Phones get dropped, stolen, left in taxis and occasionally go for a swim. When that happens, the phone itself is replaceable. Years of photos, messages and notes are not, unless you have a backup.
The good news is that it takes about ten minutes to set up, and after that it mostly runs by itself. Here is how to back up your iPhone to iCloud or to a Windows PC, and how to choose between the two.
iCloud or computer: which should you use?
iCloud backup happens automatically over Wi-Fi when your phone is charging and locked, usually overnight. You do not have to remember anything. The catch is space: Apple gives you 5 GB free, which fills up quickly, so most people need a paid iCloud+ plan.
A computer backup is free and stores everything locally. It is great if you do not want to pay for cloud storage, but you have to plug in your iPhone to update it.
Ideally, use both. iCloud for automatic daily protection, plus an occasional computer backup as a safety net.
How to back up your iPhone to iCloud
- Connect to Wi-Fi.
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap iCloud, then iCloud Backup.
- Turn on Back Up This iPhone.
- Tap Back Up Now to make the first backup straight away.
Stay on Wi-Fi until it finishes. The first one can take a while; later backups only copy what has changed. You can see the date and time of the last successful backup on the same screen.
What if iCloud says there is not enough space?
Before paying for more storage, check what is using it. In Settings > [your name] > iCloud, tap Manage Account Storage (or Manage Storage), then Backups and select your iPhone. You will see which apps take up the most room in the backup and can switch off the ones you do not need backed up. Old backups from devices you no longer own can also be deleted here.
Photos are usually the biggest item. If iCloud Photos is on, your photos are already synced to iCloud separately and are not duplicated inside the backup.
How to back up your iPhone to a Windows PC
On Windows, Apple’s free Apple Devices app (available from the Microsoft Store) handles backups. Older PCs may still use iTunes, which works the same way.
- Install Apple Devices from the Microsoft Store and open it.
- Connect your iPhone with a cable.
- On your iPhone, tap Trust and enter your passcode when asked.
- In Apple Devices, click your iPhone in the sidebar, then General.
- Under Backups, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this computer.
- Tick Encrypt local backup and set a password.
- Click Back Up Now.
Why you should encrypt the backup
An encrypted backup includes things an unencrypted one leaves out, such as saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, Health data and call history. Write the password down somewhere safe. Without it, you cannot restore the backup, and Apple cannot recover it for you.
On a Mac, the process is almost identical, but you use Finder: select your iPhone in the sidebar and click Back Up Now.
What a backup does not include
- Content already stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, Contacts, Notes and Messages in iCloud (these sync separately).
- Music, movies and apps from the App Store, which redownload automatically.
- Face ID or Touch ID settings.
If you just want a copy of your photos on your PC, our guide on how to transfer photos from iPhone to PC is a quicker route.
Common backup problems
- iCloud backup never finishes: make sure you are on stable Wi-Fi, the phone is charging, and there is enough iCloud space. Restarting the iPhone often unsticks it.
- The computer does not see the iPhone: try another cable and USB port, unlock the phone, and tap Trust.
- Not enough storage on the iPhone itself to update: see our guide on iPhone storage full and System Data.
Apple keeps the latest step-by-step instructions on its official support site.
Quick recap
To back up your iPhone, turn on iCloud Backup in Settings and tap Back Up Now, or connect it to your PC and back it up with the Apple Devices app, with encryption on. Doing both gives you the best protection. Check the date of your last backup today. If it says weeks ago, now is a good time.
