You don’t want to lose your favourite photos, right? You need to have a backup. But which is the best way to backup photos on your smartphone? Find out here!

Photography is a simple yet powerful hobby to cultivate.

The ability to capture events and record time in a photograph is a skill that many people will willingly pay for. The power of photography is in storing memories.

Take care, however — half the struggle of being a good photographer is knowing the best way to backup photos. Making sure that your precious photos are safe and accessible at any time is a sign that you know what you’re doing.

The first step to do that is to figure out the best way to backup your photos. Whether you’re a veteran photographer or a fledgling, it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan. Down below, we have some of the best tips and tricks to keep those photographs safe.

1. Save It On Your Computer 

This is the best way to backup photos today with all the nifty apps we have. Although it seems like common sense, many people still forget that their computers have more than enough storage for thousands of pictures.

For Android to Mac photo transfers, SmartSwitch is one of the most popular applications. It lets you transfer files from your Android smartphone to your iPhone or Mac using a one-way channel. Using your iCloud account and your trusty iOS USB Cable and adapter you can move photos in a snap.

For iOS to Mac, you can use either iTunes or AirDrop. These applications are what most Apple users are currently using at the moment. They make sharing files faster and easier between all different kinds of iOS devices. 

These methods deal with moving photos from your phone or camera to your pc. If that isn’t safe enough for you, keep backing up multiple times with the methods below.

2. External Hard Drive

If you want something a little easier to carry around, external hard drives are small, portable, and the right tool for the job. These come in especially handy if you have to travel very quickly and don’t have time to always lug around a laptop.

An external hard drive is one of the most expensive ways to back up your photos. The prices for each external hard drive could range from $25 to $500 depending on brand and storage space available. This tradeoff is offset by the convenience, long term storage, and lots of memory.

Additionally, this provides more security as opposed to backing up photos on the computer only. The only thing you have to watch out for are computer viruses, so scan regularly.

3. Google Photos

If you want a more modern and digital way to back up your photos, then cloud storage services are your best friend. It’s the easiest and arguably best way to backup photos and videos while being mostly free to use.

Google Photos has unlimited storage and uploads your photos immediately while connected to the Wi-Fi. The app also has a powerful search option that can retrieve and upload virtually any picture on your phone.

The downside, however, is a loss in quality. If you are an aspiring or professional photographer; the app downgrades your photos to 16MP and videos to 1080p HD. This is because low-quality files are easier to backup for the app.

If you insist on using this, you can upgrade and pay money to restore your files to their original quality

4. Dropbox

Dropbox is a great option if you want to backup your photos across different devices.

Dragging the files you want to back up on Dropbox will transfer these on the server online. If you turn on the sync and you have internet access, it will also automatically delete the file from your computer to give you more space.

This is a great alternative for storing RAW files while not having to worry about downgrading file quality.

When you sign up with a new account, you get free 2gb storage and you can upload your photos immediately after. If you need more storage space then you have to pay $9.99 for the subscription monthly. 

5. Apple iCloud

This is for iOS users only. This is the cloud storage platform that is in every Apple device. It’s easy to use, and you can sync your photos anytime as long as you have an internet connection. 

iCloud, however, does not have unlimited storage compared to Google Photos. But they are still reliable when it comes to backing up all your photos and other media files. You also get free 5gb storage space to start.

You can opt to change your storage plan for a monthly fee. The rates are $0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB storage upgrade. You could set up the Family Sharing so you can share the storage as well!

6. Recover Deleted Files on Your Smartphone

Ever asked, “Can I recover permanently deleted photos from my iPhone?” The answer is yes!

Check this guide here for more help. Don’t worry, you can still recover them with a little feature installed on your smartphone.

The first thing you should look for is the recently deleted folder. If enabled, your deleted photos will appear in the folder. You can also select how many days you can want the photos to last on your device to make your photos extra safe.

This feature is usually found in the Settings by scrolling down and selecting Recently deleted in your albums.

7. Creating a Physical Copy and Digitizing

Have you noticed your old photos are fading and look outdated? We may be in the era of digital archiving, but printing out your photos is also considered as a backup. A physical copy is a great way to preserve the memories for the next generations to come and see

To get the best of both worlds, digitizing your old photos is another way to backup photos. You can scan your photos to have a soft copy using 600 DPI (Dots Per Inch). This gets the details on your photo in high resolution for the best viewing experience.

You can also edit your photos by adjusting the lighting, saturation, or even restoring faded and damaged spots. Do the necessary adjustments or corrections you want to make so they look better than before.

What Is the Best Way to Backup Photos?

These are some of the ways you can do photo backup for personal or work reasons. The best way to backup photos is to create multiple backups so be sure to follow as many of these tips as possible.

Of course, you shouldn’t stop with backing up your photos. You need to learn how to edit them and share them too! To pick up more photography guides or general tips and tricks, feel free to read more of our content right here!