Back Up Your Files: The 3-2-1 Rule Explained
Every drive eventually fails, and accidents, theft and ransomware happen to careful people too. A backup turns these events from a disaster into an inconvenience.
What is the 3-2-1 rule?
- 3 copies of your data (the original plus two backups).
- 2 different types of storage (for example, an internal drive and an external drive).
- 1 copy kept off-site, such as cloud storage or a drive stored elsewhere.
Set up File History on Windows
- Plug in an external drive.
- Open Settings → Accounts → Windows backup (or search for "File History" in Control Panel).
- Select the drive and turn backup on.
- Choose which folders to include.
Add an off-site copy
Cloud storage services can sync your Documents and Pictures automatically. Keep in mind that sync is not the same as backup: if a file is deleted or encrypted, the change may sync too. Choose a service that keeps previous versions.
Test your backup
Once every few months, try restoring a few files. A backup you have never tested is only a hope.
What to back up
- Documents, photos, videos and school or work projects
- Browser bookmarks and exported password-manager data
- Licence keys and account recovery codes (stored securely)