For photos and important files that would be difficult to replace, keep a usable local copy and a separate copy you can restore, with at least one backup protected from incidents affecting the computer. An external drive provides a local destination; cloud computer backup adds an offsite destination but depends on account access, connectivity and retention settings. Synchronisation needs its own local-availability and recovery checks, while a NAS still needs another backup destination: the National Cyber Security Centre advises against keeping every backup continuously connected, and Synology warns that RAID failures can still cause data loss.
If photos, videos or documents cannot easily be recreated, extra space on the computer is not enough: you need another copy you can restore. Apple Support describes archiving cloud-held information as a way to keep an extra copy.
If important folders must open during travel, a broadband outage or an account-access problem, check which files are actually downloaded. Microsoft Support says OneDrive online-only files cannot open without internet access; Google Drive Help distinguishes streamed files from mirrored files.
If work files include personal data, plan for recovery as well as access and account security. The Information Commissioner's Office says appropriate security measures should support timely restoration of access to personal data.
Decide which files must stay on the computer, then choose a separate recovery destination and check how each copy is updated. A local drive, cloud computer-backup service, synchronisation service and NAS can play different roles; combining them does not remove the need to check what can actually be restored.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery after loss or deletion | Check how to restore files and folders, how long deleted or earlier versions remain available, and whether a copy can be kept separately protected. | If a damaged computer or an overwritten photo could leave me with nothing usable, recovery is my primary concern; around 29% of consumers put recoverability first. |
| Local and offline access | Check whether essential folders remain downloaded or mirrored, and open a representative file while offline. | When I need documents without broadband or cloud-account access, the files must already be on my computer. Around 29% of consumers make local access their main priority. |
| Automatic offsite backup | Confirm which folders and connected drives are included, when backups run, and what happens to retained data after a drive is disconnected. | If I am likely to forget manual copies, I want an offsite backup that runs without that step; around 24% of consumers put automation and offsite protection first. |
| Capacity and storage commitments | Measure the data to protect, allow room for future files and versions, and check what each local device or subscription retains. | As my photo library grows, I need each destination to hold its assigned copy without using more computer space than I can spare; around 18% of consumers prioritise capacity and storage management. |
Seeing a file in a cloud folder does not establish that it will open offline or that an older version will be recoverable. Microsoft Support says OneDrive online-only files need an internet connection, while Google Drive Help says offline streamed files are removed if the account is disconnected.
Keep another recovery copy of irreplaceable files, set essential folders to remain local and test both offline access and restoration.
A drive that stays attached can be affected alongside the computer. The National Cyber Security Centre warns that ransomware incidents can reach connected USB, network and cloud backup locations.
After a scheduled local backup completes, disconnect and store a copy securely; consider an offsite copy for files that would be difficult to recreate.
Discovering a deletion late can limit what is recoverable. Microsoft Support states that OneDrive file version history is retained for 30 days; Backblaze Help describes 30 days as the default for its deleted or previous file versions.
Check the retention setting before relying on a service, and arrange longer retention or a separate archive if you might not notice a loss promptly.
Backblaze Help says a backup protected by its private encryption key cannot be viewed or restored without that key, which the provider cannot recover for you.
If you choose that setting, keep the key in a secure place that you can still access when restoring from another computer.
A synchronisation service to consider when you want files across devices and can choose deliberately which folders stay on a Windows PC.
A synchronisation service for people who need to choose between streamed and mirrored desktop files.
A cloud computer-backup service to consider when automatic offsite protection of user-generated data is the main task.
A NAS ecosystem for households prepared to manage central storage and backups to another destination.
An external-storage brand to consider for a local backup drive and a model-specific software workflow.
These drives provide local storage choices for photos and files, while the NAS offers a central household-storage route. Choose capacity for the files you intend to protect, and arrange a separate recovery copy where losing the local device would otherwise leave you without one.
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Consider this 2TB drive for a local copy of photos and files. Check the backup software's scheduling and restore options, and confirm the required setup for your Mac if applicable. Keep another copy for recovery from an incident affecting the drive and computer.
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The 5TB capacity makes this a local destination to assess for a larger photo and file library. Confirm compatibility with your Mac and the backup utility's scheduling, retention and restore options; a second recovery destination remains important for irreplaceable files.
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Consider this NAS when several household devices need central storage and you are prepared to manage its backups. It is identified as a two-bay diskless model: check drive inclusion, compatible drives and resulting usable capacity before choosing it. Synology warns that a NAS and RAID do not replace a separate backup destination.
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This 1TB USB Type-C drive is a local-storage option if the files you intend to copy fit within its capacity. If you need scheduled backups or earlier file versions rather than manual copying, check the software and restore workflow before relying on it.
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The 4TB capacity offers a local destination for a photo and file library that fits within it. Check compatibility before use, particularly if you have a Mac, and choose and test a backup workflow rather than assuming that copying files provides version history or an offsite copy.
No: synchronisation keeps current files accessible across devices, but it does not by itself establish that you can restore the version you need or open a file offline. Microsoft Support and Google Drive Help describe different local-file settings; check version history and keep an additional recoverable copy of important files.
Download the essential files and test that they open while the computer is offline. Microsoft Support describes OneDrive's Always keep on this device setting; Google Drive Help describes mirroring or making selected streamed files available offline; Apple Support explains how to keep iCloud Drive files downloaded on a Windows computer. Locally held files use computer storage.
Start with the size of the folders and photo library you intend to protect, then allow room for future files and any versions the destination will retain. Check capacity separately for each local or cloud destination: a copy held elsewhere does not increase the space available on a smaller drive.
Confirm that the intended folders are included, let a backup complete, then restore a non-sensitive test file to a different location. Test an essential file offline as well if local access matters. For work involving personal data, the Information Commissioner's Office also emphasises timely restoration and testing the effectiveness of security measures.
No particular cloud service, drive or NAS is prescribed by the Information Commissioner's Office guidance cited here. If you process personal data for work, its guidance calls for technical and organisational measures appropriate to the circumstances and risk, including the ability to restore access and availability in a timely manner after an incident.