Choose a portable drive for a local copy you can disconnect, a network-attached storage device (NAS) if your household will manage a shared file library, or cloud backup if off-site copies and access through individual accounts matter most. For frequent large transfers, a portable SSD is worth considering; for a mostly static local archive, compare external hard drives. Whichever route you use, keep an independently protected copy of irreplaceable files and check that you can restore them: the National Cyber Security Centre warns that connected backup locations can be affected in the same incident as the original files.
If you mainly want to recover photos and documents after deletion, loss or device replacement, removable media or cloud storage can provide a separate location without requiring you to run a household server. The National Cyber Security Centre describes both as backup locations; whichever you choose, check that important files can be restored.
If files are spread across several phones and computers, a NAS can bring them into a central store with controlled access. QNAP describes backup and sharing across computers and mobile devices, but a household also needs to manage accounts, storage and a separate backup destination.
If you regularly carry a drive or transfer large files between compatible devices, a portable SSD may suit that work. SanDisk describes portable SSDs as generally faster and more resistant to physical shock than portable hard drives; actual transfer speed still depends on the drive and its connection.
Decide how you will recover files first, then choose whether fast transfers, a shared home library or automatic off-site copies deserve priority. A USB hub can help connect devices, but it is not a backup destination on its own.
Choose it when: You often move large folders between compatible computers or take your files with you.
Allow for: Peak speeds depend on the host port and cable; Samsung specifies additional connection requirements for its T7 Shield speed figures.
Choose it when: You want a local archive for files you access less often, rather than a drive for frequent large transfers.
Allow for: SanDisk describes portable hard drives as generally slower than portable SSDs; disconnect a backup drive when it is not in use.
Choose it when: Several household members need a central library and someone can administer storage and user access.
Allow for: A NAS needs ongoing management and another backup destination; Synology warns that RAID failure or drive failure can still cause data loss.
Choose it when: Off-site copies and access after replacing a device matter more than avoiding an ongoing service relationship.
Allow for: Backup depends on your connection, account access and available storage; sharing plan capacity does not automatically share personal files.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Recovering irreplaceable files | Plan a copy separate from the original files and test whether you can restore a selected photo or document. | If I lose a phone or delete a family photo, I need a copy I can actually recover. Around 31% of consumers put recovery first. |
| Fast portable transfers | Check each intended device’s connector and USB protocol, along with the cable needed for the drive. | When large photo or video folders need moving, I want the transfer to fit my devices and routine. Fast portable transfer comes first for around 23% of consumers. |
| A shared household library | Check device-backup support, user permissions and where the NAS itself will be backed up. | With files on several family devices, I want one organised library without giving everyone the same account. Around 31% of consumers prioritise shared access. |
| Automatic off-site copies | Check available capacity, eligible household accounts and what happens when a plan changes. | If a device is replaced or home storage is unavailable, I want my backed-up files accessible through my account. That is the primary need for around 15% of consumers. |
The National Cyber Security Centre reports incidents in which ransomware affected original files and connected USB or network backup storage. A second copy can therefore be exposed in the same incident.
Keep at least one copy offline or otherwise independently protected, and periodically restore a file to check the backup.
The connection can limit transfer speed. Samsung says the T7 Shield’s quoted maximum speeds require a compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 host and cable with UASP enabled.
Identify the ports and supported protocols on the devices you intend to use before choosing a drive or an adapter.
Google One and iCloud+ allow eligible family members to use shared storage while retaining individual file privacy. Access to a particular folder still needs to be arranged deliberately.
Use individual accounts, set permissions for folders you intend to share and decide who will manage the plan and account recovery.
A hub may help connect a phone, card reader or drive, but it does not hold a separate safe copy of the imported files.
Use a hub for connectivity only, alongside storage and a backup routine; check that transfers finish before removing a connected device.
The T7 Shield is an example of Samsung’s portable SSD line for carrying files between compatible devices.
Its One Touch range includes direct-USB storage options for households considering a portable drive and scheduled computer backups.
Its NAS documentation covers central storage and backups to external devices, another NAS or selected cloud destinations.
QNAP describes home NAS models, including the TS-233, for central file access, sharing and synchronisation.
Its portable SSD range is relevant when carrying and transferring files between compatible host devices is the main task.
These portable SSDs and hard drives are options for making a removable local copy or moving files between compatible devices. If your household instead needs a shared NAS library or account-based cloud backup, use the selection checks above; a portable drive alone does not replace an independently protected copy.
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Consider this removable drive if you need a 4 TB local copy or regularly move large folders between compatible devices.
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This portable local-copy option suits a household whose selected files fit within 1 TB.
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Consider the 2 TB variant for a removable household file copy if that capacity fits the files you intend to protect.
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This 4 TB portable SSD is an option for keeping a sizeable local copy of household files.
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Consider this external hard drive for a 2 TB local archive when frequent large transfers are not the priority.
No: RAID is not a backup at a separate destination. Synology warns that RAID failure and hard-drive failure can still cause data loss, so plan another copy outside the NAS and check that you can restore it.
Sharing storage capacity does not automatically give everyone access to your files. Google One says family members need permission to access one another’s files, while Apple says iCloud+ family members use their own Apple Accounts; set folder or link permissions deliberately when you do want to share.
Check that provider’s current capacity and cancellation terms before making the plan your only accessible copy. Microsoft says that after a Microsoft 365 Family subscription is cancelled, members’ allowances are reduced and anyone over the resulting free allowance cannot upload, edit or sync new files.
Disconnect a removable backup drive when it is not being used, and reconnect it for planned backups and restore checks. The National Cyber Security Centre warns that malware can affect attached backup media as well as the original files.