Setting up a backup: OneDrive, Google Drive or iCloud — which is best?

Hard drives can fail. Laptops can be stolen. Files can be accidentally deleted. Without a backup, everything is gone. Fortunately, automatic cloud backup is now free (up to a point) and quick to set up.

OneDrive, Google Drive or iCloud — what’s the difference?

	OneDrive	Google Drive	iCloud
Free storage	5 GB	15 GB	5 GB
Paid (100 GB)	€2/month	€2.79/month	€0.99/month
Best for	Windows users	Android/Chrome users	iPhone/Mac users
Built into	Windows 11	Google Workspace	Apple devices

Bottom line: use what fits your devices. Windows user? OneDrive. Google ecosystem? Drive. iPhone and Mac? iCloud.

Setting up OneDrive on Windows

OneDrive is built into Windows 10 and 11.

1. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar (bottom right). If you don’t see it, search “OneDrive” from the Start menu.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
3. Choose which folders to sync — at minimum pick Documents, Pictures, and Desktop.
4. OneDrive will automatically sync those folders to the cloud.

For more control, go to OneDrive Settings > Backup and enable backup for Desktop, Documents and Pictures.

Setting up Google Drive on Windows or Mac

1. Download Google Drive for desktop at drive.google.com.
2. Install the app and sign in with your Google account.
3. Under My Computer, add the folders you want to back up.
4. Choose whether to sync files (available offline too) or mirror them to the cloud only.

On your phone: Google Photos automatically backs up your photos when you enable it in the app settings.

Setting up iCloud on Mac or iPhone

Mac:

1. Go to System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
2. Enable iCloud Drive and check Documents and Desktop.
3. Files in those folders will sync automatically.

iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
2. Turn on Back Up This iPhone.
3. Tap Back Up Now to create a backup immediately.

The golden rule: the 3-2-1 backup strategy

Want to be truly safe?

• 3 copies of your files
• On 2 different types of media (e.g. cloud + external drive)
• With 1 stored in a different location (the cloud counts as an off-site location)

For home users, a good cloud backup is already a huge improvement. For businesses, adding an external drive as a second layer is strongly recommended.

How much storage do you need?

Check how large your Documents folder is first: right-click it and choose Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac). Then match your subscription to that size. 100 GB is plenty for most home users.

Setting up a backup takes twenty minutes. Not having one can cost you years of work.

Need help? DeskCare can help remotely via computer help — including backup and cloud setup.