RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
March 28, 2023
Backing up your iPhone is just as important as backing up your computer. You have items stored on your device that you do not want to lose if your iPhone becomes lost, stolen, or inoperable. Fortunately, backing up to iCloud is easy. Let’s explore how this is done.
This is for the iPhone. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+
Reasons to Backup
Having backups of your data is a good idea no matter where you store it. In fact, we recommend keeping multiple copies of anything you backup so that if one method fails for some reason you still have another. There is no such thing as having too many backups.
Even if you already have backups on multiple physical hard drives, backing up to iCloud gives you an all-important offsite backup. That makes backups one of the best uses of spare iCloud storage.
It’s also smart to make sure your data is all backed up when it’s time to upgrade phones so you can set it up in a snap from the data in iCloud. The same applies to upgrading to a new version of iOS, just in case something goes wrong.
Of course, you will have to make sure you have enough storage in your iCloud account. How much you need will depend on how much data you have stored on your iPhone, but you will get a notification if your storage is not big enough when you initiate the backup. There are a few things you can do to free up space, and if you can not make the room you do have a few options for saving money on an iCloud storage upgrade. Be prepared for some frustration, though, because iCloud’s tier scheme is in need of an update.
Your Backup Includes
Whether you perform a manual backup to iCloud or set up automatic backups that run each day, the same items normally stored on your physical device will back up to iCloud. These items are included in the backup:
- App data
- iPhone settings
- Home screen and app layout
- iMessage, SMS, and MMS messages
- Photos and videos
- Purchase history from the App Store, Books Store, and iTunes
- Ringtones
- Visual Voicemail
Additionally, if you use iOS 11 or earlier, voice memos are included. And, if you own an Apple Watch, those backups are also included unless you use Family Setup for your Watch.
Many other items on your iPhone already get backed up to iCloud by default, and they include contacts, calendars, notes, reminders, voice memos, bookmarks, iCloud messages, and iCloud photos.
Sync Your iPhone Backup to iCloud
You can perform a one-time, manual backup of your iPhone to iCloud. This is a good option if you just purchased a new iPhone or are preparing to update your version of iOS but do not want to have your data backed up every day. Even if you have already set up automatic updates, this will force iCloud to update.
First, ensure you are connected to Wi-Fi and then open the Settings on your iPhone. Select your name at the top and then tap iCloud. Refer to the below image:
Next, select iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. See the below image:
You may receive an alert before the backup begins. This can be from one of the following:
- If you do not have enough iCloud storage space available for your backup, you will see a notification. You can then follow the prompts to upgrade your iCloud storage plan.
- If you have iCloud backups turned off for any of your apps, you will see a notification. You can select iCloud Settings to turn on backups for those apps or Continue to back up without that app data.
See the following image:
It can take up to several minutes for the backup process to run, depending on the amount of data on your device. So be sure you stay connected to your Wi-Fi network during the process.
Once complete, you will see the date and time of the last successful backup below Back Up Now. Refer to the below image:
Automatically Backup Your iPhone
Performing regular backups of your iPhone is essential so that you do not lose any important items. You can set iCloud to automatically sync your data, purchases, and other items on a regular schedule. Go to the same spot in your Settings as above:
Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup
Then, turn ON the toggle at the top for Back Up This iPhone. See the below image:
Optionally, you can enable the toggle to Back Up Over Cellular if you lose your Wi-Fi connection. Just note that it may affect your cellular data plan usage.
To ensure your device is ready for automatic backup, simply make sure you are on Wi-Fi, connect your iPhone to its power source, and enable the Lock screen. Your device will then automatically back up to iCloud. The ideal time for this is during your standard charging time, like when you are asleep.
Just like backing up your iPhone manually, you can then see the date and time for your last successful backup on the iCloud Backup screen. See the following image:
View Backup Details
To see more than the date and time of the last backup update, such as the size and data from which apps were included, head back to the iCloud Backup screen. In Settings:
Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup
select your device at the bottom. You will then see a summary of details at the top and the app data backed up directly beneath. Refer to the below image:
You can also see the size of your next backup. This is a good time to confirm that you have enough iCloud storage space available and upgrade if necessary. Remember, you receive 5GB of free iCloud storage but can upgrade to obtain more directly from your device.
Disclaimer
Technology is always changing and rarely is their static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.
Quote For the Day
It’s not information overload. It’s filter failure.
Clay Shirky
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