For several generations, Apple has featured iCloud in its devices, allowing customers to save some of their most critical files into the Cloud, so they don’t lose any valuable data in the event of loss or damage to their phones.
Because the iPhone can transmit files between devices, the Cloud is also a useful function when purchasing a new model. If you also own other Apple products, iCloud allows you to sync your images and files across various devices.
What exactly is an iCloud backup, and what does it consist of?
An iCloud backup is not the same as simply syncing with iCloud. Consider a backup to be a snapshot of your entire phone that includes all of your data and settings. And the best part about iCloud is that it automatically backs up your iPhone once a day, as long as the device is connected to WiFi and powered up and the screen is locked.
This is what is saved to iCloud:
• App information
• Settings
• Photographs from the Camera Roll
• iMessages
However, to save space and time, iCloud does not back up items that can be quickly redownloaded. As a result, it does not support claims such as:
• Apps
• Movies
• Television programs
• Music
How can I speed up my iCloud backup?
Backups to iCloud might take a long time, especially the first time. The advantage is that iCloud backups are iterative, which means that after the first one, backups are only done on things that have changed since the previous backup.
And while you can’t always control your Internet speed, you can reduce the amount of data you back up.
Cleaning up your photo library can help your iCloud backup run more quickly because the more photos you have, the larger and slower your backup becomes. You may use an app like Gemini Photos to discover and delete comparable photos, screenshots you no longer require, and other photo clutter on your phone and in your backup.
What Is the Purpose of an iCloud Backup?
When you backup your iPhone to iCloud, nearly all your data and settings are stored in the Cloud. Nevertheless, it will not back up your data stored in other cloud services, your iPad calendar, your Apple Pay details, your Face ID or Touch ID settings, or your Apple Music Library or App Store content.
When you enable iCloud backups, your iPhone will automatically back up when switched off, connected to a WiFi network, and powered on. This way, your iPhone will not slow down every time it needs to back up, which should happen while you are sleeping.
Simple steps on how to Back Up Your iPhone to iCloud
To back up your iPhone to iCloud:
1. Launch the iPhone Settings app by swiping it down from the center of your home screen. Then, in the search bar at the top of your screen, type “settings” and press Go.
2. Next, tap your name. This is the first choice at the top of the screen, just next to your profile icon.
3. Then, select iCloud.
4. Finally, choose an iCloud backup.
5. Next, tap the iCloud Backup slider. If it is green, you know you have iCloud backups enabled and may go to the next step.
6. Finally, press the Back Up Now button. Wait for the backup process to finish. While your iPhone backs up your data, do not disconnect from the internet.
If you see a notice stating that the backup failed due to a lack of cloud storage, you can manually remove files from your backups. Go to the previous screen and uncheck some of the sliders or turn off some settings to accomplish this. Then try backing up your iPhone once again.
If you still don’t have enough space, go to Manage Storage at the top of the page and choose Backups. This will allow you to erase any previous backups or exclude specific file types from future backups. You may also change your storage plan from here if you want to improve your iCloud account. You receive 5 GB of cloud-based storage free with iCloud, but you can pay for a plan that provides you up to 2 TB of storage.
Locate the backup files:
On a Mac:
With a Finder window open, click the Spotlight search button or press Command + Shift + G and copy the following text: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/.
This will take you to the folder containing your backups. Alternatively, reconnect your iPhone to the Mac, enter its menu, and then select Manage Backups. You’ll get a list of all the backups you have done, which you can then access by right-clicking and selecting Show in Finder.
On a PC running Windows:
For Windows, you’ll follow a similar procedure. Open your Search bar and type: \Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\.
Substitute your user profile name in place of (username). This will take you to the backups folder.
Alternatively, open iTunes and select Edit, then Preferences. Click Devices in the pop-up that appears, and you’ll be able to see all of your backups. You can also delete backups from this option.
Backups should be copied and moved to an external hard disk.
You may now copy your backups to an external drive and remove those on your hard drive now that you know where they are.
Suppose you want to save the data without the risk of it becoming corrupted. In that case, Apple recommends making a copy of the folder (or compressing it into a ZIP file) and dragging it over to your external hard drive (or a different cloud service like Google Drive).
If you want to minimize space on your computer, you can remove the copy. However, having additional copies never hurts.
Why Is iCloud Backup Important?
• Keep your iPhone and other devices backed up to iCloud to avoid losing photos, reminders, and other data.
• For peace of mind, set iCloud backups to run automatically.