Choose capacity to fit the files you need to protect, then check that the drive’s connection and backup method work with your computer. A portable SSD can suit frequent carrying and large transfers, an HDD can suit a larger local collection, and an encrypted USB drive can suit a limited set of sensitive files; whichever you choose, keep a separate copy because one device cannot guarantee recovery.
If you are bringing documents and photos together from a computer, consider the space you need, how you will repeat backups and where you can keep a copy apart from the original. The UK National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy stored in a separate safe location.
If you need to take a limited set of personal records away from home, consider how access is controlled if the drive is misplaced, and keep another copy. The Information Commissioner’s Office explains that encryption can help protect information on storage media if a device is lost or stolen.
If your files are spread across computers or other devices, check that the connection, operating-system setup and backup method suit the devices involved. Microsoft and Apple describe different backup workflows for Windows and Mac.
Consider it when: you regularly carry files or transfer large collections and can match the drive’s connector and cable to your devices.
Trade-off: a drive carried with your computer may not be a separate-location copy, and rated transfer speeds depend on the host and cable.
Consider it when: you need space for a computer-based photo and document collection and can connect the drive for scheduled backups.
Trade-off: a disconnected drive cannot receive scheduled backups until it is reconnected; features vary by model.
Consider it when: you need to carry a relatively small set of sensitive documents and want a deliberate access-control method.
Trade-off: it is not a substitute for another copy, and losing the PIN or password may prevent access.
Consider it when: several household devices need a shared location and someone can manage a networked system.
Trade-off: a NAS needs setup and ongoing management, and synchronisation alone does not establish that deleted files can be restored.
Consider it when: you want an additional copy stored separately from home and can confirm that the folders upload and can be restored.
Trade-off: account access, internet access and the service’s storage allowance matter; syncing folders is not necessarily the same as keeping an independently restorable backup.
Start by deciding what files need a copy and where that copy will be kept; then check capacity, protection and whether the backup setup works with your computer.
| Concern | What to check when buying | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| A backup beyond the original | Plan where the local backup and any additional copy will be kept; test opening a restored file. | If I want my records to remain accessible if one copy is lost or damaged, I would keep another copy apart from the original. Around 28% of consumers put avoiding reliance on a single copy first. |
| Protection for sensitive files | Check whether encryption protects the actual backup, how to enable it and how to keep credentials separately. | If I carry personal or financial records, I want to limit access if the device is misplaced, while still being able to unlock it myself. About 22% of consumers prioritise protecting sensitive files. |
| Capacity for a growing collection | Measure the folders to back up, allow for additions and retained versions, and compare with usable capacity. | If I am bringing years of documents and photos together, I need room for the collection to grow. Roughly 22% of consumers put capacity for a growing collection first. |
| Computer and backup compatibility | Check computer ports, cable ends, operating systems and the intended backup workflow before formatting the drive. | If I need backups to work with my computer and its software, I would confirm the setup before relying on the drive. Around 17% of consumers prioritise compatibility. |
| Carrying and transferring files | Check the complete host, cable and drive connection; treat resistance ratings as applying only to their stated conditions. | If I regularly carry a copy or move large files, portability and the connection matter to me. About 11% of consumers put frequent carrying and transfers first. |
A backup is a separate copy, not simply a new place to store the original. If the drive is lost, damaged or inaccessible, it may leave you without an accessible copy.
Keep the original while making the backup, and plan another copy in a separate safe location.
Protection depends on the encryption and unlock process actually being configured for the copy you intend to restore. Losing the credential can also prevent access.
Enable and test the intended protection, keep credentials separately and retain another recoverable copy.
Seagate says its mirror function updates the other folder when files are edited or deleted. That is different from keeping an earlier version that can be restored.
Check version history and restoration, and maintain a separately stored backup rather than relying on synchronisation alone.
Samsung’s stated maximum T7 Shield speeds depend on the host and cable. A drive’s included cable and connection may also differ by model.
Check both cable ends, the computer’s port and the backup tool before choosing a drive.
Samsung’s T7 Shield line is a portable SSD option for carrying files and making large transfers.
My Passport portable HDD models are one option for a repeatable computer-file backup routine.
The One Touch HDD line offers a portable-drive option for computer-file backups.
IronKey Keypad 200 is a specialised encrypted USB option for a limited set of sensitive files.
The DS223j represents a networked household-storage option for files used across devices.
The products below are portable local-storage options: SSDs for carrying files and transferring larger collections, an HDD for a larger photo and document library, and a keypad USB drive for a limited set of sensitive records.
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A portable SSD option for carrying files and transferring a larger collection.
2 TB capacity; USB 3.2 Gen 2; two cable types are listed. Optional AES 256-bit hardware encryption requires password setup using the listed software.
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A keypad USB drive for carrying a limited set of sensitive records; it is not a substitute for another copy.
16 GB capacity; USB-A; integrated keypad; XTS-AES 256-bit encryption. Keep the PIN carefully and retain another copy.
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A portable SSD option for carrying files and making transfers, if 1 TB suits the collection you plan to back up.
1 TB capacity; USB Type-C; USB 3.2 Gen 2; stated read/write speeds up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s. The listing describes IP65 protection for temporary water exposure and says not to submerge the drive.
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A compact portable SSD option for taking a photo or document collection on the move.
2 TB capacity; stated read speeds up to 800 MB/s; listed weight 0.04 kg.
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A portable hard drive option for a larger collection of photos and documents.
4 TB capacity; USB 3.2 Gen 1; Micro-B connector; USB-A cable included. The listing says reformatting may be required for Mac or other operating systems.
Add up the files and folders you intend to back up, including photographs and files on other devices you plan to consolidate. Allow for additions and retained versions, then compare the total with usable drive space; there is no universal capacity requirement for every collection.
Do not assume it will. Microsoft describes File History using an external drive or network location, while Apple says Time Machine cannot back up to a Windows-formatted disk. Apple also warns that reformatting removes existing data, so confirm the intended setup before putting your only copy on the disk.
Connect the destination for scheduled backups, check that the intended folders are included, then restore and open a file. Microsoft notes that a disconnected File History drive must be reconnected before the next scheduled backup can proceed.
Not merely because the backup contains personal records. The Information Commissioner’s Office says processing that is purely for personal or household activity, without a professional or commercial connection, is outside UK GDPR’s scope. Its organisational encryption guidance describes a safeguard against loss or theft, not a universal legal duty for household backups; professional or commercial circumstances differ.
No. UK consumer-rights guidance concerns remedies for faulty goods, not a promise to restore files. Keep another independently accessible copy so your records are not dependent on a device that may fail.