How do you back up a computer?

A computer backup is a second copy of your data that you store separately from the original. That includes family photos and videos, documents, emails, contacts, apps and even the operating system that powers your computer. If the originals are located on your laptop or a mobile device, you keep the backup somewhere else that’s safe — that way, you can use the second copy to restore your files or system if something happens to the original. To ensure all of this data is accurately copied so you can use it to recover your computer, backup software is a must. A solution like Acronis True Image automatically captures changes to everything, including hidden files that can be missed by manually copying files, and makes the process of recovery easy and efficient.

How do you back up a computer to an external hard drive?

With Acronis True Image (formerly Cyber Protect Home Office), creating a full image backup on an external hard drive is as easy as two clicks. Once the drive is connected and Acronis True Image (formerly Cyber Protect Home Office) is running, click Add backup . The entire computer is the default backup source, so you simply need to assign the external drive as the backup destination and then click Back up now .

What does it mean to back up a computer to the cloud?

Computer backups need to be stored someplace safe. Acronis recommends the 3-2-1 backup rule, which includes storing three copies of your data on at least two different types of media (such as external hard drives, network drives, and NAS devices) and keeping one copy off-site. That way, if a fire or flood damages both your original files and the local backup, the off-site copy is available to use for recovery. "The cloud" is a term that describes a remote network of computers and servers that you access via the internet. The cloud is a convenient way to store your files off-site, where they are safe from local damage. Subscriptions to the Advanced and Premium editions of Acronis True Image (formerly Cyber Protect Home Office) include cloud storage, as well as cloud-based features and "anywhere access" to your data. With Acronis True Image, you also have the ability to automatically replicate local backups in the Acronis Cloud, so you always have an off-site copy of your data available without having to manage a separate backup plan. By choosing this option, after the first successful backup, your backup and replication will be done simultaneously.

What is Acronis anti-malware protection?

Acronis' advanced anti-malware gives you peace of mind by delivering outstanding multilayered threat protection. It uses a set of integrated technologies that address specific attack vectors: Superb protection against known and unknown malware, including ransomware, cryptojackers, and fileless attacks. Behavioral analysis and dynamic detection rules that combat any emerging threats. On-demand antivirus scan that checks all files on your computer for any kind of malware: Trojans, viruses, backdoors, worms, keyloggers, spyware and others. Acronis continuously safeguards your device and backups from the latest cyberthreats.

Do I need Acronis anti-malware protection if I already have specialized antivirus, anti-malware, firewall, or other security software?

Yes. Acronis anti-malware uses a set of integrated technologies that deliver data protection capabilities many third-party antiviruses don't. It keeps your backup safe. A dedicated module of Acronis anti-malware protection guards your backup files and the backup agent, preventing deletion or alteration by malware. It restores ransomware-affected files automatically. The majority of other security software only prevents the attack, without automatically recovering the ciphered data.

Is Acronis' anti-malware protection compatible with other anti-malware solutions?

We are aware that you may have specialized antivirus, web filtering, or other security software installed on your device. Although we recommend uninstalling the third-party software and fully relying on Acronis' anti-malware solution, you can still keep it active. Acronis' anti-malware protection is compatible with most common anti-malware solutions. They do not conflict with each other for resources and do not create extra overhead on the system. However, our real-time protection switches on only if there is no third-party real-time protection solution running on your device. If third-party software is detected, you'll receive a message on your protection dashboard notifying you that another piece of software is protecting you from malicious files. Note: If you continue using an existing third-party solution for device protection rather than Acronis' anti-malware, we cannot guarantee the reliability of that third-party protection.

