Print to PDF
Turns a page, email or document into a single file with its layout intact. Handy for receipts, certificates and instructions from the web.
Tools
Tools
Looking after your data rarely calls for special software. Almost everything you need is already built into the system, the browser and the services you use every day; you just need to know where to look and how to use it.
The most reliable tool is the one you actually use on a schedule.
How this section works: we describe types of built-in features, not specific products. Setting names vary from system to system, so search by meaning: 'print', 'versions', 'export', 'disk'.
What you already have
Six features worth finding on your own devices.
Version history
Many editors and cloud folders keep earlier versions of a file. That saves the day if you accidentally deleted a paragraph or saved over something you needed.
Account data export
Email, photos, contacts and calendars can often be downloaded as a single archive. Look in the settings for sections on data and privacy.
Disk check
The system's built-in utility checks the file system and shows signs of wear on the drive. Worrying warnings are a reason to refresh your backup right away.
System backup
Most systems have a standard way to copy user folders to an external drive on a regular basis. Set it up once and check the results.
Finding duplicates and sorting
A file manager can sort by date and size, which is the first step towards spotting duplicates and putting things in order.
How to keep tools from becoming a trap
- Version history is usually kept for a limited time, so it is no substitute for a separate backup.
- Unpack an archive exported from an account straight away and check it: attachments or albums are sometimes missing.
- Print to PDF keeps the look of a page but does not always carry over links and hidden blocks, so check the result with your own eyes.
- Run a disk check after you have refreshed your backup, not instead of doing so.
Further reading
- Guides
Practical guides: how to save an important web page, build a personal archive and move photos off old media. The article catalogue is here too.
- Comparisons
Cloud or external drive, PDF or original format, USB stick or hard drive for long-term storage: the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
- Problems
A file won't open, a drive isn't detected, a format is obsolete, a backup won't restore, a link is dead: a calm order of checks.
- Security
Encrypting backups, account access and inheritance, and handling other people's data and photos with care.
- Glossary
Digital storage terms in plain language: archives and copies, formats and media, addresses and links.
Sources
- ISO 19005 (PDF/A)
- General data backup recommendations
Facts about system support periods, file format standards and web archives were checked against the organisations' published information at the time of writing. Menu items in your own software and devices may be named differently from the general descriptions used here.