Backing up your iPhone takes a few minutes and saves you from the worst day a phone can give you: a cracked, lost or stolen iPhone with years of photos, messages and app data on it. Apple gives you three ways to do it, iCloud, a Mac or a Windows PC, and each one saves slightly different things. This guide walks through all three, explains what a backup actually contains, and shows how to check that yours really worked.
Quick answer
Open Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, turn on Back Up This iPhone and tap Back Up Now while on WiFi. To back up to a computer instead, connect the iPhone by cable, open Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices app on Windows, select the iPhone, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this computer, tick Encrypt local backup and click Back Up Now.
We checked every step below against Apple’s current support documentation in October 2026. The menus are the same on iOS 26 and on recent older versions, so the guide works for any iPhone that still gets updates.
iPhone backup at a glance
US prices before tax, October 2026. Sources: Apple Support.
Which backup method should you use?
The short version: iCloud is the easiest because it runs on its own every night, and a computer backup is the most complete and costs nothing beyond the disk space. If your photos matter to you, doing both is the safest setup.
| Method | What you need | Runs automatically | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCloud Backup | WiFi and enough iCloud storage | Yes, nightly while charging and locked | Most people, set and forget |
| Mac (Finder) | A Mac with macOS Catalina or later and a cable | Only when you connect, or over WiFi sync | A full local copy without paying for iCloud |
| Windows (Apple Devices app) | A Windows PC with the free Apple Devices app | Only when you connect | iPhone users with a PC |
You can use iCloud and a computer at the same time. The computer backup simply runs when you plug in.
How to back up your iPhone to iCloud
iCloud Backup stores a copy of your iPhone in Apple’s cloud and refreshes it automatically. To run your first backup right now:
- Connect your iPhone to a WiFi network.
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap iCloud, then iCloud Backup.
- Make sure Back Up This iPhone is turned on.
- Tap Back Up Now and stay on WiFi until it finishes. The date and time of the last successful backup appear right under the button.
After that, your iPhone backs itself up automatically when three things are true at the same time: it is connected to power, it is on WiFi, and the screen is locked. For most people that means every night on the charger, with nothing to remember.
Tip
The first iCloud backup can take an hour or more if you have a lot of data. Start it in the evening with the phone on the charger, and later backups only upload what changed, so they finish much faster.
Do you need to pay for iCloud storage?
Every Apple Account comes with 5 GB of free iCloud storage, which is shared with iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive and Mail. That is rarely enough for a full backup of a modern iPhone. If your iPhone says it cannot back up because there is not enough iCloud storage, you have two options: upgrade to iCloud+ or slim down the backup.
| iCloud+ plan | US price per month | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 5 GB (free) | $0 | Settings and small app data only |
| 50 GB | $0.99 | One iPhone with a modest photo library |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | One heavy user or a couple via Family Sharing |
| 2 TB | $9.99 | Large photo and video libraries, families |
| 6 TB | $29.99 | Families who shoot a lot of 4K video |
| 12 TB | $59.99 | Very large shared libraries |
Prices for the United States, October 2026. Plans can be shared with up to five family members.
Outside the US the cheapest tier recently picked up extras: in some countries the 50 GB plan now bundles Apple TV and Apple Arcade, as we explained in Apple’s cheapest iCloud plan changes. In the US it is still storage only.
To slim down the backup instead, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, open your storage management screen, choose Backups, pick this iPhone and switch off apps whose data you do not need to keep. Turning on iCloud Photos also shrinks the backup, because photos then live in iCloud Photos rather than inside the backup.
What iCloud Backup includes, and what it skips
This is the part that confuses people. iCloud Backup only stores data that is not already synced to iCloud. Anything that already syncs, such as Contacts, Calendars, Notes, iCloud Photos or Messages in iCloud, is safe in iCloud on its own and is left out of the backup to avoid storing it twice.
| Included in iCloud Backup | Not included (already in iCloud or not backed up) |
|---|---|
| Device settings, Home Screen layout and app organization | Data that already syncs to iCloud, such as Contacts, Calendars and Notes |
| App data for downloaded apps, including games and third party messengers | Photos and videos when iCloud Photos is turned on |
| iMessage, SMS and MMS, but only if Messages in iCloud is off | Messages when Messages in iCloud is turned on |
| Photos and videos, but only if iCloud Photos is off | App files an app keeps in iCloud Drive |
| Apple Watch data, purchased ringtones, Visual Voicemail password | The apps themselves, which redownload from the App Store |
Based on Apple’s “What does iCloud back up?” support article.
Free temporary iCloud storage when you get a new iPhone
If you are backing up because you are about to switch phones, you do not need to buy storage at all. Apple lends you as much iCloud space as a full backup needs, free, for up to 21 days. On your old iPhone go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap Get Started under Prepare for New iPhone. Once the new phone is set up, our guide on how to transfer data to a new iPhone covers Quick Start and restoring from that backup.
How to back up your iPhone to a Mac
On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, iPhone backups live in Finder (older Macs use iTunes). A computer backup saves almost everything on the phone, and it does not count against your iCloud storage.
