Before you share an important video, document, or photo collection with someone, there is one step that often gets overlooked: making sure you have a proper backup of the original file. Once a file leaves your device, you lose control over what happens to it. Taking a moment to secure your originals can save you from the frustration of losing irreplaceable content.

Why Backing Up Before Sharing Matters

When you share a file, several things can go wrong that put your original at risk. You might accidentally delete the source file while cleaning up storage space after sharing. The sharing process itself could corrupt the file in rare cases. Or you might need the original version later, only to realize the only copy you have is the compressed version you sent through a messaging app.

This is especially important for content that cannot be recreated: wedding photos, family videos, important documents, or creative work. The few minutes spent backing up before sharing is cheap insurance against losing something irreplaceable.

iCloud Photos: Automatic Protection for Your Media

If you use an iPhone or Mac, iCloud Photos provides an automatic safety net for your images and videos. When enabled, every photo and video you capture gets uploaded to iCloud automatically. This means that even if you delete something from your device, it remains recoverable from iCloud for 30 days.

To verify iCloud Photos is working:

• Open Settings on your iPhone
• Tap your name at the top, then iCloud
• Select Photos and ensure “Sync this iPhone” is turned on
• Check that “Optimize iPhone Storage” or “Download and Keep Originals” is selected based on your storage needs

The key advantage of iCloud Photos is that it happens without any effort on your part. The backup occurs in the background whenever you are connected to Wi-Fi. If you accidentally delete a photo after sharing it, you can recover it from the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app.

One thing to keep in mind: iCloud Photos works best when you have enough iCloud storage. The free 5GB tier fills up quickly with videos. Consider upgrading to a larger plan if you regularly capture high-resolution content.

Local Backups with iTunes or Finder

For complete device protection, nothing beats a full local backup to your computer. This captures everything on your device, including files that might not sync to iCloud.

To create a local backup on Mac:

• Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a cable
• Open Finder and select your device in the sidebar
• Under the General tab, select “Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac”
• Check “Encrypt local backup” to include passwords and health data
• Click “Back Up Now”

On Windows:

• Install iTunes if you do not have it already
• Connect your iPhone and open iTunes
• Click the device icon and select “Back Up Now”

Local backups are particularly useful before any major file management. If something goes wrong during sharing or cleanup, you can restore your entire device to exactly how it was.

External Drives: The Ultimate Safety Net

For your most important files, an external drive provides a backup that exists completely separate from your cloud accounts and devices. This protects against account issues, service outages, and even widespread problems that might affect your cloud storage provider.

Practical approach to external backup:

• Purchase a reliable external SSD or hard drive
• Create a folder structure that makes sense: organize by year, event, or project
• Periodically copy your important files to the drive
• Store the drive somewhere safe, ideally in a different location than your primary devices

Many people use the 3-2-1 backup rule as a guideline: keep three copies of important data, on two different types of storage, with one copy stored offsite. An external drive combined with cloud storage gets you most of the way there.

A Simple Pre-Sharing Workflow

Here is a straightforward routine to follow before sharing important files:

1. Verify the original location. Know exactly where the file lives on your device. Is it in Photos? Files? Downloaded from somewhere?

2. Confirm your automatic backup. For photos and videos, check that iCloud Photos is synced and up to date. Look for the spinning icon in Photos that indicates syncing is in progress.

3. Make an intentional copy for critical files. For truly irreplaceable content, manually copy the file to a second location before sharing. This could be iCloud Drive, an external drive, or even just emailing it to yourself.

4. Wait before deleting. After sharing, give yourself a buffer before removing the original. Make sure the recipient received the file successfully and that you do not need it for anything else.

5. Check Recently Deleted periodically. Both Photos and Files apps have a Recently Deleted folder. Items stay there for 30 days before permanent deletion, giving you a window to recover accidental deletions.

Special Considerations for Large Files

Large files like 4K videos deserve extra attention when it comes to backups. These files consume significant storage space, which creates pressure to delete them after sharing. But their size also makes them harder to back up and recover.

For large video files, consider keeping the original on an external drive rather than on your device. You can share from the drive when needed and free up device storage without losing the master copy. Many external SSDs now work directly with iPhones using a USB-C connection, making this workflow practical even without a computer.

Cloud Storage Organization Tips

If you rely on cloud storage for backups, a bit of organization goes a long way:

• Create a dedicated folder for originals you want to preserve long-term
• Use descriptive file names that include dates or event names
• Periodically review what is stored and clean out files you no longer need
• Keep an eye on your storage usage to avoid running out of space at the worst time

The goal is to make your backup system reliable enough that you trust it. When you know your files are protected, you can share with confidence.

Building Good Habits

The best backup system is one you actually use. Rather than trying to implement everything at once, start with one improvement. Maybe that means turning on iCloud Photos if you have not already, or buying an external drive and doing a monthly backup. Small consistent habits provide better protection than elaborate systems that you never follow through on.

Your future self will thank you when you need that original file and it is right where you expected it to be.