Maybe most, if not all of us, have already experienced the tragedy of losing our files. The saddest thing about losing your files is the task of doing it all over again. It is one thing to save your files as frequently as you could, but it is also another thing to back up your files regularly. Losing your files can be because of anything: either it is because of computer systems crashing or because of natural disasters. If you want to do something about this, you have come to the right place. Today, we are going to help you with being prepared. We will be sharing with you some tips and ways for backing up your files. Check this out!
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1.Convert your files to PDF
One of the basic ways to backup your files is to save them to PDF. You may think that this may be a difficult task. However, once you realize the perks of saving your files to PDF as backup, you might also be thankful. Having a PDF file backup for your files provides you a level of security that your files will be the same as you have saved them. This is because it will preserve its format and will not be that easy to edit compared with when you save it in a Word document or in whatever file it used to be in. If you need to convert in bulk files, having a digital tool like GogoPDF will greatly help you. You can even convert files from Excel to PDF with GogoPDF! This way, you are sure that your files will be left untouchable and secure. To top things off, PDF files are optimized and compact, so you are sure to enjoy a lot of saved space!
2.Use Google Sync
Chances are, you are already using GoogleDrive to back up some of your files. But did you know that there is a GDrive desktop program that lets you automatically backup specific folders from your computer? It is called Google Backup and Sync.
All you need to do is download the program from Google’s official website, and once it’s installed, you can permit it to have access to important folders. These folders ideally should contain files that need to be backed up as soon as possible, perhaps your files of your daily progress or work output. That way, knock on wood, if something bad happens to your computer, you can be confident that all your precious files in your selected folders are already backed up. As long as your computer is connected to the Internet, anything saved in those folders will be uploaded in the background.
When you log into your GoogleDrive account, you will find the name of your computer on the left-hand side of the screen. There you will find all the folders and documents that were automatically backed up. This backup option is also perfect for you if you have an existing subscription to GoogleDrive, where you save and sync more files. Nonetheless, with the free account, you can still enjoy this feature to prioritize saving the more important files and documents.
3.Save it on a USB stick
For a cheaper option, you can just save your backup files on a USB stick. It can be as simple as that. This option is very accessible because a lot of stores selling office supplies have these. Of course, stores that sell computers also have lots of USB sticks that you can choose from. Since USB sticks are small, you can keep this anywhere, even in your pocket! Since it is this portable, you can just take it anywhere without any problem about bulkiness. The only problem with this is since it is portable, you may lose this easily. As for the size, it can hold your documents fine, depending on the size.
4.Save it in an external hard drive
If you are looking for bigger storage that can serve as your universal backup, external hard drives may be the best choice for you. External hard drives are just massive storage like a hard drive. Only, it is just outside your computer. Like USB sticks—only bigger, but still relatively portable—external hard drives can be plugged into computers with USB ports. These offer massive storage space that can hold a lot of movies, TV series, and more. The only downside to using external hard drives is that they can be prone to problems that can also be the cause of you using your files again like malware or even just power surges.
5.Use Apple’s Time Machine
For those who need a more automated option for backing up files, Apple’s Time Machine will do its job perfectly. The Time Machine will automatically back up your files to your external hard drives. Apple has a special Time Capsule for you to save your files in. Aside from that, you can also use any external hard disk. Time Machines guarantee that it will back up your files automatically and regularly. The only downside you need to consider about this is that it is quite expensive.
6.Use Cloud storage
Cloud storage is the perfect backup if you want storage that you can access anytime, anywhere—as long as you have Internet access and the right device that can handle Cloud storage access. Cloud servers are your storage attached to networks. You can choose from a wide range of trusted platforms that are either free, with paid privileges, and completely free. Some examples of these are iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. One of its pros is that you can always access it if you have the Internet, but that can also be its downside. You cannot access your files if you are not online.
Choose the Right Option Based on Your Lifestyle
Here are just some of the ways that you can backup your files. Surely, there are other options such as keeping network-attached storage, aside from the online platforms we have talked about. Nothing also beats the old-school way of keeping backups that are printing your files. The only important thing is to properly assess your lifestyle and choose the best option based on this. Just make sure that you will choose a secure way of keeping your files safe!