Do I need an external hard drive to pack up my files?

joanneeee wrote:

Do I need an external hard drive to pack up my files?

This Time Machine article includes the types of drives you can use to create a backup.

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

joanneeee wrote:

Any recommendations?

Any external drive will work. I prefer SSDs for speed and reliability. Make sure you format the drive, using Disk Utility, for your Mac when first connecting it. Do not use any included apps that come with your drive.

You should always have a backup drive and not just rely on any other service alone.

As BobTheFisherman states any drive but I also prefer SSD formatted to APFS, GUID