Menu
- Seagate Backup Plus Hub 4TB External Hard Drive Desktop HDD – USB 3.0, for Computer Desktop Workstation PC Laptop Mac, 2 USB Ports, 2 Months Adobe CC Photography (STEL4000100), Model:STEL4000100 4.4 out of 5 stars 5,884.
- Plug the backup drive into another computer and restore the backup. If it ran Windows, use the same backup tools that the old computer had to restore the backup. For Macs, simply open Time Machine and choose the 'restore' option.
You'll find your backed-up files in your OneDrive account under the same name (such as Desktop). How to Back Up a Computer to Dropbox. Like the other two options, Dropbox now offers computer backup in addition to standard cloud storage. However, Dropbox is the most limited service, with its free plan only offering a tiny 2GB of storage.
If you have no idea which backup software to choose for making a copy of your computer, then iCloud should be your first choice. Considering many people do not have the custom to back up every file manually at per time, iCloud enables users to set automatic backup, which can save every change you make automatically. As a result, you can backup computer to iCloud wirelessly. Thus, there is no need to backup Mac to external hard drive.
This article aims to show you easy ways of how to backup MacBook Air and Windows using iCloud. In another word, you can backup Mac without external hard drive and other portable storage tools. All you need to prepare is a strong Wi-Fi network and enough iCloud storage space. Well, let's start backing up Mac or PC to iCloud.
Best Backup For Laptop
Part 1: How to Backup Computer to iCloud on Windows
There's something important you should know before using iCloud to back up a Windows computer. You need to set up iCloud on all of your Apple devices first. Otherwise you may fail to backup computer to iCloud. At present, you can backup documents to iCloud including mail, contacts, calendars, reminders and bookmarks. When you set up and use iCloud to backup Windows, all those selected files will be updated automatically on your Apple devices.
Step 1. Set up iCloud on Windows
Download and install iCloud for Windows. Restart your Windows computer and then sign into iCloud with your Apple ID and password. You will be prompted to choose features and contents to back up, tap 'Apply' to save your iCloud backup settings.
Step 2. Enable automatic downloads to backup Windows PC to iCloud
The moment you enable iCloud Drive and Photos to backup computer pictures to iCloud, iCloud for Windows will create new folders to save those files in Windows Explorer. Moreover, you can also access Windows to iCloud backup files on other iOS devices by opening Photos App. Otherwise, you can enter iCloud.com to have a check.
Step 3. See Windows backup files in iCloud Drive
You can find and open a folder named iCloud Drive in File Explorer. All your iCloud backup files will be stored into that folder. So just open it to download and manage your iCloud storage.
However, for some data that is not visible for you, like text messages, you need an iCloud backup data extractor to access them directly.
Part 2: How to Backup Computer to iCloud on Mac
iCloud is a good alternative to backup Mac without Time Machine. And you can also handle Time Machine backup to iCloud to make a copy over the air. When you complete Mac to iCloud backup process, you can also access Mac backup data on other digital devices such as iPhone, iPad, iPod and Windows PC.
Step 1. Update Mac for further iCloud backup
To backup Mac to cloud successfully, you should update Mac to the latest OS X version. Just open the Apple menu and choose 'Software Update' to check whether there is an update available.
Step 2. Enable iCloud backup settings
Run System Preferences from the Apple menu, then enter your Apple ID and password to sign into iCloud account. Tick before items you want to make a copy. There are many available file types, such as photos, contacts, documents and others. So it is a piece of cake to backup documents to iCloud on a Mac computer.
Step 3. Set to backup photos from mac to iCloud automatically
Laptop Backup Usb
Hit 'Options' besides 'Photos' and manage the iCloud backup window. You can tick iCloud Photo Library, My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing to backup Mac pictures to iCloud automatically and wirelessly. When you tap 'Done', it means you agree with all iCloud backup settings, then iCloud will start to backup computer to iCloud on Mac wirelessly.
Step 4. Backup iTunes on computer to iCloud
Open iTunes and locate its Preferences menu. Hit 'Downloads' and tick content below 'Automatic Downloads' of music, movies and TV shows. You are able to set whether to download them in high quality or save every new change automatically. Press 'OK' to enable automatic downloads in iTunes.
After that, you will see your iCloud backup downloads like music, movies, etc. on your Mac. (How to fix iCloud backup is not showing up?)
Part 3: How to Backup Computer to iTunes on Apeaksoft iPhone Transfer for Mac
iPhone Transfer for Mac allows users to transfer all kinds of files between Mac and iOS devices smoothly. The supported data types are photos, music, contacts, voice memo, movies, ringtones, books, albums and more. As a result, when you need to backup iPhone to Mac or iTunes, then you should not miss iPhone Transfer for Mac. It also has Windows version, so that you can back up computer to iTunes.
Step 1. Launch iPhone Transfer on Mac
Free download and install iPhone Transfer on your Mac computer. Launch it and use a USB cable to connect your iDevice to macOS 11. Then check all available files you can back up in categories.
Step 2. Choose files to output
Now you can select a file type and tick before the certain files. There are media, playlists, photos, books, contacts, SMS and toolkit that you can output from iPhone to iTunes on Mac.
Step 3. Backup iOS data to iTunes library on Mac
Click 'Export to' button in the toolbar. You can choose 'Export to Mac' or 'Export to iTunes Library' whatever you like. During this period, you can click the latter one to backup iPhone to iTunes. At last, choose its destination to store your backup data on Mac.
