newsletter, How to download the iOS 16 developer beta, Apple iOS 16 brings massive improvements to lock screen and messages, iOS 16 fixes annoying reaction texts in green bubble message groups, iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 review: foundational fixes, How to use your iPhone as a white noise machine, How to find your lost iPhone even if its off, How to use iOS 15s new Live Text feature, How to change your iPhones text size for a specific app, How to use Focus modes for notifications on iOS 15, How to set up text replacement on your iPhone, How to hide apps from your iPhones home screen using iOS 14, How to automatically switch your iPhone from light to dark theme, How to make exceptions for the Do Not Disturb mode on your iPhone, How to wipe your iPhone before selling it or trading it in, How to move all your data to your new iPhone, How to change the alert sounds on your iPhone, How and where to replace your old, depleted iPhone battery, How to customize your iPhones home screen with widgets and app icons, How to use Screen Time to keep your iPhone use within healthy limits, How to guarantee the iPhone 13 Pros macro mode is on, iPhone 13 Pro review: a better display, the best camera, and incredible battery life, iPhone 13 review: yep, bigger batteries are better, How to buy the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 deals are extra aggressive this year, heres why, How the iPhone 13, Mini, Pro and Max compare to Android rivals and vs. iPhone 12, Tap on Settings > [your name] top button > iCloud > iCloud Backup.. Learn how your comment data is processed. Want a leg up at the word game that everyone's talking about? Select the General tab on top and look for the category labeled Backups. Select This computer (in iTunes) or Back up all of the data on your iPhone to your Mac (in Finder). This process might take several minutes, and you should not disconnect your iPhone from your computer until it is complete. There are a few ways to do this, and which one you choose will depend on your needs and habits. Backing up is also useful if you get a new device and want to transfer your previous settings to it. An iCloud backup also stores your Visual Voicemail password, if you have one. How to Back up Your iPhone to Your MacBook Using Wi-Fi. Another window will pop up, telling you in big bold letters what youre running. If this is your first time connecting your iPhone to your MacBook, you may be prompted to install a software update. In iTunes, you should see a small iPhone icon in the upper left corner; select that. The advantage there is that before you click Sync, you can see which categories will or won't be backed up. The new Surface Laptop Go 2 is a thin and light Windows notebook at a low cost, and has been positioned by Microsoft to be a competitor to Apple's latest M2 MacBook Air. By submitting your email, you agree to our, How to back up your iPhone with or without iCloud, The basics: backing up, finding, and fixing, Sign up for the Syncing has always been a third option, but it has become more relevant, more useful, because the others have improved hugely - and the lines between them have blurred so much. You get a notice saying, "Estimating time remaining," which seems to stick around for quite a while. On the Locations tab on the left menu, click your iPhone name then wait for everything to load. Most of the third-party cables are support only for charging, not for data transfer. How Do I Backup My iPhone Without Using iTunes? Equally, though, it means that your iPhone is regularly using your internet connection to do these backups. Use your Apple Lightning to USB cable to connect your iPhone to your Mac computer. If your Mac is running macOS High Sierra or older, you can backup the iPhone to your Mac using iTunes. You can easily backup iPhone. One way is to sync your iPhone files to iCloud. How to Solve iTunes Not Recognizing iPhone? We go hands-on with the new feature to test out how it works, what it can do, and what options Apple has included for us. The iTunes window allows you to take all backups of your iPhones, the same as the Finder window. You can buy more storage, but it adds up pretty fast. Important: Restoring a device to its factory settings deletes all your information and settings. Read more Required fields are marked *. And that's why you might want to consider whether or not to use Back Up Over Cellular. How to Backup iPhone Contacts to Computer? Subscribe to get the best Verge-approved tech deals of the week. HoldControl, select your backup folder, then chooseShow in Finder. Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs, How to Use Your Smartphone to Cope With Hearing Loss, How to Watch the Final January 6 Insurrection Hearing Live, I Shredded a 70-Mile Dirt Ride on a Folding Commuter Bike, Backing Up to MacOS Catalina 10.15 or later, Backing Up to MacOS Mojave 10.14 or Earlier. Install and reinstall apps from the App Store, Change the picture for you or others in apps, Make it easier to see whats on the screen, Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo, Use SharePlay to watch and listen together, Use Continuity to work across Apple devices, Use a keyboard and mouse or trackpad across devices, Insert photos and documents from iPhone or iPad, Sync music, books, and more between devices, Manage cookies and other website data in Safari, Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites, Connect a wireless keyboard, mouse, or trackpad, Back up and restore your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or to iCloud, Sync content between your Mac and iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi, If your device doesnt appear in the sidebar, Intro to syncing your Mac and your devices, Apple Support article: How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with your Mac. If you get a message that says the backup failed because there is not enough cloud storage, you can remove files from your backups manually. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. As soon as you tap Back Up Now, the backup starts. The upgrade to MacOS Catalina (2019) did away with iTunes, replacing it with three separate apps for music, podcasts, and TV. However, if you do not have enough time, try backing up your iPhone every weekend so that you can use the device without fear of losing your data. Connect your iPhone to your computer via the Apple Lightning to USB cable. Ready to upgrade to a new iPhone? We recommend you to make regular backups to avoid losing your valuable data forever. You can skip this update if you wish. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Fortunately, there is a third option. In this article, we have explained how to completely backup the iPhone to your Mac and PC. Connect your iPhone to your Windows computer. We have both M2 Macs here in our testing studio. If you back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, youll have a copy of your information to use in case your device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged. Select your iPhone in Finder and click General. We always recommend you take a backup of your iPhone regularly if your device has crucial data that you do not want to lose anyways. Apples laptops are expensive, and youll have to make some hard choices to pick the right one. They're how we get work done, stay on top of the crazy news cycle, rock out, keep in touch with friends and family, and capture lifes most important moments. To set up back up over Wi-Fi, follow these steps: The phone will now automatically update backup files via your local network when its charging. It was because it was so important that every NeXT employee's data was automatically backed up for them.

While it may be a bit superfluous for some, it's a great-looking add-on. Or you can sync your iPhone to your Mac. This means that you will require a cable during the first setup, but afterward, your iPhone will automatically back up files via Wi-Fi. How To Recover Deleted Messages on the iPhone, How to Change the Location on a FireStick, How to Download Photos from Google Photos, How to Remove Netflix Recently Watched Shows. That's naturally a lot of data. Open your iTunes on either your Mac or PC. Copyright 2022 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. In this article, well show you how to back up your iPhone to a computer whether online or offline. 15 Good N95, KF94, and KN95 Face Masks to Buy Right Now. Its an especially good idea if you plan on updating to a new iPhone. For older macOS versions, iTunes has been the face for iPhone backups on Mac. Valve's Steam Deck portable PC gaming console is hard to get right now because of assorted supply chain issues. Here are your options for backing up iOS devices. But the key reason for the confusions over what does and does not get backed up, is that Apple has been steadily making iCloud backups more useful, more complete. In addition, your Mac or Windows PC will require iTunes to be installed for this to work. Nomad has released some niche Apple accessories, but this one may be one of the most unique: an all-leather cover for the Apple TV's Siri Remote that holds an AirTag for easy locating. Can't find the answer you're looking for? If your device has an issue, you can use a recent backup to restore the information on the device. How to Backup iPhone Over WiFi to Windows PC. Similarly, neither system backs up text messages. Click Trust to begin sync (youll need to perform the same action on your iPhone). You will find the encrypted backup files from the window. Does your insurance cover them?

