Backing up your data is sort of like maintaining an exercise routine.

Of course you're supposed to do it—and some of you probably do—but you might not be excited about the idea, and it's all too easy to put off when you've got other things going on. You only regret neglecting the task when something goes wrong.

Perhaps that explains why I've never really gone in depth about how to back up your data. Even though I've written plenty about why you should do so, it's not exactly the most exciting tech topic to cover. (Cue jokes from my family about how I also don't exercise enough.)

But having a backup plan doesn't have to be a pain. With just a little bit of setup, you can protect yourself against losing your documents, photos, and other important files, even if your phone goes missing or your computer breaks down. Here are the best ways to get started:

A strong backup solution consists of the following:

Personally, I use Microsoft OneDrive to achieve these goals. In Windows, it automatically backs up your Documents, Photos, and Desktop folders by default, plus it creates its own folder that backs up anything you save to it, and I've gotten in the habit of using that folder for everything. On iOS and Android, the OneDrive app automatically uploads full-resolution copies of your photos and videos.

While OneDrive can store files exclusively online, thereby freeing up space on your computer, it can also leave a copy of everything on your internal storage drive (with a setting called "Sync all files and folders to OneDrive"). My desktop PC has a 1 TB internal hard drive reserved for this purpose, which is one reason I appreciate having a desktop computer to begin with.

I like OneDrive because it works well across all of my devices—it's available on Macs as well—and is relatively cheap. A $70 per year Microsoft 365 subscription gets you the full Office suite plus 1 TB of OneDrive storage, and you can easily buy one-year subscription cards for even less on eBay.

OneDrive isn't the only path to creating a strong backup plan. An overwhelming number of other companies also offer cloud storage services, but for the sake of simplicity I'll highlight just the best ones that meet the criteria above:

Google Drive is fairly unique in that its latest desktop app can back up any folder on your computer, so you don't have to rearrange your file structure or get in the habit of saving to a specific location. This even works with external storage drives, so you can offload data from your computer's internal storage and still backup everything online. (Unfortunately, you can't sync Google Photos to Google Drive anymore, which means you'll need Google Takeout to periodically create an offline archive of your phone's photos and videos.)

Paid storage plans (which are officially called "Google One" plans) start at $2 per month or $20 per year for 100 GB and scale up to $10 per month or $100 per year for 2 TB. They're especially worth considering if you're already using Gmail and Google Photos, because all three services count towards the same storage bucket.

iCloud Drive can automatically back up your Mac's Documents and Desktop folders (though you may have to enable this under System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud Drive Options), and it will create its own Finder location that uploads anything you keep there. iCloud Drive also works well with data stored in the Files app on iPhones and iPads, and it draws from the same storage bucket you may use for iCloud Photos, iCloud Mail, and HomeKit Secure Video.

Like OneDrive, iCloud can create a local copy of all your data if you uncheck the "Optimize Mac Storage" option in System Preferences > Apple ID, but of course you'll need enough internal storage to accommodate all that data. iCloud+ storage plans start at $1 per month for $50 GB and go up to $10 per month for 2 TB, though you can also bundle storage with other Apple services.

iDrive Photos is an interesting alternative, in large part because it's extremely cheap. For $10 per year (and $1 for the first year), you get unlimited photo and video backups from your phone, plus 1 TB of data backups for your Mac or PC. iDrive's desktop app lets you choose any folder on your computer to back up, plus it can mirror data to an external or networked hard drive without counting against your storage limit.

So what's the catch? For one thing, there's no automatic way to save an offline copy of your phone's photos, though you can manually use the desktop app's "Restore" function to download them. And if you want to sync files between computers, you'll have to put them in a dedicated folder, separate from the existing folders on your hard drive.

Need more help deciding? I've put together a little chart comparing these options, along with a few others not listed here.

While I used to balk at paying an ongoing fee for cloud storage, I've come around to appreciating the convenience of having access to my files from anywhere along with the peace-of-mind from saving everything offsite.

That said, Windows and MacOS both offer built-in ways to back up your files to an external drive without ongoing fees, which is better than having no backup plan at all.

