Backups: don’t keep all your files in one place!

Backups: don’t keep all your files in one place! 💾

Picture this for a moment.

A fire, a flood, or a theft. Your computer is gone — and so is your external hard drive.

With them go years of photos, your important documents, and maybe even irreplaceable memories.

The question isn’t only whether you make backups, but where you keep them.

Because a backup stored next to your computer could disappear at the same time as it.

💾 What is a backup?

A backup is a copy of your files kept so you can recover them if something goes wrong.

It can protect you against:

• a computer that breaks down;
• a file deleted by accident;
• a virus or malware;
• theft of your equipment;
• a fire or a flood.

But to really work, your strategy needs a copy outside your home.

🏠 First step: a backup at home

The simplest approach is an external hard drive.

You can copy your photos, documents, and important files onto it.

But rather than copying everything by hand, it’s better to use backup software.

A few examples:

• Time Machine (Mac): built into macOS, it can automatically back up your computer to an external drive or a compatible network location.
• File History (Windows): keeps copies of your personal files and lets you restore older versions.
• Specialized software: tools like Veeam or Acronis add more backup and recovery features.

The upside of backup software is that it can run automatically, keep several versions of your files, and make recovery easier.

An automatic backup is usually more reliable than one you have to remember to do yourself.

To go further at home, a NAS can also keep your files and backups in one place on your home network.

🌎 Second step: get a copy out of the house!

This is the step a lot of people skip.

You can own three hard drives full of backups, but if they’re all in your basement, a single incident could wipe them all out.

Here are a few accessible options.

✉️ 1. Email yourself important documents

This is probably the simplest method for a few documents.

Just scanned your insurance contract, a purchase receipt, or another important file?

You can email it to yourself and keep it in a folder set aside for that.

Then, even if your computer is gone, you can get the document back by signing into your email.

Caution: email is not a full backup solution. Attachments have size limits, and sensitive documents deserve extra protection, such as encryption.

For a few non-sensitive documents, it can still help in a pinch.

☁️ 2. Use Google Drive, OneDrive, or iCloud Drive

These services store files on servers outside your home.

For example:

• Google Drive with your Google account.
• Microsoft OneDrive with your Microsoft account.
• Apple iCloud Drive with your Apple account.

You can drop important documents there and open them from another computer or your phone.

Most offer a limited free space, with paid plans for more storage.

But watch out for syncing!

If you use a synced folder and delete a file, that deletion can also show up in the cloud.

For a real backup, prefer a solution that keeps earlier versions, deleted files, or independent copies.

For photos synced in the cloud, see also Your photos are in the cloud. Are they really backed up?.

💽 3. Keep a drive somewhere else

Another method is to keep an external drive at a relative’s place, at the office, or in another safe spot.

You update it from time to time.

It’s an inexpensive option, but it takes discipline.

And ideally, the files should be encrypted so your information stays protected if the drive is lost.

🔄 The 3-2-1 rule: easy to remember

Specialists often recommend the 3-2-1 rule:

• 3 copies of your data, counting the originals.
• 2 different storage media or systems.
• 1 copy outside your home.

For example:

• Your documents on your computer.
• An automatic backup on an external drive.
• Another backup in a cloud service.

That way, if your computer fails, you still have the external drive.

And if a disaster hits your home, you still have the copy in the cloud.

🤖 What if it all happened automatically?

Even better!

There are apps and services that can back up your files automatically to a remote location.

For example, Backblaze Computer Backup can back up eligible files from your computer to its servers, depending on the plan and retention rules that apply.

So you don’t have to think about copying your documents every week.

The ideal is to combine:

• a local backup so you can recover files quickly;
• a remote, automatic backup to protect you from a disaster.

Still, make sure the solution keeps deleted files long enough and can restore the data you need.

🔍 A backup has to be tested!

One last tip, often forgotten.

From time to time, try recovering a file from your backup.

Pick a photo or a document, restore a copy, and check that it opens correctly.

Because a backup that looks like it works, but that you can’t restore, isn’t much use!

🍳 The simple version

You don’t need a complicated server or advanced technical skills to protect your data.

Start simply:

1. At home: use an external drive and automatic backup software.
2. Off-site: keep a second copy with Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, or a specialized service.
3. For a few documents: email can help in a pinch, but avoid storing sensitive information there without protection.
4. From time to time: check that you can recover your files.

And remember this above all:

If all your backups are inside your house, you’re not protected against losing your house.

A few minutes of preparation today could save you from losing years of memories tomorrow.

☁️ luc.cloud — Tech, simply.