How do I backup files to a USB or external hard drive?

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How do I backup files to a USB or external hard drive

What is a backup?

A backup is a copy of your important files and data. Backups allow you to restore your files and data if they are ever lost, corrupted, or deleted from your computer. Backups are crucial for protecting against data loss which can happen due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, file corruption, ransomware, viruses and more.

Backups can be made to various media like USB drives, external hard drives, CDs, DVDs, network storage and cloud storage. USB drives and external hard drives are very common for individual users and small businesses to make backups that they have full control over.

Why should I backup files to a USB or external hard drive?

Here are some key advantages of using a USB drive or external hard drive for backups:

  • External drives allow you to store a large amount of data. 1TB+ capacity drives are affordable for most users.
  • The drives can be disconnected and stored safely when not in use for added data security.
  • Backups on external drives are quick and convenient since USB 3.0 and USB-C offer fast data transfer speeds.
  • The backup drives can be portable which helps protect data in case of theft, fire or natural disaster.
  • No ongoing costs for cloud storage subscriptions.
  • Full control over the backup process instead of relying on a third-party online backup service.

For optimal protection, it is recommended to use external drives to create local backups and also leverage cloud backups for offsite storage of copies.

Choosing a USB or external backup drive

Here are some tips for selecting an external drive to use for backups:

  • Storage capacity – Choose a high capacity drive that can hold all the backups you plan to create. For system backups using imaging software 1-2TB is usually sufficient. Review how much data you need backed up.
  • Connectivity – USB 3.0 and USB-C offer the fastest transfer speeds. USB 2.0 works but will be significantly slower.
  • Portability – If you travel frequently or want to store backups offsite, portable bus-powered drives are convenient. Desktop external hard drives require a power connection.
  • Reliability – Check reviews and ratings to select a reliable drive from a reputable brand. Look for drives with long warranties from the manufacturer.
  • Cost – The largest capacity models tend to offer the lowest cost per gigabyte. Sales and promotions can help find deals.

Popular and highly-rated external drive brands include Western Digital, Seagate, Samsung, SanDisk and LaCie.

Backup best practices

Follow these best practices to ensure your backups provide maximum protection:

  • Automate backups – Manual backups are time consuming, tedious and easy to forget. Use automated backup software to backupimportant files consistently.
  • Review backup schedules and settings – Periodically check that software is backing up as intended and at optimal times. Adjust settings as needed.
  • Test restores – To confirm backups completed properly, periodically restore sample files or folders.
  • Store backups offsite – Keep a recent backup copy offsite or in a fire/water-proof safe as protection from physical disasters.
  • Encrypt backups – Enable encryption before copying sensitive personal or business data. Store encryption passwords/keys securely offsite.
  • Include system/image backups – Use disk imaging software to capture a system backup that can restore your entire machine if needed.
  • Monitor drive health – Be attentive to warning signs like strange noises and use SMART monitoring tools.
  • Retire drives older than 3-5 years old – Drives tend to become less reliable as they age. Swap in new drives periodically.

Following best practices reduces the risk of backup problems down the road when you may urgently need to restore data.

How to manually backup files to an external USB drive

Manually copying files to an external drive is easy. Just connect the drive to your computer, navigate to folders/files to back up, then copy and paste them to the external drive.

However, manual backup is only recommended for ad-hoc or one time backups. To ensure you never lose important files, automating backups is highly recommended.

Here are the steps to copy files manually:

  1. Insert the USB drive into your computer and open File Explorer.
  2. Browse to the folders or data you want to backup. Select them.
  3. Right click the selected files/folder and select ‘Copy’.
  4. Open your external drive in File Explorer. Right click inside the window and select ‘Paste’ to copy the data.
  5. The folders/files will now copy over to the external drive.
  6. Eject the external drive safely when finished.

This process can be repeated whenever you want to backup new or updated files. But it is slow and leaves room for error compared to automated software solutions.

