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Introduction |
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When you archive digital photos, you’re saving the files for long-term storage—and protecting your memories from getting lost or damaged in case your computer crashes. Archiving also makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, so you can make prints or share your pictures anytime. Discover your options for archiving so you can decide which method works best for you. |
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Tips to get you started |
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Create a schedule for archiving your photos, like once a month or each time you transfer pictures from your camera.
Give files and folders descriptive names to make them easy to find. |
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Use these tips to help you begin—and continue—building your photo archive. No matter which storage method you use, the important thing is to be consistent with your archiving.
Timing
Archive your photos at the same time you transfer them from your camera. That way, you’ll have a copy on your computer or printer, plus another copy for safe-keeping. Or, take time at the end of each month to archive the pictures you’ve taken that month.
Create folders
To make it easier to locate your pictures, create folders each time you archive photos. Name and date your folder to help you remember the contents. For example: Mexico_August_09.
Keep up with technology
Once a year, check to make sure your backup method isn’t becoming archaic. If, for example, stores start phasing out CD media in the future, you’ll know it’s time to pick a new storage method and archive your photos in an updated way.
Think of it this way: If a person saved all their files on a floppy disc, it would be difficult to find a way to use those files now, because current computers aren’t made with floppy drives.
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Which method is right for you? |
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Different people choose different methods for archiving their digital photos. This chart will help you decide which option to select. Remember, you can always use more than one method. The more copies you have, the better protected you’ll be from losing your pictures.
Option 1
CDs and DVDs |
Option 2
Online storage |
Option 3
External hard drives |
| CDs and DVDs are best for people who … |
Online storage is best for people who … |
External hard drives are best for people who … |
- Want a low-cost solution
- Can keep CD and DVD media organized and protected from heat and dust
- Want to mail photo files to family and friends
- Want to archive photos more frequently
- Need a way to transport a large amount of photos to a retailer or kiosk for printing
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- Want a no-cost storage solution
- Are more likely to order photo prints than print at home
- Want an easy way to invite others to view photos online
- Are interested in using Snapfish’s easy online editing tools
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- Have a lot of photos to store or want to back up other data (such as documents and music files)
- Would like their digital photos to be portable
- Would like to transfer all the photos on their computer at one time
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Option 1: Burn photos to CD or DVD |
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Try HP CD and DVD media for an easy, reliable way to archive your digital photos.
A basic DVD holds 4.7GB of data, which translates to more than 15,000 high-quality pictures—about seven times the capacity of a CD. |
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Archiving photos on CDs and DVDs has its own set of advantages. Not only is the media affordable, but the discs are extremely compact so they won’t take up much space. When storing photos to CD or DVD, keep in mind:
- CDs and DVDs come in different capacities
An average CD holds up to 700MB and an average DVD holds 4.7GB of data, which translates to more than 15,000 high-quality pictures.
- It’s easy to drag and drop
Once you get the hang of the process, it’s easy to back up your photos onto CDs and DVDs. Just highlight the photos you want, and drag and drop them onto the CD/DVD icon on your desktop.
- Personalize discs with labels
You can add a personal touch to your CDs and DVDs by adding customized labels. Great for gifts, too!
See HP’s selection of CD and DVD media and learn more about archiving photos to DVD.
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Option 2: Store photos online |
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Snapfish lets you store and share your photos online—at no cost!
The HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One allows you to access Snapfish without the use of a PC. |
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If you want to store and share photos online, Snapfish has a simple, no-cost solution. With Snapfish, you can access your photos from anywhere with an Internet connection, plus:
- Unlimited storage—FREE!
Upload and share all the photos you want.
- Edit and order prints
Enhance your images and order prints using the tools at Snapfish.
- It’s private
Your albums will only be viewed by people you invite.
With the HP Photosmart Premium All-in-One, you can access Snapfish directly from your printer to upload photos to view, share and print.
Visit Snapfish.com now to set up your free online account.
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Option 3: Archive on an external hard drive |
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Some HP PCs have slots for pocket drives, making them a convenient way to store your images.
The HP 500GB Pocket Media Drive comes with its own carrying case for protection and portability. |
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There are a number of benefits to storing your digital photos on an external hard drive.
- Lifespan
Because external drives aren’t typically used as much as traditional computer hard drives, they last longer. So you can rely on this type of photo storage for many years to come.
- Automated
You can set up your computer to automatically back up certain files on your computer.
- Capacity
External hard drives can hold huge amounts of files. In fact, you could back up everything on your computer—not just your pictures—if you opt for a drive with a large capacity. The HP 500 GB Personal Media Drive can store about 85,000 images.
- Portability
You can connect an external drive to any computer, making it easy to share pictures when you visit friends and family. Look for a lightweight option like the HP 500 GB Pocket Media Drive.
HP storage solutions come in a variety of sizes and offer storage capacity up to 2TB (terabytes), which is roughly equal to that of 2000GB (gigabytes).
Learn more about archiving digital photos on an external drive.
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Learn more |
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| Now that you’ve discovered the different ways you can store your digital photos, take the time to explore each method a little more in-depth:
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Printable version
