Note that many would argue this is not true backup, since a deletion of a local file is mirrored remotely-so accidental deletion of data can be duplicated.īig names in the file sync arena include IDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive the latter has earned a perfect score of five in our latest review. When you make a change to a file, it's automatically sent to all the other PCs using the account, even on other operating systems-the ultimate in redundancy. Cloud Storage and File-Synchronization ServicesĪ must for anyone with more than one computer or device in use, synchronization software ensures you have the same files on all your PCs (and they're usually accessible on mobile devices, too). Windows 10 and Windows 11 can also back up files to OneDrive, Microsoft's online backup and synchronization offering (more on that below). File History is easy to set up, but it's limited in scope. Then, you can restore only the version of a file you need to recover, when necessary. It lets you back up items using the File History, which offers recurring copying of files (from every 10 minutes to every day) to a secondary drive. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup Backup. There's plenty of free software to take care of this for you, including built-in Windows features. You need at least two copies.) To be safe, back up entire folders on a recurring basis to ensure that newly created or updated files are backed up. (Simply moving a file isn't backing it up. If you need to back up specific data only, use software that lets you choose which files you want to save. But your needs for redundancy, security, and access dictate what kind of backup you should use.

Types of PC Backupīacking up can be as simple as copying a file from one spot to another-from a hard drive to a removable USB flash drive, for example. Here's a quick look at the types of backup available, as well as the tools you'll need to pull it off with as little work as possible. At least one in five people have never backed up their data (according to the World Backup Day website). The most likely reason is that backing up takes some effort.

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