How to Back Up Your Computer (Before It's Too Late)

We've had this conversation more times than we can count: a customer calls because their computer died, and when we ask about backups, the answer is "I kept meaning to do that."

Hard drives fail. Computers get dropped, stolen, or hit by power surges. Ransomware encrypts your files. It's not a matter of if something will go wrong — it's when. And when it does, the difference between a minor inconvenience and a devastating loss comes down to one thing: whether you had a backup.

The good news is that backing up your computer is easier than most people think. Here's how to do it.

Before getting into the how, it helps to understand the goal. The gold standard for data protection is the 3-2-1 rule:

• 3 copies of your data
• 2 different types of storage (e.g., external drive + cloud)
• 1 copy stored offsite (cloud counts)

You don't need to be perfect about this — even one good backup is infinitely better than none. But if you have important files, photos, or documents, aim for at least two copies: one local (external drive) and one in the cloud.

An external hard drive is the simplest, most reliable backup method for most people. You plug it in, run a backup, and unplug it. Your files are safe even if your internet goes out.

What you need: An external hard drive (1–2 TB is plenty for most households, and costs $50–$80 at any electronics store).

Windows has a built-in backup tool called File History that automatically backs up your files whenever the drive is connected.

1. Plug in your external drive
2. Go to Settings → Update & Security → Backup
3. Click Add a drive and select your external drive
4. Turn on Automatically back up my files
5. Click More options to choose which folders to include and how often to back up

File History backs up your Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Music, and Videos folders by default. You can add more folders if needed.

Mac's built-in backup tool is called Time Machine and it works similarly.

1. Plug in your external drive
2. macOS will ask if you want to use it for Time Machine — click Use as Backup Disk
3. Time Machine will automatically back up every hour when the drive is connected

Time Machine keeps hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for everything older — until the drive fills up.

Cloud backup stores your files on remote servers, so even if your home is damaged by fire, flood, or theft, your data is safe. It also means you can access your files from any device.

If you have a Google account, you already have 15 GB of free storage. For most people, that's enough for documents and some photos.

• Google Drive syncs specific folders on your computer to the cloud
• Google Photos backs up all your photos and videos automatically
• Google One ($3/month for 100 GB) gives you more space if needed

If you use Windows, OneDrive is already built in. You get 5 GB free, and Microsoft 365 subscribers get 1 TB.

• Files saved to your OneDrive folder are automatically synced to the cloud
• You can access them from any device or at onedrive.live.com

If you use Apple devices, iCloud is the easiest option. It backs up your photos, documents, and device settings automatically.

• Go to System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud to choose what to back up
• 5 GB is free; 50 GB is $0.99/month, 200 GB is $2.99/month

For a more complete solution, services like Backblaze ($9/month) back up your entire computer — not just selected folders — continuously in the background. This is the closest thing to a "set it and forget it" backup for your whole machine.

The best approach is to use both an external drive and cloud backup. The external drive gives you fast, local recovery. The cloud gives you offsite protection. Together, they cover almost every scenario.

A simple setup that works well for most households:

1. External drive + Windows File History or Time Machine — plugged in at home, backs up automatically
2. Google Photos or iCloud — backs up all your photos automatically in the background
3. OneDrive or Google Drive — syncs your important documents to the cloud

This takes about 30 minutes to set up and then runs on its own.

At minimum, make sure these are included in your backup:

• Photos and videos — irreplaceable memories
• Documents — tax returns, financial records, important letters
• Desktop files — many people save things to the desktop and forget they're not backed up
• Email — if you use a desktop email client like Outlook, your email database may be stored locally
• Bookmarks — export your browser bookmarks periodically

• Photos and documents: At minimum, monthly. Weekly is better.
• Active work files: Daily, or use a cloud sync service that does it automatically
• Full system backup: Monthly is fine for most home users

The easiest approach is to set up automatic backups so you don't have to think about it.

If you'd like help setting up a backup system that works for your specific situation — whether that's an external drive, cloud backup, or both — My Neighbor Tech can walk you through it in person. We serve homeowners, seniors, and families across Baltimore County, Howard County, Harford County, and Carroll County, MD.

Schedule a service call or call (410) 870-9233. We'll make sure your files are protected before something goes wrong.