View source for Data backup

Your personal data — photos, messages, documents, passwords — lives on servers you don't control. Before exploring alternatives, get a copy of everything you own.

== Why bother ==
* Account compromise or forgotten password = permanent loss
* Services shut down or become regionally unavailable
* Accidental deletion with no local copy to restore from
* A geopolitical or technical event cuts off access overnight

== The two-copy rule ==
Keep at least two copies of your backup:
# One external hard drive at home
# A second copy stored elsewhere (family, second location, encrypted cloud)

This protects against drive failure, theft, or a house fire taking out both at once.

== What to export ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Category !! Examples
|-
| Photos & videos || Camera roll, Google Photos, iCloud
|-
| Documents || Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox
|-
| Email & chat || Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, Signal
|-
| Contacts & calendar || Google Contacts, iCloud Contacts
|-
| Passwords || Browser passwords, password manager export
|-
| Bookmarks || Chrome, Firefox, Safari
|-
| Music & media || Purchased iTunes/Google Play content
|-
| DNS records || If you own a domain
|}

== How to download ==

=== Google ===
Go to [https://takeout.google.com takeout.google.com]. Select all services and request an export. You'll receive a download link by email.

=== Apple ===
Go to [https://privacy.apple.com privacy.apple.com]. Request a copy of your data.

=== Facebook / Instagram ===
Settings → Your Facebook information → Download your information.

=== WhatsApp ===
Open a chat → tap the name → Export chat. Do this for important conversations.

=== Other services ===
Look for "Download your data", "Export", or "Data portability" in account settings. Most services are required to offer this under GDPR.

== Choosing a hard drive ==

* '''Capacity:''' 1 TB or larger
* '''Connection:''' USB (USB 3.0 for speed)
* '''Brands:''' WD, Seagate, Toshiba are reliable
* '''Type:''' HDD is fine for backup (cheaper per GB than SSD)

== Encryption ==

Encrypt your backup drive so a lost or stolen drive doesn't expose your data:

* '''Windows:''' BitLocker (built-in, right-click the drive)
* '''macOS:''' FileVault or encrypt when formatting in Disk Utility
* '''Linux:''' LUKS via <code>cryptsetup</code>

== How often ==

* General use: every few months
* Active photographer or content creator: monthly or after big events
* Critical documents: immediately after creating them

== Next steps ==
* [[Self-hosted alternatives]] — replace cloud services with European or self-hosted ones
* [[Offline preparedness]] — what to do when the internet itself goes down