- Connect the iPhone to the Mac with a USB or USB C cable. If the iPhone asks whether to trust this computer, tap Trust and enter your passcode.
- Open a Finder window and select your iPhone in the sidebar under Locations.
- In the General tab, choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac.
- Tick Encrypt local backup and set a password you will not forget.
- Click Back Up Now and keep the cable connected until the progress wheel next to your iPhone disappears.
Why you should always encrypt
An encrypted computer backup also saves things a normal one leaves out: your saved passwords, WiFi settings, website history, call history and Health data. Without encryption, restoring to a new iPhone means signing back in to everything. The catch is the password: if you forget it, Apple cannot recover that backup for you.
Want it to happen without the cable? In the same General tab, tick Show this iPhone when on WiFi. The Mac can then back up the iPhone whenever both are on the same network and Finder syncs.
How to back up your iPhone on Windows
On Windows 10 and 11, Apple replaced iTunes with the free Apple Devices app, available from the Microsoft Store. The steps mirror the Mac:
- Install Apple Devices from the Microsoft Store and open it.
- Connect your iPhone with a USB or USB C cable, then tap Trust on the iPhone if asked.
- Select your iPhone in the sidebar and click General.
- Choose Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this computer.
- Tick Encrypt local backup, set a password, and click Back Up Now.
The same screen has a Manage Backups button to view, delete or archive old backups, and a Restore Backup button for putting a backup back on a phone. If your PC still runs an older Windows version without the Microsoft Store app, iTunes for Windows does the same job from its device page.
Where iPhone backups are stored on your computer
Local backups are saved in a folder you normally never need to touch. Do not edit, move or rename files inside it, because that can corrupt the backup. Use Manage Backups instead.
| Computer | Backup folder |
|---|---|
| Mac | ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ (in Finder use Go > Go to Folder) |
| Windows (Apple Devices or Microsoft Store iTunes) | %USERPROFILE%\Apple\MobileSync\Backup (press Windows key + R and paste it) |
| Windows (older iTunes from Apple’s website) | %AppData%\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup |
If your main drive is nearly full, a single iPhone backup can take tens of gigabytes. Archiving a backup from Manage Backups keeps it from being overwritten by the next one, which is useful before a risky update or a repair.
How to check that your backup actually worked
- iCloud: go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Under Back Up Now you should see a recent date and time. If it says the last backup could not be completed, the reason (usually storage or WiFi) is shown there.
- Mac or Windows: open Manage Backups. Your iPhone should be listed with today’s date, and a padlock icon if the backup is encrypted.
- Before you wipe or trade in a phone: check both. Five seconds of checking beats discovering an empty backup after a reset.
iPhone backup problems and quick fixes
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| “Not enough iCloud storage” | Upgrade to a 50 GB plan, turn off large apps in the backup list, or back up to a computer instead |
| iCloud backup stuck or very slow | Stay on a strong WiFi network, keep the phone on power, and let the first backup run overnight |
| Automatic backup never runs | Check that the phone is charging, on WiFi and locked at night, and that Back Up This iPhone is on |
| Mac or PC does not see the iPhone | Try another cable or port, unlock the iPhone, tap Trust, and update macOS or the Apple Devices app |
| Forgot the encrypted backup password | That backup cannot be restored. You can reset the password on the iPhone and make a new encrypted backup |
Our take
Turn on iCloud Backup today, even on the free 5 GB plan, so at least your settings and app data are covered, and pair it with iCloud Photos for your pictures. Then plug into a computer once a month for an encrypted local backup. That combination costs $0.99 a month at most and protects you against almost every way an iPhone can disappear.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up my iPhone?
Go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup, turn on Back Up This iPhone and tap Back Up Now while connected to WiFi. You can also back up to a Mac in Finder or to a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app.
How often does my iPhone back up to iCloud?
Once iCloud Backup is on, the iPhone backs up automatically, usually every night, whenever it is connected to power, connected to WiFi and the screen is locked.
Does iCloud Backup include my photos?
Only if iCloud Photos is turned off. When iCloud Photos is on, your photos and videos are already stored in iCloud, so they are left out of the backup to avoid storing them twice.
Can I back up my iPhone without iCloud?
Yes. Connect the iPhone to a Mac and use Finder, or to a Windows PC and use the free Apple Devices app, then choose to back up all data to this computer. A computer backup does not use any iCloud storage.
What does an encrypted iPhone backup save?
An encrypted local backup also includes saved passwords, WiFi settings, website history, call history and Health data, which an unencrypted backup leaves out. If you forget its password, that backup cannot be restored.
How long does an iPhone backup take?
The first iCloud backup can take an hour or longer depending on how much data you have and your WiFi speed. Later backups only upload changes and usually take a few minutes.
Sources and further reading
- Apple Support: How to back up your iPhone or iPad with iCloud
- Apple Support: What does iCloud back up?
- Apple Support: Back up and restore iPhone with your Windows device or iCloud
- Apple Support: Locate and manage backups of your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
- Apple Support: iCloud+ plans and pricing
About this article: GeekBlog covers U.S. technology news, AI, phones, smartwatches and gaming. Every story is written and checked under our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake or have a story tip? Contact our editors.
