18 May 2023

Ultimate Guide to Backup Google Drive- Methods & Benefits

Table of Contents

Introduction

In today’s digital age, data storage and backup have become significant concerns for individuals and organizations. Google Drive, a leading cloud storage application, offers an accessible way to store and manage data. However, with increasing cases of data breaches and loss, backing up your Google Drive files to an external hard drive has become more than just an option. In this article, we’ll explore four simple steps to back up your Google Drive files to an external hard drive, ensuring the safety and accessibility of your data.

Benefits of Backing Up Google Drive to an External Hard Drive

Backing up your Google Drive to an external hard drive offers several benefits. Firstly, it provides an added layer of protection for your data. Despite Google Drive’s relative security, bugs and errors could potentially harm your data, leading to loss. Having a backup on an external hard drive acts as a safety net for your crucial information. Secondly, backing up your data enables you to access it offline. In the event of an internet outage, you can still retrieve your files from the external hard drive.

Methods to Back Up Google Drive to an External Hard Drive

Now let’s dive into the four ways you can back up your Google Drive to an external hard drive:

Using the Google Drive Web App

  • Log in to your Google Drive and locate the files or folders you wish to back up.
  • Select these files or folders and right-click to download them.
  • Once downloaded, connect your external hard drive to your computer and transfer the files onto it.

Using the Google Drive Desktop App

  • If you’ve already installed the Google Drive desktop app, you can directly back up data from the Google Drive disk on your computer to your external hard drive.
  • Simply drag and drop ‘My Drive’ directly onto your external hard drive.

Using Google Takeout

  • Google Takeout allows users to export data from various Google products, including Google Drive.
  • Visit the Google Takeout page and select only ‘Drive’, then click ‘Next step’.
  • Choose your file type, frequency, and destination according to your preference.
  • You will receive an email from Google Takeout with a link for download. Unzip the downloaded files or folders and transfer them to your external hard drive.

Using MultCloud

  • Sign up for a free MultCloud account.
  • Add Google Drive to MultCloud.
  • Select the file or folder you wish to back up in Google Drive on MultCloud and click download.
  • After downloading the data onto your local computer, drag and drop it onto your external hard drive.

Backing Up Google Drive to Another Cloud Service

In some instances, users may prefer to back up their Google Drive data to another cloud service for enhanced protection and management. MultCloud simplifies this process by allowing users to manage multiple cloud drives in one platform. It offers features like downloading, uploading, sharing, renaming, and deleting files across different clouds.

Conclusion

Backing up your Google Drive data onto an external hard drive or another cloud service is a crucial step in safeguarding your vital information. Each method has its pros and cons, so it’s important to choose a backup method that suits your needs best. With services like MultCloud available, managing our cloud storage has never been more comfortable or secure.