What It's Like to Work at Apple

November 23, 2021

How to Back Up Your Apple Computer

Apple computers are fun and easy to use, and they have tons of capabilities. But like all other types of technology, they can fail. Accidents and theft happen too. One of the smartest things you can do is back up your files so that they're safe. Here's how.

Determine How Much You Want to Back Up

Before you begin to explore solutions for preserving your data, it's important that you figure out what files you want to back up. Maybe you decide that you want to back everything up, or perhaps you only want to make sure certain files are safe. Choosing which files and how much data they consume is a crucial decision to make because you can know going in how large the backups will be.

Back Up to an External Disk With Time Machine

Apple has a feature built into its operating systems that allows you to back your files up to an external hard drive. Time Machine is a great way to back up files and have them ready when you need them. Buy an external storage device, and connect it to your Mac. Your computer may ask if you want to use the drive as a Time Machine, or you can make that choice in the System Preferences menu. You can opt to encrypt your backups, which allows you to have access with a password, and you can choose to back files up to Time Machine automatically when you connect the hard drive.

Upload Files to iCloud for Backup

Apple's iCloud service allows you to back files up to the cloud for easy storage and retrieval. You can access iCloud from the System Preferences menu. You have the option to choose which file types you back up to iCloud, and you can also add your iPhones and iPads to the iCloud backups. The service backs files up automatically. You have a certain amount of storage for free with iCloud, and you can choose to add more storage for a small monthly fee.

Use a Paid Backup Service

In addition to the services that Apple offers, you can pay for services that back your Apple devices up. These cost varying amounts per month depending on the service, and you can choose which files to back up and how much data to use. These services back your files up anytime you're connected to the Internet. Be aware that the initial backup takes a while to complete, but subsequent backups don't take much time at all.

Automate Your Backups

One of the nice things about any of these backup services is that you can automate your backups so that you don't even have to think about it. Of course, if you use Time Machine, you have to connect the external hard drive, but with iCloud or paid backup services, you can set backups to take place whenever you want them to. You can even use multiple services to ensure that your files are backed up safely.

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