How to back up your files and photos

Why backups matter

Most people only think about backups after losing something precious: years of family photos on a phone that fell in the sea, or a dissertation on a laptop that stopped working the night before a deadline. A backup is simply a second copy of your files, kept somewhere else, so one accident does not wipe them out.

Backups also protect against ransomware, harmful software that locks your files and demands payment. If you have a clean copy elsewhere, you can restore your files without dealing with criminals.

The 3-2-1 rule

• 3 copies of anything important: the original plus two backups.
• 2 different types of storage, for example your laptop and an external drive, or your phone and a cloud service.
• 1 copy away from home, such as a cloud service or a drive kept at a relative's house, in case of fire, flood or theft.

You do not have to be perfect. Even one automatic backup is far better than none.

Backing up your phone

1. iPhone: open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, and turn on iCloud Backup and Photos.
2. Android: open Settings, search for Backup, and turn it on. Use your photo app's backup option for pictures and videos.
3. Check how much storage your cloud plan has. Free plans fill quickly once photos are included. See Bits, bytes, GB and TB.
4. Remember that messaging apps often have their own separate chat backup setting.

Backing up a computer

1. Buy an external drive at least as large as the files you want to protect.
2. On Windows, search for Backup in Settings or use File History. On a Mac, use Time Machine.
3. Choose your Documents, Pictures and Desktop folders at least.
4. Unplug the drive between backups if you can. A drive that is always connected can be locked by ransomware along with everything else.
5. Add a cloud service for your most important folders so there is a copy away from home.

Tip: Syncing is not the same as backing up. If a file is deleted or locked on your laptop, a sync service may delete or lock the cloud copy too. Look for a service that keeps older versions and a "recently deleted" folder.

Test your backup

A backup you have never tested is a hope, not a plan. Every few months, pick a file or photo and try restoring it from your backup to a different folder. Check it opens properly. If it does not, fix the problem now rather than when you really need it.

Protect the backup itself

• Use a strong, unique password and 2-step verification on your cloud account. If criminals get into it, they get everything.
• Store external drives somewhere safe and dry.
• When you replace an old drive or computer, wipe it properly before giving it away.

Want the technical version? Read our note on performance and backup or ransomware response.