When Apple released Time Machine, they introduced a dead-simple way to backup your Mac. Just plug in an external hard drive, and let it do the rest. While it’s a great solution, I still have to remember to get my hard drive out on a regular basis, hook it up, and let it do its thing. In the Time Machine settings menu, click the “select backup disk” button. Select your external drive from the menu, then click “use disk” to confirm it as your Time Machine backup drive. The drive uses USB 3.0 technology for quick read and write speeds, and the USB-C connector offers effortless plug-in options while boosting transfer rates. Abundant storage space for all types of media and applications. The backup software lets you automatically save works in progress at your preferred intervals.
Creating a backup of the external drive helps in using the content to restore a computer or laptop with ease. Additionally, its usefulness in copying essential files from the backup makes it worth every penny. A better way to carry out is by using backup software for external hard drive.
Any individual can backup external hard drives using the backup tool. These have the ability and the options to create a backup of a hard disk in a few simple steps. The following six are the best external hard drive backup software for the year 2020:
The Six Best External Hard Drive Backup Software for 2020
1.iBeesoft DBackup
Your Best Backup Software to External Hard Drive
It provides 3 backup modes (File backup, Drive backup, System backup) and sets up a plan to help you automatically back up files from external hard drives, built-in disks, and more.
the best backup software for external hard drive can also be clone HDD to SSD, USB drive, external hard drive, etc.
Fully compatible backup external hard drive under Windows 10/7/8/XP/Vista and server.
It is an efficient software for creating a backup of the content from a hard drive, partitions, and the entire operating system. The best backup external drive software provides the chance to create image files of the backup with schedule and the flexibility to choose an incremental or differential backup. The software is fast and secure. It is a powerful all-in-one backup program that also has a cloning feature. Therefore, users can choose to clone drives or partitions and migrate with ease.
iBeesoft DBackup leads the race of external hard drive backup software. The program gives the chance to clone the entire system, hard drive, partition/partitions, USB cloning, memory cards, and other devices. With the content readily available as a backup, restoring a hard drive to the previous state is no longer a tedious process.
Disadvantages:
Free trial only for a few days
Compatibility can be an issue for a few users
2. Acronis True Image
Acronis True Image promises a full-featured backup solution. best backup software for external hard drive promises to send the backup to both a local drive and cloud storage at the same time. It is also capable of cloning and mirroring images for the system’s hard drive, partitions, and only the operating system.
Acronis True Image also has anti-ransomware that detects and reverses the unauthorized encryption of the disk. The external hard drive backup software also helps in creating a smartphone backup. The license does not include a storage solution. However, users can pay an additional fee to get a cloud storage space.
Advantages:
Backup to a local drive and cloud storage at the same time
Supports drive cloning
Anti-ransomware protection
Disadvantages:
Expensive
Does not include cloud storage
Increases boot time
3. EaseUS ToDo Backup
EaseUS ToDo Backup is in the backup field for a long time. The software offers solutions for both personal and business entities. Installation is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems. The backup software to external hard drive can handle up to 16TB of data that includes incremental or differential. Additional options include coping hardware RAID and multiple partitions. It further supports cloud backups.
Advantages:
Affordable pricing
Advanced feature set
Available for both Windows and Mac operating systems
Disadvantages:
Does not come with cloud storage
Does not have anti-ransomware
4. Paragon Backup & Recover Advanced
Paragon Backup & Recover Advanced gives a flexible solution for people seeking simple backup answers. The backup wizard offers guidance in creating the needed backup of the content with ease. It also shows what content it is creating as backup and where it is storing. It covers all the crucial backup processes and can create complex routines. It even creates automatic backups.
The standout feature of the external hard drive backup software is the WinPE recovery media. It comes to the rescue when the PC refuses to boot. With the help of USB, users can fix the issue and restore a system.
Advantages:
USB recovery media
Affordable cost
Easy to use
Disadvantages:
Absence of cloud storage
Less support
5. NovaBackup PC
NovaBackup PC is available as a subscription and ideal for making copies of a computer’s hard disk to an external media. It is the right choice for those who are modest users. However, it does not reach to the standard when it comes to interface, support for platforms, and advanced tasks. Although it is expensive, it offers service to backup PC to OneDrive and Dropbox.
