How To Back Up Your iPhone or iPad

Learn how to back up your iPhone or iPad to iCloud or a Mac so you have a copy of your information to use in case your device is lost, damaged, unrepairable, or replaced.

How To Back Up Your iPhone Or iPad With iCloud

If you back up your iPhone or iPad, you’ll have a copy of your information to use in case your device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged.

1. First, connect your device to a Wi-Fi network.
2. Then, go to Settings > [your name], and tap iCloud.
3. Tap iCloud Backup.
4. Tap Back Up Now. Stay connected to your Wi-Fi network until the process has finished. Under Back Up Now, you’ll see the date and time of your last backup. If you receive an alert that states you don’t have enough iCloud storage space to complete the backup, you can upgrade your iCloud storage online.

Automatically Back Up With iCloud Backup

You can also set up automatic backups when your device is on Wi-Fi, screen locked and connected to a power source.

1. First, make sure that iCloud Backup is turned on in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
2. Connect your device to a power source.
3. Connect your device to a Wi-Fi network.
4. Make sure that your device’s screen is locked.
5. If you receive an alert that states you don’t have enough iCloud storage space to complete the backup, follow the onscreen steps to purchase more storage.

More Information On iCloud Backups

With a Wi-Fi network connection, you can backup your device with iCloud. You don’t need to plug your device into a computer to back up with iCloud.

These backups include nearly all information stored on your device. But iCloud backups don’t include:

• Data that’s already stored in iCloud, like Contacts, Calendars, Notes, iCloud Photos, iMessages, Voice Memos, text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages, and Health data
• Data stored in other cloud services, like Gmail and Exchange mail
• Apple Mail data
• Apple Pay information and settings
• Face ID or Touch ID settings
• iCloud Music Library and App Store content

How To Back Up Your iPhone, iPad, And iPod Touch With Your Mac

If you back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you’ll have a copy of your information to use in case your device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged.

Back Up With Finder

1. On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, open a Finder window.
2. Connect your device to your computer with a USB cable.
3. If asked for your device passcode or to Trust This Computer, follow the onscreen steps.
4. Select your device on your Mac. If your device isn’t being recognised, try connecting with a different cable.
5. If you want to save Health and Activity data from your device or Apple Watch, you’ll need to encrypt your backup. Tick the “Encrypt local backup” box and create a memorable password.
6. Click Back Up Now.
7. When the process has finished, you can see if the backup has completed successfully. You’ll see the date and time of your last backup.

Remember to save your local backup password somewhere safe because there’s no way to recover your backups without an Encrypted local backup password.

More Information On Backups With A Mac

A computer backup of your device, which is not the same as a sync, includes almost all your device’s data and settings. A backup from a computer doesn’t include:

• Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books
• Content synced from Finder or iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
• Data already stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, iMessages, and text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages
• Face ID or Touch ID settings
• Apple Pay information and settings
• Apple Mail data
• Activity, Health, and Keychain data

To back up Activity, Health and Keychain data, you’ll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes. If you need assistance with backing up your device to a Mac or to iCloud, visit our team in-store. Visit us in-store for more assistance.