With a full backup onboard, recovering deleted files becomes relatively straightforward. This simple guide will help you understand the types and ways to back up your device easily. Let’s take a look.
Types of iPhone backup and which method is best for you3 Different ways to back up your iPhoneUsing iCloudAutomatically back up iPhone your to iCloudHow to select which iPhone apps to back up to iCloudUsing your MacUsing Windows PCHow to Archive an iPhone Backup on Mac and Windows PC
Types of iPhone backup and which method is best for you
There are two types of iPhone backup, namely, iCloud Backup and Computer backup. Now, you may wonder, ‘should I backup my iPhone to iCloud or computer?‘ The answer is not complicated. It depends on your internet speed and allowance, free space on your computer, free iCloud storage, ease of use, etc. If you want things to be effortless, iCloud backup is the way to go. But if you do not do it right, you will quickly fill the 5GB of free storage and thus have to buy an iCloud plan. Mac or PC backup on the other end requires your iPhone to be connected to it and can be used to quickly backup. Plus, it requires no internet, which makes it a good option when you are in an airport, different country, or a remote location. The following table will further help your make the correct choice.
3 Different ways to back up your iPhone
1. Using iCloud
Automatically back up your iPhone to iCloud
Automatic iCloud backups ensure that you have peace of mind and all new data is safely stored regularly in the cloud. Your iPhone will automatically backup without your intervention if you satisfy the following conditions.
Follow the above steps to enable iCloud Backup.Make sure iPhone is plugged into charging.Ensure iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi. Backups do not happen over mobile data.Make sure the iPhone’s screen is locked.And finally, it is crucial to ensure that you have enough free iCloud space.
After reading the above points, you may have figured out that the best time for iCloud backups is nighttime when your iPhone is plugged into charging, locked, and satisfies other conditions mentioned above.
How to select which iPhone apps to back up to iCloud
You can choose which apps you want to be a part of the backup and which one to exclude for iCloud.If you are on the 5GB free plan or wish to speed up the backup process without consuming a lot of data, it is good to prevent unnecessary apps from backing up.But which apps to avoid? The most straightforward answer is social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. These apps already have all the data in their cloud, and once you log in, you get everything back. Thus, it is not necessary to back up these on iCloud too.Here is how you can turn off certain apps from backing up to iCloud.
2. Using your Mac
The following steps are for Mac running macOS Catalina and macOS Big Sur. If you are on an earlier macOS version, please see the next heading (Using Windows PC). Pro Tip: In Finder or iTunes, check the box for ‘Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi.’ This will let you back up iPhone and sync content wirelessly when both the phone and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network. No Lightning cable needed!
3. Using Windows PC
In the steps below, we will be using iTunes to back up the iPhone on Windows PC. Download iTunes from the Microsoft Store or Apple’s website on your system. On macOS Mojave and earlier, iTunes is already installed. Tip: You may also check ‘This Computer’ under Automatically Back Up to make the process easier whenever you sync your iPhone.
How to Archive an iPhone backup on Mac and Windows PC
New backups replace old ones in Finder and iTunes. That means, if you create a backup today, it will replace yesterday’s. But if you wish to save some specific data from the old backup for safekeeping, you may archive it. This will prevent it from overwriting. And when you click back up, Finder/iTunes will make a separate backup file instead of replacing the existing one. This is how you can backup your iPhone to iCloud or a computer. I believe the above guide helped you make a copy of your iPhone data to keep it safe. Have more questions that aren’t answered below? Please mention them in the comments section. You may also like to read these Articles:
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