What is a backup, because it is important and how to do it on Android, iPhone, PC and Mac

The backup is one Copy of data security present on a devicewhich is kept in a safe place, so that they can restore any information that is lost. If your smartphone, tablet or computer should break, be stolen or lost or, again, to be affected by a malware (for example a ransomware), the backup could literally save you from a situation that, defining unfortunate, is an euphemism. There are several backup strategies, including the Saga on cloud (like Google Drive or iCloud) and that on physical media (therefore through the use of USB sticks, external rigid discs, SD cards, etc.). Modern operating systems, such as Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS, offer Integrated tools to automate the backup process and simplify its management.

What is a backup and why it is important to do it

We said that by backup we mean one file safety copy of a device saved in a safe position, distinct from the original one that serves to restore data in case of loss. This means that if the device on which you work daily should undergo a fault or was subject to a computer attack, you would still have access to a previous version of your data. The backup can be performed manually or so automaticdepending on the solution chosen. It is also possible to backup through services of Cloud storageby archiving the files on remote servers managed by companies such as Google, Apple or Microsoft (above all this will be the backup mode that we will illustrate later) or you can opt for the local rescue on physical devices such as external hard disk, SSD units or USB memories.

The main reason why it is important to backup is the Protection against data loss. Why should you lose the data on your smartphone, tablet or PC? The causes could be different: a human error that leads to accidental cancellation of files, a hardware failure which makes a device inaccessible, a malware attack which compromises the system or even the simple passage to a new devicewhich would require the transfer of data to the latter. If you don’t backup, the recovery of your files could be impossible or extremely expensive.

How to make a backup of data

If you have Android

If you have a device Androidyou at your disposal various ways to make a backup of data. The method we recommend is what consists inActivate automatic backups directly on your Google account. Before explaining how to do it, however, keep in mind that the restoration of the backup is not always possible on all Android devices: for example, if you try to transfer the data to a phone with an older version of Android than that of origin, you could encounter problems. In addition, Google backup is not available for devices configured exclusively for work or belonging to a company. Having said that, if on your device you can proceed with the activation of automatic backups with your Google account, here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Open the app Settingslook for the section Googlethen select All services (if necessary) and then Backup.
2. If it is the first time you perform this operation, you may have to activate the option Google One backup and follow the instructions on the screen.
3. At this point, you can Choose which data to save (e.g. Photos and videos, Data on the deviceetc.).
4. If you prefer to start an immediate backup, you just need to press on Backup now. Keep in mind that the entire process may take up to 24 hours to be completed and, once finished, you will see the indication “On” Next to the types of data you have selected for the backup.

If you have iPhone

If you own a iPhoneone of the easiest ways to save your data safely is to resort to iCloudApple’s cloud storage service. For Activate automatic backup on iCloudfollow these steps.

1. Open the app Settingstouch the your name Above and select iCloud.
2. Access the section Icloud backup and enable the option to save the data automatically.
3. Once activated, iPhone will make the backup every day, as long as it is connected to a Wi-Fi network, connected to the power supply and blocked.
4. If you want to immediately start a backup without waiting for the automatic one, you can do it manually by touching the wording Backup now.

If your iPhone supports the 5G network, your operator may allow you to backup also via mobile data connection. You can check this option by going up Settings> (your name)> iCloud> Backup icloud And choosing whether or not to activate the backup on the cellular network.

If you have Windows 11

Windows 11 It offers a simple and effective backup system thanks to Windows Backupan integrated tool that allows you to automatically save files and settings in the cloud via OneDrive. To activate this system, proceed like this.

1. Open the menu Starttype “Backup” in the search bar and select “Windows Backup” among the results.
2. Choose what are the Elements to be saved on OneDrive (Folder, Settings, Appand so on).
3. To check the status of the backup of each element, expand the related sections within the Windows Backup screen. After selecting everything you want to protect, click Backup to start the process.

If you have macOS

If you are in possession of a Mac And you want to protect your files, the solution that we suggest to try in this case is Time machines It is the ideal solution. This is the integrated macOS tool designed to automatically make the backup of documents, emails, photos, apps and other data, saving them on an external storage device. Here are the steps you have to take to use this backup solution.

1. First, Choose the Backup storage device: Apple recommends using one who has at least double the storage space of your Mac (so if your Apple computer has 512 GB of internal storage, you must use a hard disk of at least 1 TB). In addition, the external disk you decide to use should be dedicated exclusively to Time Machine backups to avoid compatibility problems.
2. Connect the storage device at the Mac.
3. Click on the Apple menu and select System Settings> Generals> Time Machine.
4. Click Add backup disc or the button +.
5. Select the storage device and click on Configure disk. If the Mac should ask you to initialize the unit to make it compatible with Time Machine, do it following the steps on the screen.
6. Once Completed the configurationTime Machine will automatically start saving your files.