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How should I back up splash pad photos?
Quick answer
Use automatic cloud backup — iCloud Photos, Google Photos, Amazon Photos (free unlimited for Prime). Add a second backup to an external SSD or NAS. Don't rely on phone storage alone. For sensitive kid photos, choose a service with strong encryption like Apple Advanced Data Protection.
Phone storage fails, gets stolen, and runs out fast. A two-tier backup strategy keeps memories safe. Tier one: automatic cloud backup. iCloud Photos, Google Photos, and OneDrive sync continuously. Amazon Photos is free unlimited for Prime members and is underrated. Tier two: a local copy on an external SSD ($60-100 for 1TB Samsung T7) or a NAS like Synology DS220+ for whole-family sharing. Run monthly exports from cloud to local. For privacy, enable Apple's Advanced Data Protection (E2EE) or Google Photos' 'Locked Folder.' Don't post-and-delete from the phone — keep originals. Use albums or shared albums to organize by year, month, or event. Take a few minutes monthly to delete duds and label kid milestones. For grandparents, set up a shared family album. For long-term archival, print yearly photo books — physical copies survive when cloud accounts get locked.