Photos provide a powerful snapshot in time — a chance to gaze at treasured memories. Each image reminds you of special people and places. You adore these pictures and are determined to take care of them.
Unfortunately, these snapshots can be just as fleeting as the memories they aim to preserve. Over time, you may notice that physical photos begin to fade. Rich colors don't seem quite as vibrant. Creases and folds begin to show up — or maybe even a thick layer of dust.
Digitization could be the answer — but are your photos truly safe once they're digitized? Not necessarily. A lot depends on how you digitize your photos and, just as importantly, how you store them. Backups are essential, but not just any strategy will cut it. Keep reading to discover the best ways to back up and store your photos.
Why You Should Back Up Your Digital Photos
Digital photos promise the ultimate in convenience. We take it for granted these days, but it really is amazing how we can take thousands of pictures and instantly access them with a few swipes on our phones or a few clicks on a computer. The downside? Digital photos are easy to access but they're also just as easy to lose.
Yes, digital images always look pristine, but even they offer no forever guarantee. While physical photos are prone to fading or discoloration, problems or mistakes with digital issues can be even more devastating, leading to precious pictures being lost altogether.
Imagine the pain of losing special memories and having no way of retrieving them. These memories cannot be recreated and, if they do not exist in a physical form, lost images may be gone forever.
This is not an exaggeration — many people have mistakenly assumed the safety and security of their digital photo collections, only to lose hundreds or even thousands of important photos. Hard drive crashes and malware are always possible, and nobody is entirely safe. Why risk such a devastating loss when backups provide such a simple solution?
Beyond these risks, backups serve many other practical purposes. The most immediately obvious? Freeing up space on smartphones and other devices. What's more, backups promote organization. If your photos are difficult to find or manage, the process of backing them up could make a world of difference.
4 Best Ways to Back Up and Store Digital Photos
Now that you understand why backups matter, it's time to take the next step and safeguard your precious memories. However, there are many ways to back up photos and it can be tricky to find the right solution. Different options appeal to different people, but there's something to be said for mixing and matching.
Check out these top storage options — you just may be surprised by how easy they are to navigate.
1. External Hard Drives
Reliable and cost-effective, external hard drives have long been a go-to solution for storing media. Their appeal is obvious: they are easy to use, can store a wealth of photos, and often cost less than expected. Larger and faster hard drives may connect to desktop computers, but smaller, portable options are also available.
Unfortunately, these hard drives are far from perfect. They may seem sturdy, but they're actually quite vulnerable to physical damage. In the worst-case scenario — fire or flooding, for example — you could easily lose not only your external drive, but also lose all the digital photos and videos it contains. Even under ideal conditions, hard drives have limited lifespans, often lasting only a couple of years before the risk of failure increases.
Another issue? The need for manual backup. You may be forced to navigate the backup process on your own — and this can be incredibly time-consuming. If you begin to dread the hassle of backing up your photos, you could easily start to fall behind, leaving your photos at risk.
Still, external hard drives can provide an extra layer of protection and are definitely worth considering as you develop your own unique backup strategy.
2. Cloud Storage Services
If you crave easy access to your full collection of digital photos, you could be the perfect candidate for cloud storage. Promising automatic backups, cloud systems take the guesswork out of an otherwise time-consuming process. The moment you take a photo, you can feel confident that it is safe. You'll skip the hassle of manual backups and won't need to worry about accidentally forgetting any images.
If security is a concern, you can take comfort in knowing that encryption is a priority. You'll also enjoy enhanced physical security — no need to worry about your photos being lost due to theft or natural disaster. Cloud backups are also ideal for sizable photo collections. When you have access to unlimited storage in the cloud, there's no need to invest in extra hard drive space or dozens of flash drives.
Many cloud services promise convenient and secure storage. iCloud is an amazing option for Apple enthusiasts, as it syncs seamlessly with iPhones and Mac devices. If you're an Android user, you're probably already familiar with Google Photos. Feel free to explore alternatives such as OneDrive or Dropbox. OneDrive integrates smoothly with Windows, making it a solid choice for PC users who want easy access across their devices. Dropbox, on the other hand, offers unique sharing and collaboration tools, making it ideal for those who would like to share their memories with others.
You might have ongoing expenses (such as subscriptions), but these can be surprisingly affordable. Many people are perfectly happy to pay a small fee to achieve maximum peace of mind.
At Legacybox, our digital delivery and cloud storage is free for 90 days, then just $9.99 every 90 days. You can cancel at any time.
3. USB Flash Drives and SD Cards
Another option for protecting and boosting access to your favorite images? Loading them on USB flash drives or SD cards. Uniquely intuitive, these easy-to-use solutions are both portable and affordable.
They're also more durable than they look — and more accessible. No internet connection available? No worries — as long as your flash drive is around, you can back up or access your photos.
The downside? Because they are so small, flash drives are incredibly easy to lose. This is by far the most vulnerable option from this guide — a simple slip-up could really cost you.
For this reason, you'll want to consider other options, like digitizing your memories with a secure cloud backup because you can never fully trust that pictures stored on your thumb drive will be available in the long run.
4. Network Attached Storage (NAS)
On the hunt for a centralized storage solution with a physical component? You may be an ideal candidate for Network-Attached Storage (NAS). Behaving a lot like a large, centralized hard drive, NAS allows you to store photos and other important files in an easy-to-reach location. This can be connected to multiple devices in your household: all your phones, computers, and tablets, for example. You may even be able to access files remotely. Think of this as a mini-server that streamlines photo storage within your household.
NAS may be your best bet if you have a sizable photo collection but don't want to feel limited to cloud services alone. If several people in your household need access to those photos, they can easily reach them through NAS.
Unfortunately, NAS can be pricey. You can expect a major upfront investment — especially compared to affordable alternatives such as flash drives or cloud storage.
The learning curve could also be substantial. While many NAS solutions provide user-friendly guides, the setup process can still feel frustrating. But if you're willing to put in the work, NAS has a lot to offer and could become an excellent supplement to other storage methods.
How To Choose the Right Photo Backup Option for You
With so many options available, you might wonder: which photo backup strategy is best? There is no simple answer. A lot depends on how much time you want to spend manually backing up photos — or how much you're willing to spend on automated services that take care of backup on your behalf. You'll also want to consider how much risk you're willing to handle — and which types of risks cause you the most worry.
For many people, cloud services are a no-brainer. These days, we love to access and share photos on the go. Cloud services make this easy and also provide peace of mind when we inevitably forget to back up photos manually.
As we've mentioned, multiple storage methods are not only possible but also encouraged. If you already have an external hard drive, you can still benefit from uploading your photos to the cloud. When in doubt, opt for a layered approach that promises both physical and digital security.
Why Digitize Your Photos with Legacybox
Keep your memories safe with a digitizing system that elevates protection. The ideal system will safeguard you and your memories against both physical damage and digital vulnerabilities.
When you digitize your photos with Legacybox, you can feel confident that these memories will stand the test of time. We make it easy: send in your treasured photos as bundles and let us handle the rest. We offer plenty of options for storing your photos, including a 90-day free digital delivery method, and cloud storage for your digitized media is available for $9.99 every 90 days.
Ready to get started? Learn more about our photo scanning services and the many other types of media we digitize. Shop now and discover the power of protecting your treasured memories.
