What Is the Best Way to Backup Photos? [A Detailed Comparison]

This page introduces the best way to backup photos and elaborates on the detailed steps. It also covers professional backup software for photos.

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Sherly

Updated on Jan 12, 2024

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Introduction

We all take many photos, and usually across a range of devices. These photos often capture important moments and events and serve as digital memories of our lives. Therefore, losing photos could be heartbreaking. Fortunately, the best way to back up photos is neither difficult nor expensive. This page will introduce the best way to back up photos. But first, let's figure out what photo backup is.

What Is Photo Backup?

A photo backup is an exact copy of the photo stored elsewhere. Photos can be physical and tangible. This article focuses on digital photos since most users use digital photos. A digital photo backup means users back up their digital photos to other devices. They can choose NAS or external hard drive for backup. But how can we back up our photos? Continue to read.

How Do I Back up a Large Amount of Photos?

You are free to back up your large amount of photos to any save location as long as it has enough space. For example, you can back up photos to an external hard drive, local disk, NAS, or other Cloud storage. Continue to read, and you know more detailed features of these photo storage in the next part.

backup thousands of photos

How Do I Backup Thousands of Photos

This article aims to determine the best way to store digital photos in the long term. Read on to learn the best way to back up photos and keep your precious memory safe and sound. Read more >>

Best Way to Backup Photos | 5 Checklist

You can learn about four digital photo storage devices and their specific features in this part. But which is the best way to back up photos? Let's figure the answer out together.

Way 1. Local Disks

An easy way is to back up your photos to the local disk. Then, it is convenient to access your data. 

local hard drive

There is a table to help you learn the pros and cons of backing up photos to the local disks.

Features Local Disks
Pros
  • Easy access
  • Easy to control
  • Fast recovery
  • Low initial cost
Cons
  • Occupy more local space
  • Can suffer from physical damages
  • High maintenance costs
System Supported
  • Windows
  • Mac
Backup Difficulty
  • Low
Free or Paid
  • Free

Way 2. External Hard Drives

Except for local disks, users can also choose to back up photos to external hard drives. They allow users to have extra space.

external hard drive

There is a table to show its specific features.

Features External Hard Drives
Pros
  • High capacity
  • Portable
  • Easily connect to any computer
  • Data protection facilities are available
Cons
  • Less security
  • Possible physical damages
  • Require a computer to view photos
System Supported
  • Windows
  • Mac
Backup Difficulty
  • Medium
Free or Paid
  • Paid

Way 3. NAS

What is a NAS storage? It is Network-attached storage and allows users to access data with a valid network.

nas storage

Let's learn its specific features.

Features NAS
Pros
  • Multiple devices can use the same files at the same time
  • Connect multiple devices
  • Easy remote access
  • Movable if needed
Cons
  • Lower transfer speed
  • Requires basic network knowledge
  • Require stable network
System Supported
  • Windows
  • Mac
  • Android
  • IOS
Backup Difficulty
  • High
Free or Paid
  • Paid

Besides, if you are interested in more comparison between NAS and other storage devices, just click:

Way 4. Cloud Storage

Well, Cloud storage makes our lives more convenient. With it, we can easily back up our photos and access them. Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and Apple iCloud are all common Cloud storage. 

cloud storage

Now, it's time to show you their features.

Features Cloud Storage
Pros
  • Easy access, backup, and sync
  • Easy to transfer or share
  • Avoid physical damage
  • Easy syncing and updating
Cons
  • Internet connection required
  • Bad privacy
  • Possible extra fees expand the storage space
System Supported
  • Windows
  • Mac
  • Android
  • IOS
Backup Difficulty
  • Low
Free or Paid
  • Paid

This part teaches four ways to back up our beloved photos. But which one is the most suitable for you? Continue reading and find the answer.

Which Is the Best Way to Backup Photos?

We have learned four ways to back up photos and their pros and cons. But how can we choose a suitable way to back up photos? This table may help you.

Clients Suitable Ways
Windows Clients
  • Cloud storage
  • External hard drive
  • Local disk
Mac Clients
  • Cloud storage
  • External hard drive
  • Local disk
Mobil Clients
  • Cloud storage
  • NAS

With this table, you may be able to choose the best way to back up photos. However, do you know how you can back up photos to these storage locations? You may like to know about a professional back tool, EaseUS Todo Backup Home.