How to backup your files automatically

For reliable, hands-free file backups, use automated backup software. Here are some top options:

Windows File History

Windows 10 and Windows 8 include a built-in feature called File History to automate backups. It can back up files stored in libraries, desktop, contacts and favorites.

Here’s how to enable Windows File History:

  1. Connect the external USB drive you want to backup to.
  2. Open Settings app and select ‘Update & Security’.
  3. Select ‘Backup’ on the left side.
  4. Under ‘Back up using File History’, click ‘Add a drive’ and choose your external USB drive.
  5. Toggle ‘Automatically back up my files’ to On.
  6. Under ‘More options’ you can customize backup frequency and what folders to include.

File History will now automatically backup your files on a regular schedule.

EaseUS Todo Backup

EaseUS Todo Backup is a highly rated backup program for Windows with a free version. It makes disk imaging and incremental file backups simple.

Key features:

  • Disk imaging for full system backup capability.
  • Incremental block level backup minimizes storage use on file backups.
  • Compress backups to save drive space.
  • encryption is available on backups
  • Backups can be scheduled to run automatically.
  • Free version supports manual and scheduled backups.

Follow these steps to use EaseUS Todo Backup:

  1. Download and install EaseUS Todo Backup software.
  2. Launch EaseUS and click the ‘Backup’ button on the main screen.
  3. Select ‘Disk/partition Backup’ or ‘File Backup’ for backup type.
  4. Pick a source disk/partition or files to back up. Click Next.
  5. Select the connected USB drive as the backup destination.
  6. Schedule regular automatic backups and set encryption if desired.
  7. Click ‘Proceed’ to run the first backup manually.

EaseUS makes it straightforward to implement both file backups and system image backups.

Apple Time Machine

Mac users can utilize Time Machine app built into macOS to automatically backup to an external USB drive. It works with Mac notebooks and desktops.

To enable Time Machine on your Mac:

  1. Open Time Machine in System Preferences.
  2. Click Select Backup Disk and choose your external USB drive.
  3. Enable the switch for Time Machine to turn on automatic backups.
  4. By default hourly backups are retained for 24 hours. Files are backed up daily for a month.
  5. Adjust backup options under ‘Options’. For example exclude files or run more frequent backups.

Time Machine effortlessly backs up Macs in the background to any compatible external drive.

How to restore files from USB drive backups

If you ever need to retrieve backups from an external drive, the restore process depends on the software used:

Windows File History

  • Go to Settings > Update & security > Backup. Under ‘Browse files’, choose the external drive backup.
  • Navigate to the library, folder or specific file you want to restore.
  • Right-click on the file or folder and select ‘Restore’. Choose a restore location on your PC.

EaseUS Todo Backup

  • Open EaseUS software. Click the ‘Restore’ button.
  • Under backup source choose the external USB drive backup.
  • Select the backup version you want to restore from. Click Next.
  • Pick specific files, folders or volumes to restore. Click Next.
  • Choose a restore destination on your PC. Click Proceed.

Time Machine on Mac

  • Open Finder and go to Applications > Time Machine.
  • Browse the Time Machine backups and choose folders or files to restore.
  • Click the Restore button to recover them to your Mac.

Take the time to practice the restore process so you understand the steps when critical files need to be retrieved.

Conclusion

Backing up your important files and data provides vital protection against loss due to hardware failure, theft, accidental deletion, corruption, disaster and more.

USB external hard drives offer an affordable and convenient backup option that makes automated backups easy to implement and manage.

Modern backup software like File History and Time Machine automate the backup process while still offering ample settings customization. Software like EaseUS Todo Backup provides powerful features for disk imaging and file backups.

Be diligent about backing up any files and data you don’t want to lose. Test restoration periodically to verify backups completed properly. Store an additional copy of backups offsite for recovery in case of physical disasters or theft at your location. Adopt these best practices and backup your files to minimize stress and maximize peace of mind!