If your files and photos are syncing to the cloud, then they’re backed up… right?
Not quite.
Many people think that if their photos are in iCloud and their files are saved to Dropbox or OneDrive, they’re safely backed up. Unfortunately, syncing and backing up are two different things and that difference really matters if something goes wrong.
What’s the difference?
Syncing means your files copy themselves across multiple devices in real time. Change or delete a file on one, and that change happens everywhere.
Backup means you have a separate, frozen-in-time copy that you can go back to if something is lost, damaged, or compromised.
So if your phone is dropped, your laptop breaks, or ransomware hits your system, syncing alone won’t protect you.
No one wants to lose their photos
Photos are usually the most precious files on our devices. While iCloud Photos or Google Photos can keep them synced, that doesn’t always mean they’re safe:
- Deleting a photo on one device deletes it everywhere
- If your cloud account runs out of space, syncing may quietly stop
- If you never turned syncing on, you might not have anything saved at all
How to check: Log into icloud.com or photos.google.com in a browser and see what’s actually there. You should see from your first to your last photo.
What about documents and files?
Cloud services like iCloud Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox make it easy to access files from multiple devices. But:
- Accidentally deleting something will sync instantly, usually without a way to reverse it.
- Files outside designated folders (like your Pictures or Downloads folder) may not be included
- If your device is attacked by ransomware, it will freeze all your files everywhere
So what does a proper backup look like?
We recommend a basic version of the 3-2-1 rule:
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different types of storage (e.g. cloud + external hard drive)
- 1 copy stored offsite or online
That’s the ideal. In practice, that means:
- Use a dedicated external backup drive (like Time Machine on Mac)
- Add an online backup service (we recommend Backblaze)
- Make sure your key folders and photo libraries are both synced and backed up
Imagine this scenario:
Your phone gets stole, or your laptop screen is black and won’t boot up – would you be sad to lose any of those files or photos?
If the answer makes you nervous, it’s time to check both your sync settings and your backup setup.
Need help?
We can help you take a quick look and make sure everything you care about is covered. We’re here and can help you figure this out with a quick call.