The Best Way to Backup Photos to the Right Location - EaseUS Todo Backup Home

EaseUS Todo Backup Home allows users to choose a backup location based on their needs. It allows users to perform an automatic backup to external hard drive, local disk, NAS, and Cloud storage. With this backup software, users are stress-free to back up photos anywhere they want. Now, let's see how to use it to back up photos.

How Do We Use EaseUS Todo Backup Home to Perform Photo Backups?

As professional backup software, EaseUS Todo Backup Home makes it easy to back up photos. Now, let's see the detailed guide.

Step 1. To initiate a backup, click the Select backup contents option.

create file backup step1

Step 2. There are four data backup categories, File, Disk, OS, and Mail, click File.

create file backup step2

Step 3. On the left, both local and network files will be shown. You may extend the directory to pick the backup files.

File backup

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions and choose a location to store the backup.

File backup step4

Click Options to encrypt the backup with a password in Backup Options, then click Backup Scheme to specify the backup schedule and start the backup at a certain event. There are also other additional choices you may choose to tailor the backup process to your requirements.

Backup options

Step 5. The backup may be stored on a local disk, EaseUS' online service, or NAS.

file backup step4

Step 6. EaseUS Todo Backup enables customers to back up data to a third-party cloud drive as well as its own cloud drive.

If you want to back up data to a cloud drive provided by a third party, choose Local Drive, scroll down to add Cloud Device, and then add and log in to your account.

Backup to cloud
You can also choose the EaseUS cloud drive. Sign up for an EaseUS Account, then click EaseUS Cloud and log in.

backup to easeus cloud

Step 7. Click Backup Now to begin the backup process. The backup job will be presented as a card on the left side of the panel after it has been finished. Right-click the backup job to handle it further.

File backup step7

You see. It can back up your photos to a safe location within simple clicks. Can EaseUS Todo Backup Home help if you want to back up other types of files? Sure!

What Else Can EaseUS Todo Backup Home Help With?

Besides backing up photos efficiently, EaseUS Todo Backup Home also can back up a whole hard drive, and it even can backup flash drive automatically when plugged in. There is a list of its other features:

  • Disk, partition, system clone
  • 250GB of free storage (30 days of trial)
  • File, folder, partition, system, and disk backup
  • Backup to network shared location, USB drive, and other Cloud storage

Besides those features mentioned above, EaseUS Todo Backup Home still provides many functions. Therefore, if you are trying to back up your photos or looking for a way to backup hard drive or anything else, just download EaseUS Todo Backup Home and let it help you.

Best Way to Backup Photos: Verdict

This passage provides four specific ways to back up photos, and users are free to choose a suitable one based on their devices and needs. And this passage also introduces a professional backup tool, EaseUS Todo Backup Home, which can help with many backup problems and free users from the troublesome backup process.

FAQs About Best Way to Backup Photos

This part lists three questions related to the best way to back up photos. Continue to read if you have these problems.

1. What is the best way to store thousands of photos?

External hard drives, NAS, Cloud storage, and local disks are all good backup locations. Users are free to choose a suitable one according to their specific needs, budget, and devices.

2. How long will photos last on an external hard drive?

It is hard to say. The average lifespan of external hard drives is around five years. However, it may suffer from physical damage and natural disasters.

3. Where can I store my photos permanently?

Nothing lasts forever. Therefore, what you can do to keep your photos as long as possible is to develop a backup habit. It can help you to store your photos for longer.

EaseUS Todo Backup

EaseUS Todo Backup is a dependable and professional data backup solution capable of backing up files, folders, drives, APP data and creating a system image. It also makes it easy to clone HDD/SSD, transfer the system to different hardware, and create bootable WinPE bootable disks.

  • Updated by

    Sherly

    Sherly joined EaseUS in 2022 and she has always loved writing articles and enjoys the fun they bring. She receives professional training here, focusing on product performance and other relative knowledge. She has written over 200 articles to help people overcome computing issues.…
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