#1 Personal Backup Software – Acronis True Image (formerly Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office)

Name: True Image
Price: 49.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (62 reviews)

Industry recognition

Acronis True Image excels in AV-TEST certification: Unmatched protection and usability. Learn more

The integration of anti-malware and backup enables more protection capabilities at an affordable price

Essentials

Advanced

Premium

Protects	Up to 5 PC/Macs and an unlimited number of mobile devices	Up to 5 PC/Macs and an unlimited number of mobile devices	Up to 5 PC/Macs and an unlimited number of mobile devices
Supported operating systems	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Licensing	1-year subscription	1-year subscription	1-year subscription
Reliable data protection: backup, cloning, and recovery
Full image backup
Active disk cloning
File and folder backup
Incremental and differential backups
Recover to similar or dissimilar hardware *
Disk and partition backup
All-in-one recovery drive (Acronis Survival Kit)
Backup scheduling
Cloud storage		50GB included	1TB included
Cloud storage upgrades		up to 500GB	up to 5TB
Microsoft 365 backup, including Outlook and OneDrive *
Local-to-cloud backups
Cloud restores
Cloud sync and share *
Automatic mobile backups
Integrated anti-malware and privacy features
Anti-ransomware and cryptojacking * protection
Vulnerability assessments
Videoconference app protection *
Real-time anti-malware protection	30-day free trial
Antivirus scans	30-day free trial
Web filtering *	30-day free trial
Quarantine and exclusions	30-day free trial
User-defined passwords
Identity Protection **
Electronic signatures (Acronis ASign)
Blockchain notarization (Acronis Notary)
Easy management
User-friendly cyber protection dashboard
Control backup-on-battery
Back up on preferred Wi-Fi
CPU load balancing	30-day free trial
Protection pause
Tray notification center
Remote data management
Tech support	Phone, email, and online chat	Phone, email, and online chat	Phone, email, and online chat
Updates	New product versions, features, and bug fixes	New product versions, features, and bug fixes	New product versions, features, and bug fixes
Price	From $49.99 per year	From $57.99 per year	From $124.99 per year

Acronis True Image Advanced

Carbonite Personal

Backblaze Personal

Time Machine

iDrive Personal

Google One

Type of software	Complete cyber protection	Cloud backup	Cloud backup	Local backup	Cloud backup	Cloud backup
Protects	1, 3 or 5 PCs/Macs and an unlimited number of mobile devices	1 PC/Mac	1 PC/Mac	1 Mac	1 account and an unlimited number of devices	5 accounts
Supported operating systems	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS	macOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Data protection: backup, cloning and recovery
File and folder backup
Image backup
Disk cloning
Cloud sync and share *
True continuous backup		Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited
Backup scheduling		Limited	Limited
Backup versioning		Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited
All-in-one recovery drive (Acronis Survival Kit)
Recover to similar or dissimilar hardware *
Cloud storage
Microsoft 365 backup, including Outlook.com and OneDrive
Mobile backups
Privacy features
Anti-ransomware and cryptojacking * protection
Vulnerability assessments
Videoconference app protection *
Real-time anti-malware protection
Antivirus scans
Web filtering *
Backups encrypted with user-defined passwords
Identity Protection **
Easy management
User-friendly cyber protection dashboard		Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited
Control backup-on-battery				Only for macOS
Back up on preferred Wi-Fi
Price	From $57.99 per year	From $56.99 per year	From $94.50 per year	–	From $99.50 per year	From $19.99 per year

* Windows only
** U.S. only

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Formerly Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Award-winning cyber protection solution

Over 5.5 million users rely on Acronis True Image every day

OPSWAT Anti-malware Platinum certification

100% Detection Rate, 0 False Alarms in Independent Test

All Awards

Supported platforms

Microsoft Windows

Windows 11 (all editions)
Windows 10 (all editions)
Windows 8+ (all editions)
Windows 7 SP1 (all editions)

Windows file systems

NTFS
Ext2/Ext3/Ext4
ReiserFS(3)
Linux SWAP
HFS+/HFSX
FAT16/32/exFAT

Apple macOS

macOS Sequoia 15
macOS Sonoma 14
macOS Ventura 13
macOS Monterey 12
macOS Big Sur 11

macOS file systems

APFS
HFS+
FAT32
NTFS (including Boot Camp)

Mobile operating systems

iOS 15 or later
Android 10 or later

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Environments

Physical

Endpoints

Cloud

Virtual

Applications

Mobile

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