An external hard drive is a portable storage device that connects to a computer or laptop via USB or other interfaces. It allows users to store large amounts of data, such as documents, photos, and videos, outside of their computer's internal storage. This makes it a convenient option for backing up important files or transferring data between devices. These drives come in various sizes and capacities, ranging from a few hundred gigabytes to several terabytes. Many people use external hard drives for additional storage, data recovery, or to create a backup of their system, ensuring that their information is safe and accessible when needed.