How Long Can SSDs Safely Store Data?

SSDs can last several years when they’re kept powered on, but be careful if you turn them off for long periods—they could potentially lose data after a few months of inactivity. Make sure to backup your important files in multiple ways, and not just to an external drive. You never know when a failure might occur!

SSDs can face issues like cell rot if they aren’t connected to power for extended periods. Some manufacturers have mentioned data retention periods of around 3 months for certain drives. When we were assessing SSDs for our business, we were advised not to trust them for long-term data backup without a power source, which resulted in some customers returning their drives for this reason.

When it comes to storing important data, you shouldn't rely on just one drive—whether it’s an SSD or HDD. Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: make three copies of your data, use two different types of storage media, and keep one copy in a separate location. This way, you can have peace of mind regardless of what happens to your drives.

If your data is really vital, you absolutely need backups. It baffles me why people don’t prioritize this—losing important files because you didn’t back them up is avoidable!

My main SSD has been running for 6 years now and still has about 45% of its write endurance left (measured in TBW). So there's definitely some longevity there if you’re using it regularly!