Back up your creator files before you lose them.

1. Choose what would be hardest to replace

Make a small inventory of the work you need to recover: original media, editable project files, final exports, captions, and brand assets. Decide which files are essential and which can be recreated. Begin with one active project instead of postponing everything until you can organise your entire archive.

Keep sensitive business or identity records separate from the folder you share with collaborators. This is a workflow guide, not a recommendation to collect extra personal information or retain every file forever. Only store material you have the right to hold, and check the storage service’s rules for your intended use.

2. Find out whether you have sync or a recoverable copy

File synchronisation can reproduce changes in more than one location. Google specifically says that, when you mirror or stream files with Drive for desktop, putting a file in the trash also puts it in the trash elsewhere. Seeing the same folder on two devices therefore does not by itself establish protection against accidental deletion.

Ask three questions about your setup: what happens when I delete a file, which older versions can I recover, and how long are they retained? Check the exact product and settings you use. A folder called ‘Backup’ does not answer those questions.

Sources: [2]

3. Make a copy that is easy to identify

Use a predictable project folder and preserve the files your editor needs. A simple starting structure is 2026-09-project-name, with separate originals, project, and exports folders. Use version numbers for meaningful edits, so ‘final’ does not become a guessing game.

For Android-to-Windows transfer, Google documents connecting by USB, unlocking the phone, and choosing File Transfer from the USB notification. Use a cable that supports data transfer, copy the selected files into your chosen destination, and eject the device when finished. Export app-only project data separately if your editor requires it.

If you work entirely on a phone, check how your file manager or editing app exports to your independent storage destination. A shortcut or shared link is not a substitute for checking that the files themselves are there.

Sources: [3]

4. Protect the backup as well as the original

The NCSC advises keeping external backup storage somewhere secure and disconnecting it when not in use. It also suggests considering both online and physical backups, and protecting online backup accounts with two-step verification.

Choose destinations you control and understand. Review sharing access before adding private work, and keep recovery information somewhere you can reach if your main phone is lost. Confirm that any encryption or account-protection setup still lets you recover your own files.

Start with suitable spare storage you already own or an existing allowance that permits your use. Check space and policy limits before uploading. A new paid subscription can wait while you inventory the work and establish whether the current setup is sufficient.

Sources: [1]

5. Test recovery and write down the result

The NCSC recommends checking that your backup contains the important data and that you know how to restore it. For a practical first test, copy one backed-up project into a separate test folder without overwriting the original.

• Open a full-resolution image and play a video from the recovered files.
• Open the editing project and check that its required media is present.
• Record which files were copied, where they are, and when recovery was checked.

Set the next backup around the work you cannot afford to repeat—for example, after a substantial editing session. Periodically repeat the recovery check, especially after changing devices or software. Keep the original until you have verified the replacement copy and made a deliberate retention decision.

Sources: [1]