Can you open your family photos if your phone stops working today? If you are not sure, start with a small test. You do not need to move your whole photo library in one afternoon.
Check the copy you already have
Open your cloud photo service on a computer. Can you see recent photos and play a recent video? Pick a small album for your first test. A cloud gallery is useful, but it may copy deletions too. Google says deleting a photo in Google Photos can also remove it from devices with backup on. Check your own service before clearing space.
Make a copy that stands on its own
Download your test album to a dated folder on a computer, such as Family photos/2026-10. Copy that folder to an external drive. When it finishes, disconnect the drive and put it somewhere safe. For a large library, use your photo service's full export tool.
CISA's simple 3-2-1 rule means three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one copy somewhere else. For a home, that could mean your phone or computer, an external drive, and a cloud copy.
Open the files before you trust them
Put the phone aside. Open several photos and play a video straight from the drive. Check the dates and full-size files. Copy one file back to the computer and open it there too. A folder called “backup” is only reassuring when the files inside work.
Repeat the export each month or after a big trip. Write down when you last checked it. The useful backup is the one you can restore.
Image note: The lead image is an AI-generated editorial illustration.
