What gets backed up and where it goes

A phone backup copies your photos, videos, contacts, messages, app data, and settings to a find location — usually the cloud or a computer. If your phone breaks, gets lost, or stops working, you can restore everything to a new device without starting from scratch. The backup happens automatically on most phones if you turn it on, and you can also back up manually whenever you want.

Where your backup lives depends on which method you choose. iPhone backups go to iCloud (Apple's cloud storage), while Android phones typically back up to Google Drive. You can also connect either type of phone to a computer and back up locally to that computer's hard drive. Each method has different limits on how much you can store for free.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone backs up automatically to iCloud if you turn on iCloud Backup in Settings, while Android phones back up to Google Drive through the Settings menu.
  • Both iCloud and Google Drive offer free storage but with limits — 5 GB for iCloud and 15 GB for Google Drive — and you can pay for more if you need it.
  • You can also plug your phone into a computer and back up locally, which gives you unlimited storage but requires you to remember to do it manually.
  • A full backup includes photos, videos, contacts, messages, app data, and settings, but some apps store data on their own servers instead.
  • You can restore a backup to a new phone during setup, and the process takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.

How to set up automatic backups on iPhone

Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud. Scroll down and tap iCloud Backup. Turn on the toggle switch next to "iCloud Backup." Your phone will now back up automatically every night when it is plugged in, connected to Wi-Fi, and locked. The first backup may take several hours if you have a lot of photos and videos.

Check how much iCloud storage you are using by going to Settings, tapping your name, then iCloud, then Manage Account Storage. If you are running low on the free 5 GB, you can buy more storage through the same menu — Apple offers 50 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB plans. You can also delete old backups of devices you no longer own to free up space.

How to set up automatic backups on Android

Open Settings and search for "backup" or scroll to find Backup and Restore (the exact name varies by phone maker). Tap Backup and Restore, then turn on the toggle for Google One Backup or Google Account Backup. Your phone will now back up automatically when connected to Wi-Fi. Like iPhone, the first backup takes longer if you have many files.

Check your Google Drive storage by opening Google Drive on your phone or going to drive.google.com on a computer. You get 15 GB free, shared across Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive. If you need more space, you can buy a Google One subscription through the Google One app — plans start at 100 GB. Some Android phones also offer their own backup service (Samsung has SmartSwitch, for example), which backs up to Samsung Cloud instead.

Backing up to a computer instead of the cloud

Plug your iPhone into a Mac or PC with a USB cable. On a Mac, open Finder and click your phone's name in the sidebar. On a Windows PC, open iTunes or the Devices app. Click "Back Up Now" or the equivalent button. The backup saves to your computer's hard drive and includes everything on your phone. This method gives you unlimited storage since you are using your computer's own space.

For Android, the process is less standardized. Some phones work with Google's Android File Transfer tool, while others use their manufacturer's software (Samsung uses SmartSwitch, for example). Check your phone maker's website for the correct tool. Local backups are useful if you want a copy that does not depend on cloud storage, but you have to remember to plug in your phone regularly — they do not happen automatically.

What happens when you restore from a backup

When you set up a new phone, you will see an option to restore from a backup during the initial setup. On iPhone, you choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" and sign in with your Apple ID. On Android, you sign in with your Google account and choose which backup to restore. The phone downloads your photos, contacts, messages, apps, and settings from the backup and installs them automatically.

The restore process takes time — anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have and your internet speed. Keep your phone plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi during the entire process. Some apps may need to read their data separately after the restore finishes, so you might see a loading screen in certain apps for a few minutes after setup is complete.

What does not get backed up automatically

Most apps store their data in the cloud on their own servers rather than in your phone's backup. For example, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, and Slack all keep your messages and photos on their own systems. When you sign back into these apps on a new phone, your data appears automatically. However, some apps — especially games and older apps — store data only on your phone, and that data may not restore unless the app developer specifically supports backup.

Text messages and iMessages back up on both iPhone and Android, but SMS messages from before your backup may not restore if you switched phones years ago. Photos and videos back up completely. Voicemails do not back up on either system, so if you have important voicemails, save them as audio files or transcribe them before switching phones.

Checking that your backup is actually working

On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then Manage Account Storage. You will see the date and time of your last backup. If it says "Today" or "Yesterday," your backup is running. If the date is weeks old, your phone may not be meeting the backup conditions — it needs to be plugged in, locked, and on Wi-Fi at the same time.

On Android, open Google Drive and look at the date shown next to "Backup" in the menu. You can also go to Settings, search for "backup," and look for the last backup date. If your backup is old, make sure you are signed into your Google account and that your phone has been connected to Wi-Fi recently. You can also force a backup manually by going to Settings and tapping "Back Up Now" if that option is available on your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I back up my phone without using the cloud?

Yes. Plug your phone into a computer and use iTunes (Mac or Windows), Finder (Mac), or your phone maker's software to back up locally. This stores everything on your computer's hard drive instead of in the cloud. You will need to plug in regularly to keep backups current, since local backups do not happen automatically.

What if I switch from iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone?

You cannot restore an iPhone backup to an Android phone or vice versa. However, most of your data — photos, contacts, messages, and app data — can be transferred using Google's Move to iOS app (for Android to iPhone) or Samsung's SmartSwitch (for iPhone to Samsung). Other Android phones have their own transfer tools. Check your new phone maker's website for instructions.

How much does extra cloud storage cost?

Apple charges $0.99 per month for 50 GB of iCloud storage, $2.99 per month for 200 GB, or $9.99 per month for 2 TB. Google charges $1.99 per month for 100 GB of Google One storage, $2.99 per month for 200 GB, or $9.99 per month for 2 TB. Both companies offer free trials or discounts if you bundle services.

What if my phone is lost or stolen before I back it up?

If automatic backup is turned on, your last backup is already in the cloud. You can restore it to a replacement phone when ready. If automatic backup was never turned on, you cannot recover data from a lost phone. This is why turning on automatic backup as soon as you get a new phone is important — it protects you from unexpected loss.

Can I back up just my photos without backing up everything else?

Yes. Both iPhone and Android let you back up photos separately using Google Photos (free, with storage limits) or iCloud Photos (part of your iCloud backup). You can also use third-party apps like Dropbox or OneDrive. However, a full phone backup is still useful because it includes contacts, messages, and app data that photos alone do not cover.