How to Back Up Your Own YouTube, TikTok and Phone Videos
Videos you made yourself are often the ones you cannot replace: family moments, a business channel, a project you spent weeks on. Accounts get locked, phones break, and platforms change their rules. A backup means your work is safe whatever happens.
This guide explains a simple backup plan and how to save your own videos from your phone and from the main social platforms.
Why you should not rely on a single copy
- A platform account can be locked, hacked or closed by mistake.
- Platforms often compress uploads, so the online version may be lower quality than your original.
- Phones can be lost, stolen or damaged.
- Storage fills up, and people delete the originals after uploading.
Keeping the original file and at least one extra copy solves all of these problems.
The 3-2-1 backup rule
A well-known rule keeps things simple:
- 3 copies of your important files (the original and two backups).
- 2 different types of storage, such as your computer and an external drive.
- 1 copy in a different place, such as cloud storage or a drive kept away from home.
You do not have to be perfect. Even two copies on two different devices is much safer than one.
Back up videos from your phone
- Turn on automatic backup in your phone's photo app, if you are happy to use cloud storage.
- Now and then, connect your phone to a computer and copy the videos to a folder.
- Copy that folder to an external drive.
- Open a few files from the backup to make sure they play correctly.
Videos can be large, so see our guide on how to reduce video file size if storage is short.
Save your own videos from social platforms
Most platforms let you export your own content. The menus change from time to time, so check the current settings if a name looks different.
| Platform | How to get your own videos |
|---|---|
| YouTube | In YouTube Studio, open your content list, choose a video and use the download option. Google Takeout can export your channel data. |
| TikTok | Save your own videos from the share menu, or request your data in the account settings. |
| Use the download your information option in the account settings, or save your own Reels from the app. | |
| Use the download your information option in the settings to export your videos and posts. |
For a public link to a video that you own, you can also save a copy with the Any Video Downloader. Use it only for your own content, or content you have permission to save. See our Copyright Policy.
Keep your backups organised
- Use clear folders, for example by year and event or project.
- Name files with a date and a short description.
- Keep the original and any edited version, and label them.
- Check your backups every few months, and replace old drives before they fail.
- Store the format you can open in the future. MP4 is the safest choice, and our guide to video formats explains why.
Where to find your backed-up files later
If you cannot find a file you saved, read our guide on where downloaded videos go. It shows how to locate files on each device.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest way to back up videos?
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies, on two types of storage, with one copy stored in another place, such as the cloud.
Is cloud storage enough on its own?
It is a good start, but it is better to keep another copy on a drive you control, in case an account is locked or closed.
Do I lose quality when I download my own video from a platform?
The version online is usually compressed, so it can be lower quality than your original. That is why you should always keep the original file.
How often should I back up?
After each important shoot or project is a good habit, and at least once every few months for everyday videos.
Can I back up someone else's videos?
Only with their permission. Videos made by others are protected by copyright.
Only save videos, audio and images that you own or have permission to use. Read our Copyright Policy for what is allowed, and see the DMCA page if you are a rights holder.