Don’t Risk Losing Your Photos! 3 Simple Ways to Back Up Your Precious Memories Today
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket especially when it comes to your photos!
We’ve all heard the saying, and it couldn’t be truer when it comes to backing up your precious family photos and videos. Having just one copy of your digital memories is like playing a risky game of chance—one that could end in heartbreak.
So, what’s the best way to ensure your photos are safe? Enter the 3-2-1 backup system—the gold standard for keeping digital files secure. Here’s the deal:
- 3 copies of your photos (or other digital files)
- 2 different formats (e.g., an external hard drive and cloud storage)
- 1 off-site backup (somewhere outside your home)
You can learn more about 3-2-1 backup systems here.
But in the meantime, what can you do today to start safeguarding your photo collection? Let’s talk about a few options.
Get Them Off Your Phone & Camera
If your photos exist only on your phone, you’re one accident away from losing them forever. Phones get lost, stolen, or take an unexpected swim in the toilet (it happens!). Don’t wait for disaster—take action now.
The first step? Regularly transfer your photos to your computer. If you’re unsure how to do this, a quick Google search—“[Your phone model] download photos”—should give you step-by-step instructions. Then, set a reminder on your calendar to do this at least once a month.
Another option is checking if your cell phone provider offers automatic backups for contacts and photos.
If you have an iPhone, we highly recommend syncing with Apple iCloud. Even if you don’t plan on using Apple Photos elsewhere, it’s worth paying for extra storage if needed. Current pricing (as of now) ranges from $0.99/month for 50GB to $59.99/month for 12TB. Most of our clients use the $9.99/month 2TB plan.
That’s a small price to pay for peace of mind! Just remember—if you have syncing turned on, deleting a photo on one device deletes it everywhere.
If you take pictures with a digital camera that doesn’t have wi-fi, invest in a memory card reader (they’re super affordable). And, of course, don’t forget to transfer those photos regularly!
Make It Automatic
As tech guru Ben, The Newtown Nerd, wisely says: “Backups that rely on humans never get done.”
The best backups are the ones you don’t have to think about. Thankfully, there are cloud-based solutions that automatically upload your photos. Here are a few that our clients use regularly.
- iCloud Photos (for Apple users)
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
- Google Photos
- SmugMug
If you choose Dropbox, here’s how to set it up:
- Create a Dropbox account.
- Download the Dropbox app on your phone.
- Go to Account settings and turn on Camera Upload.
Once enabled, your photos will automatically upload whenever you’re connected to Wi-Fi. We still recommend opening the Dropbox app every once in a while to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Another must-have? Backblaze for backing up your entire computer. For about $99 per year, it automatically protects everything on your hard drive (and any external drives you connect). The initial backup might take a while, but after that, it runs seamlessly in the background. Just check in now and then to make sure it’s working.
Print Them Out
Surprise! One of the best ways to preserve your digital photos is to (gasp) print them!
No, we aren’t suggesting you print every picture, but your favorites? Absolutely. Print them and frame them.
Or consider creating a book with your photos. Whether you go old-school with photo albums or create a yearly photo book, having physical copies ensures that even if all else fails, your memories live on.
Start Small, But Start Today
You don’t need to implement every single step right this second. But do something today to start protecting your photos. Because at the end of the day, your memories are priceless—so let’s make sure they’re safe!
Other Helpful Posts
Digital Photo Organizing Services from Good Life Photo Solutions
How to Verify Your Computer Backups Easily
It’s Time to Backup Your Photos
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I’ve been struggling a little since I switched from PC to Mac last year. It seemed all my systems were working, like automatic camera upload to Dropbox, automatic Carbonite laptop backup, etc. But now nothing seems to work. My point is that even if you have a system that works, things change and your system may need to be re-evauated. Thanks for the reminder, and the tips!
Yes, you are right, Hazel. Just like any organized space, you have to revisit it occasionally and make sure it’s still working. I switched to Backblaze from Carbonite a few years ago and it has worked well with my Mac. What I really like about it is that is will back up external hard drives as well. Recently I discovered the my Dropbox camera upload had stopped working (this seems to happen with iOs or app updates sometimes). When I reconnected it, it has over 1,000 photos to download. Sigh…
There was a phase where my husband would make a photo book for each family vacation. Now that our girls are grown, he doesn’t do that so much anymore. I have to say I am very glad to have those books, and to be able to look back and relive those special times!
I love trip photo books. I made one after our big trip to Europe a few years ago and it brings back so many great memories.