You can also check this video quickly to backup data on iPhone to computer:
Time Machine is a good choice, with which you can backup MacBook Pro to external hard drive and other Mac products. But if you want to get a lightweight solution to make a copy of important files on Mac, then iCloud does a better job than Time Machine. At last but not the least, you can use iCloud to backup not only your Windows and Mac computer, but also your iPhone/iPad/iPod devices. That's all for how to backup computer to iCloud, thanks for reading.
Dec 21, 2020 • Filed to: Take Data Backup • Proven solutions
When you have stored your data on a computer, it is vulnerable to a number of risks and jeopardies that might take it away from you within no time. Your computer might come across some sort of physical damage due to a fall, power surge, or some other issues. There might be a cyberattack, a natural disaster, theft of physical devices, or any other incident that might free you of all your important data. Therefore, the best way to ensure the possession of everything you have been rooting for is to backup your computer. There are numerous means to take a backup of your computer files. Some of them are discussed below.
- Part 1: On Windows: Backup Windows Computer to External Hard Drive
- Part 2: On Mac: How to Backup Mac to External Hard Drive
- Part 3: Backup Windows Computer to External Drive with AOMEI Backupper
- Part 4: Some Important Tips Regarding Backup of Important Data
Zoom us macos. Part 1: On Windows: Backup Windows Computer to External Hard Drive
- The first step when you are looking to back up a computer to external hard drive is to get a drive for backup. You may get a USB device or some external hard drives for that purpose. It is recommended to get one that almost doubles the size of your original hard drive so that you might be able to get multiple backups easily.
- After you plug in the external hard drive, Windows would generate a prompt menu asking you if you are willing to use this device as a backup device or not. You can say yes or you can close the prompt and go to the Start menu and look for 'backup and restore'.
- When you have opened up the 'backup and restore' menu, you need to hit the 'Set up backup' button in order to initiate the process of backing up the computer. Select the external drive you want to back up on and keep on pressing 'Next'.
- When you come across the final screen, select 'Save settings and run backup' option and Windows will start taking all the required backups of your computer. Do not turn off the computer in the middle of this process so that it might be completed properly.
How To Backup Laptop To Desktop
Part 2: On Mac: How to Backup Mac to External Hard Drive
- The first step required in the process of backing up your Mac device requires you to buy a new drive for backup purposes. You may get yourself a USB device or an external drive in this regard. Care to buy a drive with enough room to store more than one backup at the same time.
- Upon plugging in your device, you would be prompted by Mac saying if you want this drive to serve as a backup disk. You can say yes or you may do it manually by going to System Preferences > Time Machine.
- After opening the Time Machine app, you need to hit the 'Select backup disk' option in order to select the external hard drive you want to take your backup on.
Connect Laptop To Desktop
- When you have selected the backup disk, the Mac OS would start performing the backup operations. It is important to keep the computer on during this process. Otherwise, the backup might be interrupted and stay incomplete.
After the process is done, you can turn off the computer as per your requirement. When there is a need to restore the data, you can open up the Time Machine app and carry out a system restore by selecting the backup device.
Part 3: Backup Windows Computer to External Drive with AOMEI Backupper
Windows Backup function is a simple and understandable way to help you do data backups, but it might not satisfy your various needs including file sync and differential backup. Therefore, third-party backup software like AOMEI Backupper may be what you really want. AOMEI Backupper is a fully free backup and recovery software with automatic, full, incremental, and differential backups available. It offers more options to configure a backup than Windows Backup does, and allows you to only backup new and changed files, which will save backup time and storage space. Moreover, its intuitive interface makes everything you do with it really simple.
- Allows you to take automatic, full, incremental, and differential backups of system, disk, partition, and files.
- Supports system restore, disk restore, dissimilar hardware restore, partition restore, and selective file restore.
- Supports disk clone, partition/volume clone, flexible clone, system clone, and command line clone.
- Can schedule file sync for real-time data backup to internal hard disks and external hard drives.
- Offers additional essential utilities - PXE boot tool, merge backup images, encrypt image, etc.
- Supports Windows 10, Windows 8.1/8, Windows 7, Vista, and XP (all editions, 32/64-bit)
Part 4: Some Important Tips Regarding Backup of Important Data
How To Connect Laptop To Desktop Computer
When you are looking to back up the computer, a few tips that might come in very handy are listed below for your convenience and understanding.
- One of the most critically important things when it comes to taking a backup of your Mac or Windows computer is to let the backup process complete properly before you shut it down.
- If you want to keep your backup updated all the time, it is very important for you to set a proper updating schedule for your computer. The schedule may be created on the basis of how often your computer is used and how often the files are changed. You also need to ensure that the external drive is connected to the computer at the scheduled time of backup.
- After taking a backup of your important data, it is recommended to keep the external hard drive in some safe place that is away from your computer. This is important due to the fact that it might not get compromised in case something happens to your computer. Off-site storage is a highly recommended choice in this regard.
- Taking a backup computer might take up a lot of time. Therefore, it is highly recommended to schedule your backup for a time when you won't have to turn your computer off. It is also important that you might not be updating your computer files while the backup process is being carried out.
- It is recommended to take more than just one backup so that you might be able to get access to your important data in case one of the backups gets compromised somehow.