Know what is missing
Photo backup self-check
Find the evidence missing from your backup plan. Six self-reported checks become a concrete next-action list.
Open toolA little care for irreplaceable files
Your photos deserve
more than
“probably backed up.”
Know where your originals live. Check the copy you made. Plan space for the next chapter.
Free tools. No account. Tool inputs stay in your browser.
Checks inform your decision; they never authorize deletion.
A thumbnail is a beginning.A usable, independently stored copy is the next question.
Illustrative photograph, not a backup test. Plann / Pexels · License. Cropped and resized.
Start with one useful check
Three tools. Clear limits.
Work with your own evidence—not a generic safety score. Nothing here deletes or changes your files.
Check a copied file
Local file copy checker
Compare two selected files byte by byte and view their SHA-256 fingerprints. No file upload. Up to 32 MiB per file.
Open toolMake room to grow
Backup space planner
Budget one new full copy with growth, retained versions and reserve. See the formula, capacity gap and GB/GiB equivalent.
Open toolThe practical field guide
From “saved” to “retrievable.”
A short reading path through the decisions that matter before you clear space or move a library.
01 / Understand the risk
Before deleting photos: separate sync from an independent copy
Map where your originals live, distinguish cloud deletion from device cleanup, and find the missing evidence before removing a photo library.
7 minute guide · Reviewed October 7, 2026
02 / Verify a copyVerify a copied photo file: a repeatable experiment and mismatch guide
Download five controlled image files, reproduce byte comparisons, and separate a failed copy from a metadata change or an unreadable image. Includes hashes and next steps.
11 minute guide · Reviewed October 15, 2026
03 / Plan room to growPlan photo backup space from your own library—not a photo-count estimate
Calculate a new backup destination’s space budget with growth, retained versions and reserve. Includes reproducible examples and GB/GiB conversion.
6 minute guide · Reviewed October 7, 2026
04 / Practice recoveryA non-destructive photo recovery drill you can repeat
Test whether a small sample can be retrieved, opened and understood without deleting originals. Includes an observation sheet and clear stop conditions.
7 minute guide · Reviewed October 7, 2026
05 / Preserve the contextGoogle Photos Takeout JSON files: what to keep before fixing dates
Keep photo context intact after a Google Photos export: distinguish file dates from capture dates, review JSON companions, and use a three-item audit worksheet.
8 minute guide · Reviewed October 8, 2026
06 / Keep the motionBack up Live Photos: check the still image and the motion
A Live Photo export can contain more than one file. Learn what to keep, why matching counts can hide missing motion, and how to review a small export safely.
8 minute guide · Reviewed October 12, 2026
Our approach
Show the work.
Keep the uncertainty.
A matching file pair is not a complete backup. A calculator cannot predict your future library. Useful tools say where their answers stop.
See the methods and test fixtures →- Provider facts have sources. Sync and deletion behavior links to the responsible service.
- Examples are labeled. Hypothetical libraries are never passed off as reader results.
- Tools expose their method. Formulas, known byte fixtures and reproducible tests are published.
- Your next action stays specific. Retrieve a sample, compare it, or investigate a missing folder.