How to safely store digital photos

Photographs allow you to capture and preserve memories, from travels and retirement parties to outings with the grandkids. But how can you make sure these digital files are kept safe?

To start with, you’ll need to regularly transfer your pictures to your computer. Camera memory cards and USB keys are just temporary storage options. However, since a computer can be stolen and a hard drive can crash, you should create duplicates of all your files to avoid losing them.

One possibility is to copy your pictures onto CDs or DVDs. However, these storage discs can get damaged and have a limited capacity. Plus, disc drives are becoming a rarity on new computers.

A more reliable solution is to upload files onto an external hard drive. Just make sure to store it somewhere other than your home. This will ensure you don’t lose both the originals and the duplicates due to a fire, flood, or burglary.

However, the most secure way to preserve your digital memories is to save them to an online storage system or “cloud” such as Google Photos, iCloud, Flickr, Dropbox, or OneDrive. These applications allow you to store your photos, access them from any electronic device, and easily share them with family and friends. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about your photos getting lost or damaged.

Once your pictures are safely stored, consider printing out your best shots and displaying them in frames or collecting them in an album.