The primary feature of the software for backup to external hard drive is the security it offers. The tool runs locally on the computer to send the data without connecting to the internet. Download unetbootin for mac. Furthermore, it is possible to encrypt the data with 256-bit AES encryption.
Advantages:
High security
Includes video tutorials
Disadvantages:
Expensive
Subscription only
No anti-ransomware
6. Genie Timeline Home 10
The software promises effortless backup PC to an external hard drive in Windows 10 Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows XP. It is possible to configure the same in three steps. The trial version is available for Windows XP and higher. It focuses on the traditional backup – creating the backup file to a media drive. The developer is offering additional solutions according to the need. For instance, users can opt for Android and cloud backup needs.
The notable features include the choice to create a backup at full speed using the Turbo mode or run in the Smart Mode, which adjusts according to the available resources of the system.
Advantages:
Mindful of system resources
Game/movie modes
Disadvantages:
Lacks cloud storage
Does not support Android
Step-by-Step Guide to Use Best Software to Backup External Hard Drive
iBeesoft DBackup is the best external hard drive backup software for the external hard drive. Users can download the trial version from the website and follow the steps to create a backup file.
Step 1: Start the program by clicking the icon. From the window, choose the 'File Backup' option to backup files from external hard drive.
Step 2: From the new screen, opt for the folders that require a backup. One can use the tree form to browse the contents of the system and mark multiple folders or files. After the selection is complete, clicking the 'Start' button begins the external hard drive backup process. It compresses and creates an image file.
Step 3: When the backup is complete, the best backup external hard drive software will show the following screen.
Note: It is possible to edit the backup settings. In general, users can choose between full backup, incremental backup, and differential backup. Depending on the requirement, one can make the necessary change before starting the external hard drive backup and proceed with the step.
Best Automatic Backup Hard Drive
How to Backup MacBook Air/Pro/iMac to External Hard Drive with Time Machine
Time Machine is a built-in tool on Mac, which works with internal and external disk drives to backup and restore data for macOS. It's one of the easiest way to save your Mac data to SSD or HDD, including mac apps, media files, DVD backup, documents and other. Follow Mac backup steps with Time Machine below. You have to format your new external hard drive for Mac before backup.
Backup Entire Computer To External Hard Drive
Step 1: Connect external hard drive to Mac via USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt or so, and a message will pop up, asking whether you want to use the drive to back up with Time Machine. Click 'Use as Backup Disk'. You can check the box 'Encrypt Backup Disk' and enter password to encrypt the portable hard drive.
How To Backup Computer To External Drive
Your external hard drive should at least be the same size as your Mac's internal drive. Check out our list of best external hard drive for Mac.
If you don't see this message, click Apple menu > System Preferences and select Time Machine, click 'Select Backup Disk' and select the external hard drive for Mac backup on the list, and click Use Disk.
You external hard drive should be formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If you formatted it as Windows format other improper formats, you have to erase and reformat the external hard drive with Disk Utility. If so, back up your current data on the external storage device as reformatting will erase all the data.
Time Machine will use up all the storage on the external hard drive. If you don't want the backup take up all the space on the drive and need to store other data on this drive, follow to partition external hard drive on Mac with Time Machine.
Step 2: Check the box 'Back Up Automatically' and Time Machine will auto backup your Mac computer. Time Machine keeps hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month or weekly backups for all previous months, and the oldest backups will be deleted when the external hard drive has no free space. Learn how to free up disk space on Mac.
Backup To External Hard Drive
Click Time Machine menu, you can start your Mac data backup now without waiting for auto backup.
Turn off Time Machine to stop backing up, or deselect Backup Automatically under Time Machine preferences on macOS Sierra to disable Time Machine. You can select Skip This Backup to cancel backup procedure.
Go to TimeMachine preferences under the Time Machine menu, click Options, '+' icon and select any item you want to exclude from this backup.