How to check your MacBook's hard drive health

Your MacBook’s storage is vitally important. If your SSD or hard drive goes kaput without a backup, getting your files back can sometimes be impossible. How to check your MacBook’s hard drive health.

Big Tech Apple How to check your MacBook’s hard drive health If it fails without a backup, recovering your files can become a nightmare. After all, a broken screen or keyboard doesn’t necessarily lead to data loss. An SSD or hard drive failure, however, is another story.

The best thing you can do begins before any of that happens: Back up regularly and ensure you know how to clean and organize your Mac. Apple’s built-in Time Machine tool is a great place to start. It backs up your files, apps and other kinds of data that iCloud omits.

(iCloud is good for syncing and protecting personal information, as well as transferring data from your old iPhone to a new one, but it isn’t a full backup of your Mac’s drive.) Get a reputable, high-capacity external drive that’s at least twice your Mac’s storage, set it up and let ‘er rip.