns that local and cloud backups are not ransomware-resistant by default.
Try restoring a non-critical file after setting up your backup and repeat the test periodically. The NI Cyber Security Centre advises practising restoration so you understand the process before you need your files after an incident.