On a Mac: By setting up Time Machine, you can automatically backup the full contents of your computer to an external drive. Head to System Preferences > Time Machine, then use "Select Backup" to choose your external drive. Use the "Options" button to exclude certain folders from being backed up, then check off "Back Up Automatically."

In Windows 10: Head to Control Panel > System & Security > File History. Use the sidebar menu to select a backup drive and exclude folders, or select "Advanced settings" to choose how many versions of your files to keep.

Of course, I haven't listed every potential option for backing up your data, and you can easily go down a rabbit hole of lesser-known cloud storage providers, backup services, NAS boxes, and external hard drives with bundled backup software.

One nice thing about backup solutions, however, is that it's fairly easy to sample them, or even to mix and match different solutions to fit your needs.

The important thing is to take the plunge in the first place. When something inevitably goes wrong with your phone or computer, you'll be glad made the effort.

Over at the members-only website, I've added a new guide based on one of my all-time favorite newsletter issues: It's all about using bookmarklets for better web browsing.

With bookmarklets, you can speed up web videos, shorten links, generate neatly-formatted article excerpts, and more. You can also use bookmarklets to search directly on sites like YouTube, Spotify, or Amazon with one click. Check out the full guide for a list of my favorite bookmarklets and instructions on setting them up.

This is part of a collection of guides that I'll be adding to in the weeks and months ahead. If you have any feedback on these articles or suggestions on what to cover next, please let me know!

A cheap Amazon tablet: Amazon is upgrading its Fire 7 tablet for the first time since 2019, with a faster processor (by 30%, Amazon says), 2 GB of RAM (instead of a measly 1 GB), 40% longer battery life (supposedly up to 10 hours), and—at last—a USB-C charging port instead of micro-USB. Alongside the new hardware, Amazon is updating the underlying Android-based operating system to include features like dark mode and "only once" location permission for apps.

Unfortunately, the new tablet is also $10 pricier, starting at $60 when it launches on June 29., though we're sure to see discounts come Prime Day in July. It's worth waiting anyway to make sure you can still easily remove Amazon's bloatware and install the full Google Play Store. I'd argue that's the only way these tablets are worth using to begin with.

Quicker customer service calls: The next time you need a company's contact number and don't want to bother navigating through labyrinthine websites, head to the Elliot Advocacy Contact List instead. Here you'll find the customer service numbers for hundreds of companies, sorted into categories such as airlines, cable providers, hotels, and computer makers. The site also has some helpful tips on resolving customer service issues.

For a more advanced option, check out GetHuman (pictured above). This website goes beyond just a number and gives you instructions on how to quickly reach a representative, along with the best time to call. It can even call the company on your behalf and ring you back when a rep is available (though I've found this element to be hit-or-miss).

Of course, neither of these resources will get you better customer service in the first place. Technology can only do so much.

Clearer iPhone audio: Over at The Verge, David Pierce brings word of a hidden iPhone feature called Voice Isolation, which makes your voice sound clearer in Facetime, Zoom, and several other calling apps. Here's how to find it:

Unfortunately, this feature doesn't work with regular phone calls, and it won't make other people sound clearer to you. Instead, it's a way to improve the audio on your end, especially when you're contending with a lot of background noise. But if you tell your friends and family about it, perhaps we'll all have an easier time hearing one another.

Instant coffee shop vibes: Speaking of background noise, Coffitivity is a nice little site listening to cafe sounds while you work. It offers three free variations—which are admittedly more similar than different—along with a Mac app for offline use.

For the cord cutting crowd, Hulu is currently offering new and returning subscribers up to three months of the ad-supported service for $1 per month. You may also be able to bundle Disney+ for an extra $3 per month, though your mileage may vary. The Hulu deal is valid through May 27, and while I plan to mention it in Cord Cutter Weekly as well, I thought you all might appreciate the early notice.

On a related note, lifetime Plex Pass memberships are on sale for $96 through May 27, down from the usual $120. If you're running your own media server, you can use Plex Pass for over-the-air TV, movie trailers, and access to the excellent Plexamp music player, among other features.

Other notable deals:

Got tech questions you'd like me to answer or thoughts on what to cover next? Just reply to this email to get in touch!

Until next week,

Jared