Backing up your data regularly is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself against data loss. However, manually backing up your files can be tedious and time-consuming. The good news is, there are ways to automate your backup routine to make it fast and hassle-free. Here are 5 tips for automating your backups:
1. Use backup software
One of the easiest ways to automate backups is to use automated backup software. Solutions like Apple Time Machine, Windows Backup and Restore, and third-party options like Carbonite allow you to schedule regular backups of your files to external drives or cloud storage.
With backup software, you can typically set a backup frequency (e.g. daily or weekly) and destination. The software will then automatically backup your files on the schedule you set without any work required on your end.
2. Set reminders to prompt you to backup manually
If you prefer a manual approach to backing up, you can set reminders on your devices to prompt you to backup your files on a regular basis.
For example, on an iPhone you can use the Reminders app to create recurring reminders to backup your photos to an external drive. On a Windows PC, you can create tasks in the Task Scheduler to remind you to manually trigger a backup job.
Having reminders pop up ensures you don’t forget to backup your latest files. Just be sure to actually do the manual backup when prompted!
3. Use a sync service like Dropbox
Sync services like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, and OneDrive make it easy to automatically sync your files across devices.
When you save a file into your sync folder, it will automatically be copied to the cloud and any other connected devices. This provides a form of automatic backup as your files are automatically protected from loss if your local hard drive fails.
Most sync services offer background syncing that works continuously in the background without any effort on your end. Just save your files into the folder and let the service handle copying them to the cloud.
4. Schedule backup jobs with a command line tool
For more advanced users on Mac or Linux, you can leverage command line tools to schedule cron jobs that will automatically backup your files on the schedule you define.
For example, on Mac you can use the Time Machine command line tool to schedule full or incremental backups to run automatically. Or on Linux, you can cron rsync jobs to copy files to a NAS or external drive on a regular cadence.
This requires some command line skills, but allows incredibly flexible automated backups tailored to your specific needs.
5. Back up mobile devices automatically
Finally, be sure to also backup your mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Most mobile operating systems include automatic backup features:
- iPhone can automatically backup to iCloud each night when charging
- Android phones can similarly backup to Google Drive
- iPads can use iCloud Photo Library to automatically sync photos
Enable these features on your mobile devices so your photos, videos, messages, and app data are automatically protected without any work required on your end.
Automating your backups is critical to ensuring your files are always protected from data loss. By leveraging backup software, sync services, reminders, and automatic mobile backups, you can implement a hands-off backup routine that just runs smoothly in the background.