The service is still available on older OS versions, so you can still back up everything there. Click General at the top of the Finder window. To back up an iPhone to an external hard drive, find your current backup by going to Finder>Locations>Manage Backups. The Sonos Ray is a new budget-friendly offering from the premium audio maker that now has a more affordable soundbar that sits below the Beam and Arc. To immediately start a backup of your device to your Mac, click Back Up Now. iTunes may ask for your account info to be properly set up. Click Restore [device], then follow the onscreen instructions. Theres currently no way to do this process directly without the cable, so setting this up beforehand might be a good idea. If you love AppleInsider and want to support independent publications, please consider a small donation. You can instead click on any of the tabs next to it, such as Music, Movies and so on. Why Can't I Back up My iPhone to My MacBook? Here's how the M2 fares when compared against the already-released M1 family of chips. You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable or using a Wi-Fi connection. Note: If you dont see your iPhone appear in the left sidebar, click Finder in the Menu Bar at the top of your screen. However, it can take even more if you are backing up a larger storage variant iPhone (256GB or more) to Windows PC using iTunes. You can automatically and wirelessly back up to iCloud, you plug your iPhone into a Mac. If your phone is loaded with pictures, songs, apps, and years worth of text messages, a basic iCloud backup isnt going to cut it. If you want to save Health and Activity data from your device or Apple Watch, you need toencrypt your backup. Finally, tap Back Up Now and wait for the process to finish. You can use this backup to restore your information and settings on the device. Whether its for a secondary copy of your files or freeing up memory on your mobile, backing up your iPhone to a computer is quite useful. This happens mostly because of the insufficient storage space on your Mac or PC. If you want to restore the backup files, go to the same page and click the Restore Backup button. You Bet. Sitting at a desk for hours? As long as the one you need is there, you can hit Restore Backup and youll be ready for a blast from the past. Go to the top iTunes menu and select Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer and follow the instructions.). This way, you can easily recover your data when your iPhone is lost or stolen. This might damage your data. Imagine if your iPhone is lost, stolen, or stops working due to hardware failure. A sync is taking a complete copy of your iPhone's data and storing it on your Mac - except it still isn't quite complete. To change your password later, click Change Password. Make sure that your iPhone is unlocked before you plug it in. Once you've located the backup folder, drag it to the external hard drive listed underLocations. Apple gives you 5 GB of iCloud storage for free, but thats probably not enough to cover all of your data. Therefore, if your Mac is running macOS Mojave, Catalina, or Big Sur, you can backup iPhone to Mac directly using the Finder window. Fire up iTunes if youre using Windows or a Mac with macOS 10.14 or earlier; use Finder on a Mac with macOS 10.15 Catalina or later. If this is the first time youve done this, when you click on the phone icon, you may be asked if you trust the phone, first on the computer and then on the phone itself. If you cant get your iPhone to backup to your MacBook, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to try and fix the problem: You can also check to see if your MacBook is detecting your iPhone using the following steps: Connect your iPhone to your MacBook, unlock it, and open the Home screen. Your device backs up to iCloud during the next automatic backup. [Upgrade to iCloud+ for more storage]. Wait for the progress bar to finish filling up. Modifying this control will update this page automatically. Heres how to back up to iCloud or your laptop / desktop. So perhaps you could have iCloud backing up automatically all the time, then weekly or monthly do a backup to your Mac. Any one backup might not take a lot of time, but it all adds up - and iCloud is backing up a lot of different things. Maybe Jobs brought that ethos to Apple, because the company has worked to progressively make backups easier - and unthinkingly so. Whereas the same page, in its section about backing up Mac, doesn't mention other cloud services at all. AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. It's best to have clicked on General before you start, but it isn't a requirement. For instance, Apple's support pages say that iCloud backups won't include "data stored in other cloud services, such as Gmail and Exchange." Then try backing up your iPhone again. Subscribe to our newsletter and get techs top stories in 30 seconds. To back up to iCloud manually, tap Back Up Now. Scroll down to Options and select Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi. In the Finders side menu, choose your device under the option, To encrypt all your passwords, health, and HomeKit data files, select the box next to the option, If you want to view or access the content of the backup file, go to the same page and click the. Note: If this is the first time backing up your iPhone on this Mac, you will have to click Trust on your computer. Click on the name of your phone from the menu on the left. Once you set the encryption, its probable that the backup will start automatically. They arent as streamlined as iTunes, but if theyre the only choice you have, then its better than nothing. Select your device in iTunes, click Summary, then select Back Up Now. Nick Steinberg has been writing about technology since 2014. Much of this makes sense. Such instances can be awful as some data cannot be replaced. Authorize both your iPhone and your PC by clicking on Allow or Trust on the iPhone and clicking on Continue on the PC. From live transcriptions to sound filtering, here's how you can benefit from features on Android and Apple devices. Can't find the answer you're looking for? If your iPhone came with a USB-C to Lightning Cable but your MacBook doesnt have USB-C ports, use a Lightning to USB Cable (sold separately). But, for long-time Mac-centric gamers not only does it open up a whole new world of games, it restores the ability to play many long-gone 32-bit games of yore. Once you back up your iPhone, check out our step-by-step guide on how to restore your iPhone from a backup to get your data back. Your iPhone is so much more than just a screen for texting. Then wait for the backup to finish. It's the nearest to complete you can get, though, as it does include iCloud data such as contact and calendars, plus it does copy movies, books, and so on. The backup option is now located in Finder, where you can search folders and other drives. Tap on Allow.. It's not enough to just let your iPhone back up to iCloud, not when you need to be sure you won't lose anything important. On the left menu, click on your phones name or click on the cellphone icon on the top of the window. Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. Check out our Gear teams picks for the. Neither iCloud nor Mac will back up movies you've bought from the iTunes Store, because at the very worst you can always just re-download them later. Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy seats. Select iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups.. After that, the process for either iTunes or Finder is much the same, although the look of the pages and the language will be slightly different. If you cant find it, click on the cellphone icon on the top menu bar of the iTunes window. The LG UltraWide 40WP95C-W is an exceptional curved Thunderbolt Display that provides valuable screen space to Mac users. Look for Options just below the Backups section, and select Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected.. Backing up to iCloud is so straightforward that it practically takes willpower to stop it happening. If your device has issues that cant be fixed by restoring from a backup, you can also restore your device to its factory settings and then restore a recent backup to see if that fixes the problem. Other major causes are issues with the lightning cable, issues with iTunes installation on Windows PC, the outdated iOS version on your iPhone, etc. On the General tab look for the Backup menu. iTunes is not dead just yet. If you want to avoid frantically trying to recover the best shots from a friend's wedding, you must back up your iPhone. Can You Connect USB Devices to an iPad? Please confirm your subscription to Verge Deals via the verification email we just sent you. To back up your iPhone to iCloud, open the Settings app and select your name at the top of the screen. (If you dont see it, you may need to authorize your system. It used to be that iCloud backed up the basics, whatever you need to just get going again after data recovery. Here are the best disposable coverings weve tested and researchedand where you can find them. If you want to encrypt your data and password protect it, select, Once your phone is plugged into your Mac, open iTunes and click the, If you want to encrypt your backups, click on. Why Cant I Backup My iPhone to My computer? If you cant see it there, click on the cellphone icon on the top left portion of the window. Open the Apple Menu and hold down the Option key. To do this, go back to the previous screen and uncheck some of the sliders or turn off some of the options. All rights reserved. You'll see the date and time of your last backup. Dont lose that password; otherwise, youre going to lose access to your data. If you love what we do, please consider a small donation to help us keep the lights on. Matters are a little less clear now, in part because there are three options. See Sync content between your Mac and iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi. After enabling iCloud backups, your iPhone will automatically back itself up when it is turned off and connected to a WiFi network and a power source. Other data that is normally in iCloud anyway - such as Contacts, Calendar and so on - is not included in the backup. Steve Jobs once made a point of telling an audience that he hadn't backed up in all the years he had been at NeXT. Backing up means saving a copy of everything from one device, and storing it somewhere else that is safe storage. Today, smartphones are everything. If you're still running anything before macOS 10.15, the process is the same but instead of the Finder, you use the iTunes app. It usually takes between 30 minutes to 2 hours or more to back up your iPhone entirely to your Mac or Windows. Ad Choices. To select backup options, do any of the following: Select Back up your most important data on your [device] to iCloud to store backup data in iCloud instead of on your Mac. Backing up your iPhone lets you make a copy of all your phone numbers, text messages, pictures, and any other data stored on your device. Copyright 2022 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. How accurate are over-the-counter swabs? HelloTech editors choose the products and services we write about. Click on the Apple icon in the top corner of your system. This article will teach you how to connect your iPhone to your MacBook and begin the backup process. It also gives users the ability to select which files to back up and which to ignore. Youll also need to make sure your MacBook is running macOS X 10.9 or later. Not sure which macOS you have? Select Back up all of the data on your [device] to this Mac to store backups on your Mac. First-timers may also be asked if you want to set your phone up as a new device or restore it from a previous backup. However, it will not back up your data stored in other cloud services, or Apple mail data, Apple Pay information, Face ID or Touch ID settings, and your Apple Music Library and App Store content. Nearly every operating system update contains fixes for security vulnerabilities, and the latest releases are no exception. Use These Fixes, 6 Must Have Android Phone Management Apps from Google, 12 Best QR Code & Barcode Scanner Apps for iPhone and Android. This USB 2.0 cable connects your iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods or iPod with Lightning Connector to your Connect your iPhone to Mac using a USB cable. If you are having problems backing up your iPhone, check out our article on how to reset your iPhone to factory settings. Save your password somewhere safe, because there's no way to recover your backups without this password.