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

OneDrive is not always safe, and there are a lot of instances where the data on the cloud platform is compromised. The users must take care of all the security threats and data breaches to avoid mishaps on the platform. But they can certainly do one thing: have a backup of OneDrive data in case of emergencies. The article discusses the reasons and a method to back up data using a professional tool like EaseUS Todo Backup to perform this process seamlessly.

The first question that pops up in your mind when someone talks about Onedrive backup is, "Isn't OneDrive used for cloud storage backup, and why do I need to Backup OneDrive?".

The answer is YES. You definitely need a backup for OneDrive, and that is because the files on OneDrive are never safe due to a lot of security threats from different sources. In this article, we will discuss why you need to back up OneDrive and how we can do this to recover the data in uncertain situations.

Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage platform by Microsoft, launched in August 2007. It allows users to store, share and synchronize files on the cloud. OneDrive offers 5GB of free storage with subsequent storage of 50 GB, 1 TB, and 5 TB options on subscriptions. It is widely used by many business and corporate firms to share and manage files seamlessly.

But in recent times, along with the advancements, there have been a lot of security threats like phishing and malware attacks, even on the most secure systems and algorithms. The increased chances of files and data on OneDrive getting corrupted, infected with malware, deleted, or overwritten only calls for data backup when the account gets compromised.

In the next sections, we will discuss the need to back up the OneDrive files and how to back up the files efficiently.

[Why] It Is Necessary to Backup OneDrive Files

To understand why you need to back up OneDrive, you need to understand how Microsoft OneDrive actually works. All the Office 365 apps, OneDrive Included, operate as a SaaS service. Software as a Service, shorted as SaaS, is a shared responsibility model where the company is only concerned with providing you the software, which is the infrastructure, application, interface, etc. The users are solely responsible for the data security and information regulations depending on the regulations of your corporate or business entity. 

• Security Threats

A registered user can simultaneously sync any work done using the account using the automatic sync options on OneDrive. Even if you are doing the work offline, all the data is backed up as soon as you are connected to an internet connection, allowing you to access it from multiple devices. This also means if there is a breach, the shared OneDrive account, and all connected devices are also at risk with external software(Malware and Viruses).

This could be a serious issue if the ransomware attack is on the organization, compromising sensitive information. The risk potentially increases if your company uses a BYOD ( Bring your Own Device) Model or follows a remote working scenario with shared cloud services.

• Data Privacy Regulations

Data privacy is a major thing for many large organizations. Any person or entity not in compliance with the data regulations of the company or the government can be subjected to legal troubles. The regulations also include what type of data will be stored, the source of data collection, and the duration the company will be holding the data. 

But OneDrive does not offer any features to comply with the necessary regulations of the company, and it is up to the users to deal with all of these. So, it is not only your or the organization's responsibility to secure the data but also backup the information to avoid legal allegations in cases of emergency.

• Business Continuity Plans

Many organizations depend on Microoft 365 services to cater to many employees. That directly or indirectly leads to the overall dependency of all the data on cloud services. In cases of emergency or data breaches, a company with excellent business continuity plans can withstand market pressure. For that to happen, they need to safeguard all the information in the form of backup to quickly get on their feet and get back to operations as normal.

• Incorporation of Big Data Analytics 

Data is the new oil, and companies are investing a lot of amounts to analyze the business's past and present data to predict the future to formulate plans. The tool must handle large chunks of data to get future business insights. For this, it is crucial to have a OneDrive backup to protect the company from potential data losses due to data processing.

• Old data retrieval

Whenever an employee leaves the organization, the company terminates and deletes the data associated with that user. The data includes files, information, and accounts only that person can access. Anyhow, this helps the organization to get rid of redundant data to save space, which comes in handy for IT companies in terms of cost savings. But if there are any instances where the data from that employee is requested, it is now impossible to get hold of them until or unless his OneDrive data is backed up.

• Accidental Deletion

Human Mistakes are inevitable, and there are a lot of instances where human errors are responsible for the accidental deletion of data. And the OneDrive backup comes in handy in such cases to retrieve important data. You can recover the data for a certain period of time (90 days), but after the time period elapses, the data is completely lost. There are also situations when people delete bulk data and may accidentally remove some important files that are not meant for deletion. You can encounter cases like this but cannot reverse the action if the essential data is lost. 

These are just some issues or cases, but you may encounter numerous issues over time. Suppose you are serious about your data security and Microsoft 365 services and the downsides of it. In that case, having the OneDrive backup of all your data is viable to access if deemed necessary. 

[How-to] How to Back Up OneDrive Files

Well, now you may have learned the scenarios compromising the OneDrive Backup and need a tool to go through this process. So, to back up the OneDrive files saved in the local folder, you can use the EaseUS Todo Backup. 

EaseUS Todo Backup is a professional Windows backup software tool for efficient and secure data backup. It offers file/folder, disk/partition, APP data, and many more backup services. It can also be used to create a system image. Along with these, the services also include cloning with a bootable disk creator. The best tool for backup services with an easy-to-use interface, even novice users can perform the whole process using the user guide in no time.  

Key features of EaseUS Todo Backup:

• Award-Winning Automatic backup solutions for all situations.
• Reliable system/disk cloning software for upgrades, backups, and disk duplications.
• Efficient and secure backup for disks, systems, and files.
• Intelligent backup to backup a section of hard disks.
• Offers multi-path and cloud storage up to 250GB with the basic plan.

EaseUS Todo Backup offers exclusive solutions to back up and restores large amounts of data in three simple steps. You must locate the OneDrive files in the local folder (i.e., C://Users//OneDrive), scan the folder, and click on backup to complete the process.

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The Final Verdict

The thing is, backing up the files that are already on the cloud may be a bit weird, and you may be wondering do I need to back up OneDrive, then the definite answer is yes. Though OneDrive offers many security parameters to protect the data, there are always chances of breaches. So, it is ideal for backing up OneDrive, especially if you are part of a big corporate organization. And you would definitely need a much better and more secure tool to back up the cloud data. For that, you can use a professional tool like EaseUS Todo Backup to complete this in a simple way.

If you find this article helpful, share it with your friends and leave a comment about it. If you have any queries regarding the topic, feel free to ask them in the comment box, and do let me know of the future issues you wish to see articles from EaseUS.

OneDrive Backup FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions on the topic. If you have similar queries hope this will help you.

1. Does OneDrive backup automatically?

Yes, you can set up your important folders to backup automatically on the OneDrive services. All you have to do is set up the PC folder backup using the sync and backup options, and then the folder will automatically backup and sync the files onto the desktop.

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

The best way is to set up OneDrive PC folder backup on OneDrive. This will automatically backup and sync the files onto the desktop. But there are certain limitations, like not using special characters as names, no external hard drive backups, etc.

3. How often does Microsoft back up OneDrive?

A backup for data on OneDrive is created every 12 hours, and Microsoft also keeps a 14-day backup for all your Office 365 apps data.