Why Back Up Your iPhone?

A backup means if your iPhone is lost, stolen, damaged or you upgrade to a new one, everything — photos, messages, contacts, app data and settings — can be fully restored. Without a backup, this data is gone forever. Backups take minutes to set up and run automatically once configured.

Method 1: iCloud Backup (Automatic, Wireless)

  1. 1

    Settings → your name → iCloud

    Tap your name at the top of Settings, then tap iCloud.

  2. 2

    iCloud Backup → toggle on

    Scroll down and tap iCloud Backup. Toggle it on. Tap Back Up Now to run an immediate backup.

  3. 3

    Automatic backups happen overnight

    With iCloud Backup enabled, your iPhone automatically backs up every night when it is plugged in, locked, and connected to WiFi. The Last Backup date shows under iCloud Backup settings.

iCloud storageiCloud gives 5GB free — not enough for most iPhones. You will need to upgrade to 50GB ($1.49/month) or more for a complete backup. Without enough space, the backup will not complete.

Method 2: Computer Backup (Mac or Windows)

  1. 4

    Connect iPhone to computer with a cable

    Use a Lightning or USB-C cable. Unlock your iPhone and tap Trust This Computer when prompted.

  2. 5

    Mac: open Finder → select your iPhone

    Your iPhone appears in the Finder sidebar under Locations. Click it. Under the General tab, click Back Up Now. Tick Encrypt local backup to include passwords and health data in the backup.

  3. 6

    Windows: open iTunes → click the iPhone icon

    Click the iPhone icon in the top left of iTunes. Under Backups, click Back Up Now. Same encryption option is available and recommended.

Do bothiCloud backup protects you if your phone and computer are both lost (theft, fire). A computer backup protects you if iCloud storage runs out or you lose internet access. Together they cover all scenarios. Computer backups also back up more data and are faster to restore from.

Frequently Asked Questions

The first backup takes the longest — 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and your connection speed. Subsequent backups are incremental (only changed data) and usually complete in a few minutes. Computer backups are faster than iCloud over a typical WiFi connection.
App data, device settings, Home Screen layout, iMessages and SMS (not iCloud Messages), voicemails, health data (if encrypted), saved passwords (if encrypted), photos (if not using iCloud Photos separately). Apps themselves are not backed up — they re-download from the App Store during restore.