I always buy the CD, and the designs are emailed to me as well. At one time I was just ordering without CD. When I upgraded Windows XP to Windows 8.1 I was called by the Geeks that my Mac was too old a model for Windows 8.1, and would not run. (As per Apple) No one knew that would happen and everything in Windows XP had been cleared off the hard drive. So, we went with Windows 7. XP can be upgraded to Windows 7 without starting all over. BUT, I still had my designs. In my email account I had created a folder for every embroidery design company I order from, and when the emails came with the designs attached, I stored them in the prospective folders. THANK GOD I did! I actually do a backup on an external hard drive as well, but it was much easier to just go to the emails.