Backup Basics: What to Save, Where, and How to Test It

Most people only find out whether their backup works on the worst possible day: after a laptop dies, a file gets deleted by mistake, or ransomware (software that locks your files until you pay) hits the office. This guide walks you through setting up a sensible backup today and, just as important, checking that it works.

Step 1: Decide what to back up

You do not need to copy everything. Programs like Word or Chrome can be reinstalled. Your own files cannot be replaced. Start with a simple list:

• Documents, spreadsheets and PDFs
• Photos and videos
• Accounting and invoicing files, including the data file from any bookkeeping software you keep on your computer
• Email archives, if your mail is stored on the computer rather than with an online service
• Browser bookmarks and saved passwords, if you do not already sync them to an account
• Anything on a desktop or in a Downloads folder that you would miss

Then ask a second question: where do your files actually live? Many people assume their work is safe because it is in a cloud service such as OneDrive, iCloud or Google Drive. Those services mainly sync your files, which means that if you delete a file or it gets corrupted, the change can spread everywhere. Syncing is convenient, but it is not the same as a backup, which keeps older copies you can go back to.

Step 2: Follow the 3-2-1 idea

A well-known rule of thumb is called 3-2-1:

• Keep 3 copies of anything important: the original plus two backups.
• Store them on 2 different kinds of storage, for example your computer's drive and an external drive.
• Keep 1 copy somewhere else, away from your office or home, so a fire, flood or theft does not take everything at once.

For most small businesses and households, that looks like this: the original files on your computer, a copy on an external hard drive, and a copy in an online backup service. The online copy is your protection against anything that happens to the building.

One tip: if your external drive stays plugged in all the time, ransomware can reach it too. Consider unplugging it between backups, or using a drive you connect only when the backup runs.

Step 3: Turn on the built-in tools

You may not need to buy anything to get started.

On Windows: Open Settings, then Accounts, then Windows Backup (on some versions, look for Backup under Update and Security). You can back up folders to OneDrive. For a copy on an external drive, plug it in and search the Start menu for File History or Backup and Restore, depending on your version. Choose your drive, pick the folders, and turn it on.

On Mac: Plug in an external drive. Open System Settings, search for Time Machine, and choose Add Backup Disk. Select your drive and let it run. Time Machine keeps hourly, daily and weekly versions, so you can go back to how a file looked days or weeks ago.

For the off-site copy, an online backup service that runs automatically is the simplest option. Pick one that encrypts your data (scrambles it so only you can read it) and lets you restore single files, not just everything at once. Whatever you choose, set it to run on a schedule so it does not depend on you remembering.

Step 4: Test it, because this is the step most people skip

A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a backup. Block out fifteen minutes this week and do the following.

1. Check the last backup date. On Windows, open File History or your backup program and look for the most recent successful backup. On Mac, click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and read the Latest Backup line. If it is old or shows an error, fix that first.
2. Restore one file. Pick a document you do not need, such as a spare spreadsheet. Delete it, then bring it back from your backup. On Windows, right-click the folder, choose Restore previous versions or use File History to browse. On Mac, open the folder, click the Time Machine icon, choose Enter Time Machine, select the file and click Restore.
3. Open the restored file. Do not just see that it exists. Open it and confirm the content is complete and readable.
4. Test the online copy too. Log in to your online backup service, find a file, and download it. This proves your login works and the files are really there.
5. Look at the file count or size. If your documents folder holds a lot of material but the backup looks tiny, something is being skipped.

If any step fails, that is useful news. You found the problem while it was cheap to fix.

Step 5: Keep it working

Set a repeating reminder, perhaps the first Monday of each month, to glance at the last backup date and restore one random file. Also revisit your setup when something changes: a new computer, a new employee, a new accounting program, or a changed password on your backup account. Store that password somewhere safe, because a backup you cannot log in to is no help.

Finally, write down in one short note where each copy lives and how to get to it. If you are ever stressed or away, someone else can follow it.

You do not need a perfect system. Two copies you have tested beat five copies you have not, so start with the built-in tool for your computer, add an off-site copy, and prove it works by restoring a file. That small habit is what turns a backup from an assumption into something you can rely on.

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