Do You Need To Transfer The “.Thumbnails” Folder When Backing Up Photos To An External Hard Drive?
Are you looking to back up photos from your computer to an external hard drive? There are several steps involved, but one thing you may not have considered is whether or not you need to transfer the ‘.thumbnails’ folder along with all of the photos inside it. In this article, we’ll explore why this folder is relevant and how it can affect your photo backups.
What is the “.Thumbnails”
When backing up photos to an external hard drive, you may be wondering if you need to transfer the ‘.Thumbnails’ folder. This folder contains smaller versions of your photos, which can be helpful when viewing or editing them. However, transferring this folder is not necessary and can actually take up more space than necessary.
Should You Transfer The “.Thumbnails”
When you back up photos to an external hard drive, you will be given the option to transfer the ‘Thumbnails’ folder. This folder contains small, lower-resolution copies of your photos. They are used by some photo editing software and websites to speed up the display of images.
If you plan on only storing your backed up photos on the external hard drive and not accessing them frequently, then there is no need to transfer the ‘Thumbnails’ folder. However, if you think you may want to view or edit your backed up photos at some point, it is probably a good idea to include the ‘Thumbnails’ folder in the transfer.
Advantages of Transferring The “.Thumbnails”
When you back up photos to an external hard drive, you have the option to transfer the ‘thumbnails’ folder. This folder contains small versions of your photos, which can be helpful if you need to quickly preview a large number of photos. Additionally, transferring this folder can help save space on your external hard drive.
Disadvantages of Not Transferring The “.Thumbnails”
One of the disadvantages of not transferring the ‘Thumbnails’ folder when backing up photos to an external hard drive is that you will not be able to view thumbnails of your backed-up photos. This can make it difficult to find and view specific photos, especially if you have a large number of photos backed up. Additionally, some photo editing software may not be able to access or edit photos without the ‘Thumbnails’ folder, so you may not be able to edit your backed-up photos if you do not transfer this folder.
How To Backup Photos And The “.Thumbnails”
Backing up photos to an external hard drive is a great way to protect your precious memories. But what do you do with the ‘.thumbnails’ folder that is created during the backup process?
The ‘.thumbnails’ folder contains small, lower-resolution versions of the photos that are being backed up. These smaller versions of the photos are used by some photo editing software programs to speed up the editing process.
So, do you need to transfer the ‘.thumbnails’ folder when backing up photos to an external hard drive?
The answer is no. The ‘.thumbnails’ folder can be safely deleted and will not affect the quality of your backed-up photos.
Alternative Solutions For Storing Photos
When it comes to backing up photos, there are a variety of ways to go about it. Some people like to transfer the entire contents of their computer’s ‘My Pictures’ or ‘Photos’ folder to an external hard drive. Others like to create a separate folder on their external hard drive for storing photos. And still others like to use online backup services such as Carbonite or Mozy.
If you’re looking for alternative solutions for storing photos, here are a few things to consider:
– Use a cloud storage service such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or iCloud. This way, your photos will be backed up automatically and you can access them from anywhere.
– Buy an external hard drive specifically for storing photos. This way, you can keep your photos organized and separated from other files on your computer.
– Burn your photos to CDs or DVDs. This is a good option if you want to be able to physically hold onto your photos and have them in a format that can be viewed on any computer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is not necessary to transfer the ‘.Thumbnails’ folder when backing up your photos to an external hard drive. Although transferring this folder may help organize and store your photos in the same way they are on your computer, it can take up unnecessary space. Additionally, any changes made to the thumbnails will not update on the original image files. The best practice for backing up photos is to use a service that automatically backs them up without having to manually transfer any folders or files.