Choose storage around what makes backup difficult for you, but keep another separately managed copy of important files rather than relying on one drive, phone or synchronised library. An external hard disk drive (HDD) suits a large local archive, while a portable solid-state drive (SSD) suits frequent transfers; cloud storage can automate phone uploads, and network-attached storage (NAS) can serve several household devices if you are prepared to maintain and back it up.
If years of laptop photos, videos and documents need a place to go, a local drive can accommodate periodic backups. Which? describes HDDs as suited to longer-term computer-file backup; the archive still needs a separate copy.
If most new photos start on a phone, an upload routine may be easier to maintain than repeated cable transfers. Google documents automatic Android photo backup, while Synology documents phone uploads to a NAS; check which destination and account your household will use.
If you regularly carry photo or video batches between devices, transfer speed and the drive’s connection matter alongside capacity. Which? describes SSDs as generally faster than HDDs, although the speed reached depends on the devices and cable used.
Decide where a separate recoverable copy will live before choosing the storage route that makes your routine manageable.
Choose it when: Your main task is a sizeable local archive copied from a computer periodically.
Allow for: Slower transfers than an SSD, as described by Which?, and a separate copy if the drive is lost or damaged.
Choose it when: You repeatedly move large media batches or carry the drive between locations.
Allow for: Rated speeds that depend on the host and cable; a rugged rating does not protect against every loss or damage.
Choose it when: Automatic phone uploads and access across devices are central to your routine.
Allow for: Shared account storage and a possible ongoing subscription; keep an independent copy of files you cannot replace.
Choose it when: Several devices need a shared local destination and someone can manage the NAS.
Allow for: Setup and maintenance, plus another backup destination for the NAS itself.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| A separate recovery copy | Where each copy lives and whether you can restore files from it. | If my phone or drive fails, I need photos I can retrieve from another destination. Roughly 29% of consumers would put a separate recovery copy first. |
| Archive capacity | Your current library size, likely growth and the usable space at each destination. | Years of photos, videos and documents are filling my laptop, so room for the archive is my immediate concern. Around 22% of consumers would prioritise capacity. |
| Consistent phone uploads | Whether automatic backup is enabled and a recent photo appears at the intended destination. | I take most photos on my phone and may postpone manual transfers; uploads need to happen as part of my routine. Approximately 21% of consumers would make phone-backup consistency their priority. |
| Large transfers and travel | The drive’s connection, your device’s port and cable, and any model-specific protection rating. | I move large media batches between locations and do not want each copy to interrupt that work. Roughly 14% of consumers would put transfer speed and portability first. |
| Subscription and file control | Account storage shared with other services, export options and the work of maintaining local storage. | I would rather manage files on my own hardware, provided I can maintain another copy. Around 14% of consumers would prioritise limiting subscriptions and retaining local control. |
A drive can be lost or damaged, while synchronisation can carry changes across devices. Apple advises making an archive or copy of information stored in iCloud as an extra copy.
Keep another separately managed copy of important files, and occasionally open a sample from that copy to check that you can retrieve it.
Actual transfer speed depends on the drive, host port, cable and configuration. Samsung specifies a compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 host, cable and UASP for the T7 Shield’s maximum rated speed.
Check the ports and cable you will use before making speed the deciding factor; for an archive copied only periodically, consider whether capacity matters more.
Formatting differs between models. Western Digital says the referenced My Passport drives ship as NTFS and need reformatting for macOS.
Check the exact model’s format before purchase, and move any existing files to another location before reformatting a drive.
Reformatting can also mean setting aside time to move files before the drive is ready to use.
Google says its account storage allowance is shared across Drive, Gmail and Google Photos. A growing library therefore competes with other files for space.
Check the account’s present use and your expected photo and video growth before choosing a cloud plan or relying on its existing allowance.
The T7 Shield line is a portable SSD option for households that move a physical photo backup between locations.
The One Touch range includes external HDD and SSD options for different local-backup routines.
The My Passport range is a portable HDD option for computer-based photo and document backup.
iCloud services fit Apple-device households that want photos available through their existing phone, tablet and computer workflow.
Synology’s NAS workflow offers a shared local destination for household photos and computer folders.
These portable HDDs and SSDs are options for adding a local copy of laptop photos, videos and documents. If automatic phone uploads are your priority, check the exact device and app workflow separately; whichever drive you choose, keep another copy of important files.
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Consider this portable SSD for a large local photo library that you also move between computers.
The listed variant is 4 TB with a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 connection. Check your device and cable compatibility if transfer speed matters, and confirm a suitable phone workflow if you want direct phone backup.
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This portable HDD is a local-archive option for someone backing up a substantial collection from a Mac.
The listed capacity is 5TB. If you also need to use it with Windows or a phone, confirm the exact format, connection and setup required before moving your files.
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Consider this model if you regularly carry a physical copy of photo or video files.
Samsung identifies MU-PE1T0S as a T7 Shield variant and specifies up to 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write with the required compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 host, cable and UASP. Its stated IP65 and 3 m drop ratings do not cover every kind of damage; check the phone workflow separately if you need automatic uploads.
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This portable HDD suits a computer-based photo archive if 2TB meets your present storage needs and leaves room for growth.
Check the exact macOS setup before purchase, particularly if the same drive must work across operating systems. Confirm phone compatibility separately if you intend to copy photos directly from a handset.
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Consider this portable HDD when the main task is adding a 4TB local destination for a laptop photo and video archive.
Check whether your operating system requires reformatting before use. If photos start on a phone, confirm how you will transfer them to the drive.
No: keep another separately managed copy of photos you cannot replace. Apple explains that iCloud synchronises data across devices and recommends making an additional archive or copy of information stored there.
Yes, Google says photos and videos can be saved automatically to a Google Account once backup is enabled. Check the account’s available storage and confirm that a recent photo appears at the intended destination.
A Synology NAS can receive automatic phone-photo uploads through Synology Photos and synchronise computer folders through Synology Drive Client, according to Synology. It needs setup and network access, and its contents still need a separate backup.
Check the exact model’s supplied format before copying files. Western Digital says the referenced My Passport drives ship as NTFS and need reformatting for macOS; move any existing files elsewhere before reformatting.