Ask anyone who has lost it all in a fire. What do they miss? It’s not things with real cash value. It’s the things that spur memories. I’m talking about souvenirs, it’s art from children… and it’s photos. Losing all your photos can be heartbreaking, especially if we’re talking about stuff from the 20th century that can never be replaced. You probably know this… but then you’re also probably storing all the photos from the last couple of years on your phone. I know, it’s convenient, but it’s also a very bad idea. Here’s why.
Not using a cloud service? You’re going to lose those photos
There are still folks out there who are not using iCloud or Google Photos. That means every photo they’ve taken is on their phone, and nowhere else. The harsh truth here is that it’s very likely that phone is going to fail, or get lost, or break. And then, all those photos will be gone, in the words of Roy Batty, “like tears in rain.” I’m guessing you’re a little more savvy than that since you read this blog. But is everyone in your life? If you have people who look up to you for tech advice, you owe it to them to ask the question.
On the other hand, if you have an Apple or Android device you are probably saving all your photos to the cloud somewhere. That’s going to help you sleep a little better at night, but it’s still not good enough. It’s certainly going to help you most of the time. When you get a new phone, your photos will start appearing, along with your contacts, emails, and calendar. But, this really isn’t good enough for the photos you really care about.
Apple and Google have massive data centers with backups of backups of backups. They hire the best engineers to make sure nothing gets lost. And yet, stuff still gets lost. I’ve heard too many times where people’s cloud storage stops working, or they lose a password and can’t get back into it when there’s a new phone. At that point, those stored photos are pretty much gone anyway.
What can you do?
Well, it’s going to seem old school, but you can actually connect your phone to a PC and back it up. With an Android, you can go to Google Photos to download directly. You can do the same trick with an Apple device if you have a Mac… just go to iPhoto. If you are someone with an iPhone and a PC, you’ll need to physically connect your phone to the computer and import the pictures manually. It’s easy. With most modern PCs all you have to do is connect the phone’s charge cable to your computer and when it asks you what to do with this device, “Import Photos” is usually one of the options. You may have to answer a message on your phone to allow it to trust the computer. From there, it’s automatic.
When you’re doing this, no matter how you’re doing it, there’s a possibility that your photos can be removed from your cloud storage in the process of moving them to your computer. Look for a check box that says “Erase after importing” or something like that and make sure it’s UNCHECKED.
OK so now what?
Now you’ll want to copy your photos to some sort of physical media. DVDs are a very stable way of storing things, but most new computers can’t read them. You’re better off with a flash drive. Choose a drive from a company you’ve heard of. Don’t get a cheap or off-brand one. You’ll find that these things are insanely cheap even for the brand-name ones. Most people can easily do with a 128GB drive or even smaller. These are usually very low-priced at your favorite retailer.
Take that flash drive and put it somewhere really secure, like a bank vault or fireproof safe. Don’t just leave it in the nightstand drawer… that’s not going to help. Personally I keep several copies in several different locations. It’s worth it to make sure my photos are totally safe.
Solid Signal doesn’t sell flash drives…
but we do offer new cell phones, tons of cell phone accessories, and all the other things you’ll need to live your best digital life. Shop at Solid Signal or get advice from real experts when you call 888-233-7563. We’re here for you in our US offices… no script readers or overseas call centers here. We have fully trained and certified technicians who can answer your call during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
