Apple offers two ways to back up your iPhone data: You can choose iCloud, which stores data wirelessly on Apple’s servers, or iTunes/Finder, which creates a local backup on your computer or macOS.
This guide will highlight the steps and best practices to ensure your data remains secure and easily retrievable.
Backup Your iPhone Data on iCloud
iCloud is the simplest way you can use to back up your iPhone data automatically over Wi-Fi.
Here are the steps you can use when backing up.
- Connect your iPhone to a WiFi network.
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Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
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Tap on your name (Apple ID) at the top of the Settings menu.
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Click on iCloud.
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Scroll down, then tap on iCloud Backup.
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Turn on iCloud Backup in case it’s off.
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Click on “Backup Now” to manually start a backup.
Once you’ve followed all the steps, your iPhone will back up to iCloud whenever it’s connected to Wi-Fi, plugged into power, and locked (in sleep mode).
Well, let’s find out what’s included in iCloud Backup
- App data
- Device settings
- Home screen and app organization
- iMessage, text (SMS), and MMS messages
- Photos, videos and screenshots (if not using iCloud Photos)
- Purchase history for Apple services like apps, music, movies, and books.
Bonus Tip: You get 5GB of free iCloud storage, but you may need to upgrade to a paid plan if you have more data. And because you love privacy, we encourage you to upgrade to iCloud plus and enjoy a lifetime of securely stored data.
Advantages of Backing Up iPhone Data on iCloud
- iCloud automatically and regularly backs up your iPhone data when connected to Wi-Fi.
- You can access your backed-up information from any Apple device, as long as you’re signed in with the same Apple ID.
- iCloud makes it easy to transfe and sync data when restoring a device
- Your iCloud backups are encrypted both during transfer and while stored on Apple’s servers.
- Since iCloud is Apple’s own service, it integrates seamlessly with iOS, ensuring compatibility in backing up and restoring data.
2. Backup Your iPhone Data on iTunes/Finder
Over time, you may want a more comprehensive backup, and as such, you can back up your iPhone data to your computer.
Follow the steps below.
- Connect your iPhone to your PC or macOS using a USB cable.
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Open iTunes (Windows or macOS Mojave and earlier) or Finder (macOS Catalina and later).
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While in iTunes, click the phone icon. In Finder, you’ll see your iPhone listed in the sidebar under “Locations.”
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In the Backups section, select “This Computer”, if you wish to save the backup locally.
Pro Tip: To encrypt your backup (which we recommend so you can save passwords and health data), select Encrypt iPhone Backup and create a password.
- Tap on “Backup Now” and the backup will save everything, including app data, settings, messages, and even health data (if you had enabled encryption).
Advantages of Backing Up Your Data on iTunes/Finder
- Your backup is saved on your computer, meaning you don’t rely on cloud services and avoid storage limits like those in iCloud.
- You can enable encryption on iTunes/Finder backups, securing your data (including passwords and Health data) with a password.
- Since backups are stored locally, you can back up or restore your iPhone even without an internet connection.
Restoring Your Data
As you continue using your iPhone, you may need to restore from a backup.
For iCloud: During the setup process after resetting or getting a new iPhone, choose Restore from iCloud Backup and select the most recent backup.
For iTunes/Finder: Connect your iPhone to your computer, open iTunes/Finder, and choose Restore Backup.
To maintain the integrity of your iPhone data, we recommend regular backups and sufficient storage, whether in iCloud or on your computer. When you do so, you’ll minimize the risk of losing important data in case of device damage, loss, or malfunction.
