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    Backup Strategy

    Don\'t lose 30 years of photos to one bad day.

    The 3-2-1 rule

    The pros\' rule for protecting important data:

    • 3 copies of every file you care about.
    • On at least 2 different types of media (e.g., computer + external drive).
    • With at least 1 copy off-site (cloud or at a relative\'s house).

    Sounds complicated. It isn\'t — most of this happens automatically.

    Mac — Time Machine (free, built in)

    1. Buy an external hard drive ($60-$100 for 2TB).
    2. Plug it into Mac.
    3. Pop-up asks "Use this for Time Machine?" → Yes.
    4. Mac automatically backs up everything every hour. Forever.
    5. If your computer dies — buy a new one, plug in the drive, follow the on-screen restore.

    Windows — File History (free, built in)

    1. Plug in an external drive.
    2. Settings → Update & Security → Backup → Add a drive → pick yours.
    3. Turn on "Automatically back up my files".
    4. Or use the included Windows Backup tool (Settings → Accounts → Windows Backup).

    Off-site backup (the 1 in 3-2-1)

    If your house has a fire or flood, the local backup drive is destroyed too. You need a copy somewhere else. Three approaches:

    • Cloud sync (free path) — turn on iCloud Photos, Google Photos, or OneDrive. Photos auto-upload. Use this even if you don\'t pay for storage — the free tier protects recent stuff.
    • Backblaze ($9/month) — backs up your ENTIRE computer to the cloud. Set and forget. Best disaster-prevention.
    • Two external drives — back up to one weekly, swap with a second drive at a friend or family member\'s house. Cheap, no subscription.

    What to back up

    • Photos and videos — irreplaceable.
    • Documents (PDFs of legal papers, tax returns, deeds, wills).
    • Email — most email is in the cloud already, but export every few years.
    • Contacts — back up your contacts list.
    • Music you bought (older iTunes purchases live ONLY on your computer unless you turn on iCloud Music).

    Don\'t bother backing up: installed programs (just re-install), system files, downloads folder.

    Test restore once a year

    Pick one photo from 2 years ago. Find it in your backup. Restore it to a new folder. If it works — your backup works. If it doesn\'t — fix it before you need it.

    For most seniors — the simple path

    Step 1: Turn on iCloud Photos (or Google Photos) on your phone — photos back up to the cloud automatically. Step 2: Buy a $70 external drive, plug it in, set up Time Machine (Mac) or File History (Windows). That\'s 90% of the protection. Done.

    Backup Strategy — 3-2-1 Rule for Photos and Files | TekSure