How to Use Backblaze for Automatic Cloud Backup

Backblaze is a cloud backup service that copies everything on your Windows PC or Mac to secure servers for about $9 per month (or $99 per year). Unlike Dropbox or OneDrive — which only back up files in their specific folders — Backblaze backs up your entire hard drive automatically, continuously, in the background.

The key difference between Backblaze and cloud storage services matters a great deal. Dropbox and OneDrive are sync services: they keep a specific folder mirrored to the cloud. Backblaze is a true backup service: it watches your whole computer for changes and copies new and modified files to the cloud as they happen. If your hard drive fails or your laptop is stolen, Backblaze has a copy of everything.

Getting started is straightforward. Go to backblaze.com and sign up for a free 30-day trial — no credit card required for the trial. Download the Backblaze app for your operating system, install it, and sign in. The app runs quietly in your system tray or menu bar. It begins the initial backup automatically.

The first backup is the slow part. Depending on how much data you have and how fast your internet upload speed is, the initial backup can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. This is normal. Leave your computer on and connected to the internet and Backblaze will work through it. After the first backup finishes, ongoing backups are much faster because only changed files are uploaded.

By default, Backblaze backs up all personal files on your hard drive. System files and installed programs are excluded — only your personal data is backed up, which is the right approach for most people.

To access your backed-up files, log in to backblaze.com, navigate to your backup, and restore individual files or entire folders through your browser. Backblaze keeps 30 days of file version history — so if you accidentally deleted or overwrote a file up to 30 days ago, you can recover the older version.

For a complete hard drive failure where you need everything back at once, Backblaze offers Restore by Mail: they copy all your data to a hard drive and mail it to you. You pay a refundable deposit for the drive.

Compared to alternatives: IDrive backs up multiple devices on one account (good for families), Carbonite has similar pricing with slightly different features, and local Time Machine (Mac) or Windows Backup are free but do not protect against fire, flood, or theft.