Do I Need to Backup OneDrive? [Why & How-to Guide]

When someone mentions OneDrive backup, the first question that pops into your head might be, “Isn't OneDrive for cloud storage backup? Why do I need to back up OneDrive?”

The answer is Yes. You should definitely backup OneDrive because the files on it are always at risk due to security threats from various sources. In this article, we'll discuss why you need to back up OneDrive, and how to do that in case you need to restore your data.

Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage service offered by Microsoft, which was launched in August 2007. It enables users to store, share, and synchronize files online. OneDrive offers users 5 GB of free storage space, with options to subscribe for additional storage of 50 GB, 1 TB, or 5 TB. It is widely used by businesses and corporations for seamless file sharing and management.

However, with the development of technology in recent years, many security threats have emerged, such as phishing and malware attacks, that can compromise even the safest systems and algorithms. Files and data on OneDrive are more likely to become corrupted, infected with malware, deleted, or overwritten, necessitating backup in case of an account breach.

In the following sections, we'll discuss the need to back up OneDrive and how to efficiently create a backup of your files.

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[Why] Backup OneDrive Files?

To understand why you need to back up OneDrive, you first need to know how Microsoft OneDrive actually works. All Office 365 apps, including OneDrive, run as a SaaS service. SaaS stands for Software as a Service, which is a shared responsibility model where the company only provides the software – the infrastructure, the app, the interface, and so on. You, the user, are fully responsible for data security and compliance with information regulations, depending on the requirements of your organization or business entity.

• Security Threats

Registered users can also use OneDrive's automatic sync option to synchronize all work done with the account. This means that, even if you are working offline, all data is instantly backed up once you connect to the internet, allowing you to access it from multiple devices. It also means that a breach of a shared OneDrive account exposes all connected devices to the risk of external software (malware and viruses).

When the target is an organization, and sensitive information is at stake, the problem can become serious. If your company has a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy or relies on shared cloud services for remote work, the risks are even greater.

• Data Privacy Regulations

Data privacy is serious business for many large institutions, with lawsuits awaiting those who fail to comply with corporate or government regulations governing what information can be collected, how it is gathered, and how long it can be retained.

Yet OneDrive for Business does not provide any of these features out of the box, so all of this must be bolted on. Thus, the responsibility for protecting data and avoiding legal disputes in case of emergency is not just yours or your organization's; it also requires that you back up your information.

• Business Continuity Plan

Many organizations rely on Microsoft 365 services to cater to their employees' needs, which contributes directly or indirectly to the overall dependency on cloud services for all data. In times of emergencies or data breaches, companies with great business continuity plans can withstand market pressures. To do so, they need to have all information protected in the form of backups to facilitate quick recovery and return to normal operations.

• Integration of Big Data Analytics

Data is the new oil, and companies are investing heavily in analyzing their past and present data to predict the future and make plans. To gain insights into the future of business, tools must process vast amounts of data. Thus, having a OneDrive backup is crucial to protect companies from data loss that data processing might entail.

• Retrieval of Old Data

When an employee leaves an organization, the company terminates and deletes all data associated with that user, including files, information, and accounts to which only that person had access. This helps organizations shed redundant data to save space – a useful cost-saving measure for IT companies. But, if any of that employee's data is needed later on, it is now inaccessible, unless the company has backed up that person's OneDrive data.

• Accidental deletion

Human error is inevitable, and often, it results in accidental deletion of data. In such cases, OneDrive backup comes into play and helps you restore crucial data. You can recover data within a certain time frame (90 days), but after that, it's permanently lost. There are also instances when people delete data in bulk and accidentally remove important files that weren't supposed to be deleted. You might find yourself in such situations, but without a way to undo the action if you lose critical data.

These are just some scenarios or issues, but over time you might encounter many others. If data security and the potential risks concerning Microsoft 365 services are a significant concern for you, it's wise to back up all your data on OneDrive so you can access it when needed.

[How-to] Backup OneDrive Files

Well, now that you're aware of the issues that can occur while backing up OneDrive with the built-in feature and need a tool to get the job done, you can use the Todo Backup tool to backup your OneDrive files saved in a local folder.

Tools Todo Backup is a professional Windows backup software that offers efficient and secure data backup. It supports various backup services, including files/folders, disks/partitions, and application data. Additionally, it enables you to create a system image. Furthermore, the service includes cloning with a bootable USB drive creation tool. The backup utility features a user-friendly interface, allowing even beginners to complete the entire backup process quickly through the user guide.

Main features of Todo Backup include:

• Award-winning automatic backup solution for all scenarios.
• Reliable system/disk cloning software for upgrades, backups, and disk duplication.
• Efficient and secure backup of disks, systems, and files.
• Smart backup that can back up specific areas of your hard drive.
• Basic plan includes multi-path support and up to 250GB of cloud storage.

With Todo Backup, you can get a unique solution to back up and restore a large amount of data in three simple steps. You need to find the OneDrive folder in your local folder (for example, C://Users//OneDrive), scan the folder, and click Backup to finish the process.

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Final Award

The thing is, backing up files that are already in the cloud may seem weird, and you might be wondering, do I need to backup OneDrive? The answer is yes. Although OneDrive provides many safety parameters to protect your data, leaks can still occur. Thus, backing up OneDrive is ideal, especially if you are a part of a big company. And you will surely need a better and safer tool to back up cloud data. For this, you can use professional tools like Todo Backup to perform this operation in a simple way.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and leave your comments. If you have questions about the topic, please ask in the comments section, and let me know what future topics you would like to see covered on Tools of the Future.

Frequently asked questions about OneDrive backup

Here are some common questions on this topic. If you have a similar query, hopefully, this will be helpful to you.

Does OneDrive automatically back up?

Yes, you can set up important folders to be automatically backed up on the OneDrive service. You just need to use the Sync and Backup options to set up folder backup for your PC, and then the folder will be automatically backed up and synced to your desktop.

2. What is the best way to back up OneDrive?

The easiest way is to set up PC folder backup on OneDrive, which automatically backs up files on your desktop. There are some limitations, though, like the inability to use special characters in file names and no support for external hard drive backups.

How often does Microsoft back up OneDrive?

Data stored in OneDrive is backed up every 12 hours, and Microsoft keeps a 14-day backup of all your Office 365 apps.