Backing up your Microsoft 365 emails outside of Microsoft's own systems means keeping a separate copy of your emails in a secure location that you control. This is important because, while Microsoft 365 offers strong reliability and some built-in retention features, it is not designed as a full backup solution. If emails are accidentally deleted, corrupted, or lost due to cyberattacks like ransomware, relying solely on Microsoft's native tools can leave your business vulnerable to data loss.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
For small and medium-sized businesses in the UK, losing access to critical emails can cause significant disruption. It can lead to downtime, lost productivity, and damage to your reputation with customers and suppliers. Furthermore, if your business handles personal data under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have a responsibility to protect that data. Having reliable email backups supports compliance by ensuring you can recover information quickly and demonstrate good data management practices during audits or ICO investigations.
A typical scenario
Consider a UK-based SME with around 50 employees using Microsoft 365 for email and collaboration. One day, an employee accidentally deletes a folder containing important client correspondence. Without a proper offsite backup, recovering those emails might be impossible or require costly Microsoft support interventions. A managed IT provider would typically implement a dedicated Microsoft 365 backup solution that automatically copies emails to a separate cloud or physical storage location. This means that even if emails are deleted or compromised, the business can restore them quickly without interrupting daily operations.
Practical checklist to ensure effective offsite Microsoft 365 email backup
- Ask your IT provider: Do you use a third-party Microsoft 365 backup tool that stores data independently from Microsoft? How often are backups performed, and how long are they retained?
- Check backup locations: Confirm that backups are stored in a physically separate data centre or cloud region to reduce risk from regional outages or attacks.
- Verify data recovery processes: How quickly can emails be restored? Are restores granular (individual emails/folders) or only full mailboxes?
- Review access controls: Ensure backups are protected with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and limited to authorised personnel.
- Confirm compliance support: Does the backup solution support UK data protection requirements, including secure encryption in transit and at rest?
- Test backups regularly: Schedule periodic restore tests to confirm backups are working and data is intact.
- Include backup requirements in supplier assessments: When tendering for IT support, specify your need for independent Microsoft 365 email backups and request evidence of their approach.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Relying solely on Microsoft's retention policies or deleted item recovery can leave gaps in protection. Similarly, some IT providers may offer basic backup services that do not separate backup data from live email accounts, increasing risk if the provider's systems are compromised. Avoid solutions that do not provide clear documentation of backup frequency, retention periods, and recovery procedures.
In summary, the best way to ensure your Microsoft 365 emails are backed up offsite is to work with a trusted IT partner who uses a dedicated backup service designed for Microsoft 365. This approach minimises downtime, supports compliance, and protects your business from avoidable data loss. If you're unsure about your current setup, it's sensible to review it with a managed IT provider or IT advisor familiar with UK SME needs and security standards.