Everyone loses data at some point in their lives. Your computer’s hard drive could fail tomorrow, ransomware could hold your files hostage, or a software bug could delete your important files. If you’re not regularly backing up your computer, you could lose those files forever.
Backups don’t have to be hard or confusing, though. You’ve probably heard about countless different backup methods, but which one is right for you? And what files do you really need to back up?
Which Files Should You Back Up?
What's the Best Way to Back Up a Computer?
Back Up to an External Drive
Back Up Over the Internet
Back Up to a NAS on Your Network
Use a Cloud Storage Service
Online Backup Service vs. Cloud Storage
Why You Need Multiple Backup Methods
Why You Need to Automate Your Backups
Which Files Should You Back Up?
You need to back up your personal data—the files that are irreplaceable that are stored on your PC or Mac. You can always reinstall your operating system and redownload your programs if your hard drive fails, but your own personal data is irreplaceable. (On Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can “Reset” your operating system to quickly get a fresh system.)
Any personal documents, photos, home videos, and any other data on your computer should be backed up regularly. Those can never be replaced. If you’ve spent hours painstakingly ripping audio CDs or video DVDs, you may want to back those files up, too, so you don’t have to do all that work over again.
Your operating system, programs, and other settings can also be backed up. You don’t have to back them up, necessarily, but it can make your life easier if your entire hard drive fails. If you’re the type of person that likes to play around with system files, edit the registry, and regularly update your hardware, having a full system backup may save you time when things go wrong.
What’s the Best Way to Back Up a Computer?
There are many ways to back up your data, from using an external drive to backing up those files on a remote server over the Internet. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of each:
Back Up to an External Drive
If you have an external USB hard drive, you can just back up to that drive using your computer’s built-in backup features. On Windows 10 and Windows 11, use File History. On Macs, use Time Machine.
Occasionally connect the drive to the computer and use the backup tool, or leave it plugged in whenever you’re home, and it’ll back up automatically.
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