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- Backing up files onto an external hard drive is fairly easy, in most cases it can simply be plugged into the computer's USB port.
- After it is recognized, you can go to My Computer by pressing the Windows logo+E keys, or simply by going to Start>>My Computer. Once there you should see the new hard drive as an icon for the new hard drive. Double click to open it up. Once the new window opens, any files you wish to save can be simply dragged into the new window. The files will then be copied to the external hard drive where they will be stored until you remove them or the external hard drive dies.
- On a Mac, you have Time Machine, which is the built-in backup feature of your Mac. When you connect an external drive directly to your Mac, you might be asked if you want to use the drive to backup with Time Machine. Click Use as Backup Disk.
If Time Machine doesn't ask to use your drive, follow these steps to add it manually:
- Open Time Machine preferences from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar. Or choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, then click Time Machine.
- Click Select Backup Disk (or Select Disk, or Add or Remove Backup Disk)
- Select your external drive from the list of available disks. Then click Use Disk
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