The simple way to make sure you never lose your phone photos

Most people think their pictures are backed up. Many aren't. A ten-minute check that could save years of memories.

Ask most people whether their phone photos are backed up and they'll say yes. Ask them to check, and a surprising number discover the backup stopped months ago because their cloud storage filled up, or that it was never switched on at all. Losing or breaking a phone is stressful enough without losing years of pictures with it.

Here's a quick way to check where you stand, and to set up a backup that keeps working.

Step 1: Check what your phone is actually doing

On an iPhone: open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then Photos. Check that syncing is switched on, then look at how much iCloud storage you're using. The free allowance is small, and once it's full, backups quietly stop.

On Android: open the Google Photos app and tap your profile picture. It should say "Backup complete". If it says backup is paused or off, tap through to see why. As with iCloud, the free Google storage is shared with Gmail and Drive and fills up faster than people expect.

Step 2: Decide whether you need more cloud storage

For most people, paying a small monthly amount for extra cloud storage is the simplest and most reliable option. Photos are backed up automatically whenever you're on Wi-Fi, and if you lose your phone, everything comes back when you sign in on a new one.

Before you pay, it's worth having a clear-out. Delete duplicates, blurry shots, screenshots you no longer need and long videos you'll never watch again. Both iPhone and Google Photos have tools that help you find large files and duplicates.

Step 3: Keep a second copy somewhere else

Professionals follow the "3-2-1" rule: three copies of anything important, on two different types of storage, with one kept somewhere other than your home. You don't have to be that thorough, but a second copy that isn't on the cloud is sensible. Options include:

• A computer: copy your photo library over every few months.
• An external hard drive or SSD: inexpensive and can store tens of thousands of photos. Keep it somewhere safe.
• A photo backup device: some small gadgets plug into your phone's charging port and copy photos automatically while it charges - handy for people who don't want to use the cloud.

Step 4: Understand "sync" versus "backup"

Many cloud services sync rather than back up. That means if you delete a photo from your phone, it's deleted from the cloud too (usually after a 30-day "recently deleted" period). Sync is convenient, but it won't protect you from deleting something by accident. A separate copy on a drive or computer will.

Step 5: Set a reminder

Put a reminder in your calendar every three months to check two things: that your cloud backup still says it's up to date, and to refresh your second copy. It takes ten minutes, and it's the difference between thinking your photos are safe and knowing they are.

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