Choose a backup destination by what you need to recover: a removable drive provides a local copy, cloud storage can provide an off-site copy, and network storage can serve as a shared home destination. For important Windows PC files, check that you can restore earlier versions and keep at least one copy separate from the PC and other live copies. A synced folder or a drive left connected should not be your entire plan.
If losing documents, photos or videos would be difficult to put right, plan for a copy you can restore after deletion or PC failure—not just somewhere else to store the latest files. Microsoft Support describes File History as a way to restore earlier file versions; the National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping backup devices disconnected when not in use.
Measure the folders you intend to protect, then allow room for future files and retained versions. A removable drive gives you a local destination; check its capacity and connection against your Windows PC before choosing between models.
A local copy can be convenient to restore, while a separately stored drive or cloud copy addresses the risk of keeping everything in one place. The National Cyber Security Centre suggests using both online and storage-device backups for extra protection.
Start with the files and recovery points you need, then choose destinations that will not all be exposed to the same loss.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Backup route | Use a removable drive for a local copy, cloud storage for an off-site copy, or network storage for a home backup destination. Check the backup software and setup each route requires. | I need to recover files at home, away from home, or both. If I choose a NAS, I can maintain its network access and backup schedule. |
| Separation | Check where each copy is kept and whether it remains connected. The National Cyber Security Centre warns that ransomware has affected original data and connected USB, network and cloud backup locations. | I want a copy that remains available if my PC and connected copies are affected together. |
| Earlier versions | Check how to restore an older file and how long versions remain available. Microsoft Support states that OneDrive file version history is retained for 30 days; Google Drive Help says older uploaded versions may be deleted after 30 days or 100 newer versions unless marked Keep forever. | If I overwrite or delete a file, I need more than the latest synchronised copy. |
| Backup scope | List the folders to protect and check the schedule. Microsoft Support describes File History for libraries, Windows Backup for selected folders and other Windows information; Synology describes a BeeStation whole-PC backup option using Acronis True Image. | Do I need my personal files back, or also the operating system, applications and settings? |
| Access security | Check encryption and recovery-key handling for portable media. For online copies, enable two-step verification as advised by the National Cyber Security Centre. | A portable drive could be lost, and my cloud account needs protection as well as my files. |
| Capacity and connection | Allow for the data being copied, growth and retained versions. Match the drive interface, PC port and cable; Samsung says the T7 Shield’s quoted maximum speeds require a USB 3.2 Gen 2 host, suitable cable and UASP. | My photo or video library needs room to grow, and a faster drive matters only if my PC connection can use it. |
The National Cyber Security Centre reports incidents in which ransomware affected connected backup locations as well as original data.
Run backups on a schedule, then safely disconnect and securely store the drive when it is not in use. Keep another copy elsewhere for files you cannot replace.
Synchronisation keeps copies current, but recovery depends on the service’s version and restore features. Microsoft Support gives OneDrive file version history a 30-day retention period and reserves whole-OneDrive restore for Microsoft 365 subscribers; Google Drive Help describes conditions under which older versions may be deleted.
Check selected folders, version retention and the restore steps before relying on a cloud account as your backup.
Samsung says the T7 Shield’s quoted maximum speeds require a compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 host, cable and UASP support.
Check your Windows PC port and the cable you will use. If the drive is mainly for scheduled backups, also assess capacity and how you will restore files.
A network destination in the same home remains exposed to events affecting that location. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping backup copies separated and, where appropriate, offline.
Use the NAS for local backups if its setup suits you, then arrange a separately stored or off-site copy of important files and test that you can restore them.
These examples illustrate different backup approaches; check the particular service, device and features you intend to use.
Windows Backup, File History and OneDrive address different recovery tasks rather than forming one interchangeable feature.
The T7 Shield range is an example of a portable physical-copy route.
BeeStation is a network storage example for users prepared to configure a home backup destination.
Drive for desktop provides cloud file synchronisation; its streaming and mirroring modes handle local files differently.
These portable HDDs and SSDs can serve as physical destinations for Windows PC file copies. Choose the backup method separately, and plan where to keep each drive when it is not in use.
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A removable local destination for personal files. Check that its 2TB capacity accommodates your files and retained versions, and confirm that the backup software’s scheduling and restore options suit your Windows setup.
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A portable physical-copy option with the USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection stated in its title. Check your PC port and planned backup software, including how it schedules copies and restores older files.
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A 1TB physical destination to consider if you move backup copies between locations. Its title specifies USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2; check your PC connection and the cable you will use, then arrange a backup schedule and another separated copy.
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A 5TB physical destination for a larger file library, provided it works with your Windows PC. The listing describes Windows 10+ use as requiring a downloadable HFS+ driver; confirm that the driver and your intended backup software are suitable before choosing it.
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A removable local destination for a larger collection of Windows PC files. Its title states 4TB and USB 3.0; check the capacity against your planned versions and choose software that provides the backup schedule and restore steps you need.
Not necessarily: synchronisation keeps locations current, while recovery also depends on separate copies and usable earlier versions. Microsoft Support states that OneDrive file version history is retained for 30 days; Google Drive Help says older uploaded versions may be deleted after 30 days or 100 newer versions unless marked Keep forever.
Use File History when you need earlier versions of files in libraries on an external drive or network location. Microsoft Support describes Windows Backup as protecting selected folders and other Windows information through a Microsoft account and OneDrive. If you also need the operating system and applications in the backup, check a whole-PC option such as the BeeStation workflow described by Synology.
Measure the folders or whole PC you will protect, then allow space for growth and the versions you plan to keep. A documents-only copy and a large photo or video library will place different demands on a drive; check the capacity against your own files rather than relying on a single threshold.
Yes, it can provide a separate recovery route for important files. The National Cyber Security Centre advises using online storage alongside a storage device for extra protection and keeping that device disconnected when it is not in use.
Check drive encryption and how you will retain its recovery key; for a cloud account, enable two-step verification and check who can delete backups. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office says encryption helps protect stored personal information from unauthorised access if a device is lost or stolen, while the National Cyber Security Centre recommends two-step verification for online backups.