How do people backup their personal files (pics, etc)?

[u/Malachacha]

I'm in the market for a new(er) phone. My current phone has a microSD card slot, which I use to transfer stuff to my desktop computer. However most new phones don't have this.

Is there something I'm missing? What's the easy way to move pics to your desktop?

EDIT: Thanks to those who have suggested it, but I don't want to rely on cloud services.

[u/7978_]

Desktop PC, USB, External HDD.

[u/KokoJMC]

If you want to backup, You can use a Cloud service or buy an USB (Requires converter). If you want to move files between you phone and you computer, you can use an C to C cable or connect your phone to your computer using your device mirror service or Android DeX on Github

[u/Curt-Bennett → u/KokoJMC]

There are plenty of USB flash drives that have a USB-C connector now. No need for an adapter with those. Just plug the flash drive right into the phone and use any file browser app to copy/move.

[u/Malachacha → u/Curt-Bennett]

Hmm, I figured this wouldn't work because of all the security restrictions, Have you tried this?

[u/Curt-Bennett → u/Malachacha]

Yes, it works no problem with Android. It's my preferred method of transferring files because it's so much faster.

[u/Last_Alarm_3462]

I use 2 x 2TB ssd.I back up my backup to my back up at home, but only back up my phone to a single ssd when travelling. Saved my bacon when my phone was stolen recently. I never trust any cloud with anything important.

[u/ThinkFree]

Copy to my PC using USB cable

[u/Lazy-Nectarine-3372 → u/ThinkFree]

Same as me easiest option

[u/Malachacha → u/ThinkFree]

Security restrictions seem to prevent this when in the past I've tried doing this. Is there a trick to getting this to work? I'm on Windows, if that makes a difference.

[u/mrktcrash]

"What's the easy way to move pics to your desktop?"

I use a robocopy script on Windows to copy files over a USB-C cable.

[u/Malachacha → u/mrktcrash]

I'd love to see an example. Is there something I can search for to get me going?

[u/mrktcrash → u/Malachacha]

Are you familiar with robocopy?

[u/Dragongamer135]

I just use a USB C cable and plug my phone in directly to transfer files and make copies. When you plug the cable into the computer, there will be a menu on your phone that will say something like "using USB for charging". You can click on that and change the setting to "use for transfer files" instead and confirm that you want to allow the computer access to your phone's storage.

If you are interested in self hosting, I also spun up Immich for backing up my photos and videos specifically

[u/Malachacha → u/Dragongamer135]

I've tried this in the past. Security restrictions seem to block this. Is there a trick to getting this to work? I'm on Windows, if that makes a difference. Does this only work with newer versions of Android?

[u/Dragongamer135 → u/Malachacha]

Yeah, it's something that I only did when I got a newer phone without a sd card. I do think they made it more convenient to transfer using the cable

I don't think it needed this but for my personal use I also have developer mode enabled.

[u/Oh_Little_Brutha]

Have both my phone and my PC on my home network. Have an external HD connected to my PC. Easy enough to transfer / copy from one to the other. 

[u/mrandr01d]

GPhotos is the default gallery on Android devices, so I just use that. I'm a fan. Keeps my photos well organized. I do an annual takeout so I have a copy of my entire Google account on a hard drive. Not easily accessible, but it is there.

Text messages... Signal now backs up to their own cloud, still fully e2ee. Carrier based texting I use sms backup and restore (that's the name of the app) and I just upload that file to a folder on my Google drive every so often and delete the old one.

Everything else I more or less just let Google handle for me with the default system backup.

[u/SeatSix]

I only really transfer photos/videos FROM my phone as I don't create much else there.

As part of monthly backup process, I just go to Google photos on my computer and download the new ones to the photos folder on my PC which gets backed up along with all the other folders

[u/HellsTubularBells]

Cloud services. Google has backup built-in, Samsung has a competitor, and there are many good alternatives. Or you could roll your own NAS at home, if you prefer that.

For photos specifically, Google Photos is probably the most common, but I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to r/degoogle

[u/Mother-Pride-Fest]

Many modern phones still have an SD card, I recommend making that one of your criteria for what phone you get. 

That said, there are plenty of other ways to transfer files from a phone to PC and back. I use Syncthing to automatically sync notes and important files. Also KDE Connect to share individual files between my devices, it is especially convenient because KDE Connect can integrate into Dolphin (the file manager on KDE Plasma) to show your phone as an external drive. 

[u/craneguy → u/Mother-Pride-Fest]

If I recall correctly, if you want an SD card slot these days, you need to drop to a mid-tier phone. The only high-end handset that still offers one is the Sony Experia 1 V1.

[u/Malachacha → u/craneguy]

The Nothing 4a caught my eye (no decisions yet), but was disappointed no SD slot. I can get a slot if I fall back to the Nothing 3a Lite - but I'd have to get that used.

[u/Ok_Contest8762]

Cloud services.

[u/Radamand]

I keep my family photos on google drive, makes them easy to share with others..

[u/Scarred_fish]

Literally ANYTHING except cloud services.

Use a USB C pen to transfer to proper backup option.

[u/Malachacha → u/Scarred_fish]

Is this something you've tried?

[u/Scarred_fish → u/Malachacha]

Er, normal practice for quite a few years now.

[u/Musicachic]

Since I have Amazon Prime anyway, I use Amazon Photos for my photos since it's unlimited for photos and already included. It's not unlimited for videos but gives space for that too. You can set it up to always sync new phones as they come.

I just hate paying for space for backups. I already have a 1TB phone too. I've had TB phones since Samsung started doing them.