The simplest way: iCloud automatic backup
The easiest backup method requires almost no action from you. When you turn on an iPhone for the first time and sign in with your Apple ID, iCloud automatically backs up your photos, messages, contacts, calendar events, app data, and settings to Apple's servers. This happens once a day when your phone is plugged in, on Wi-Fi, and locked.
You do not need to do anything to start this backup. It runs in the background. The catch: iCloud gives you 5 GB of free storage, which fills quickly if you have many photos or large apps. Once you hit the limit, new backups stop until you delete old data or pay for more storage (50 GB costs $0.99 per month through Apple).
To check that iCloud backup is turned on, open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud. Scroll down and tap iCloud Backup. The toggle should be green. If it is off, turn it on.
Key Takeaways
- iCloud backup happens automatically when your iPhone is plugged in and on Wi-Fi, but the free 5 GB limit means you may need to pay for more storage or delete old backups.
- Mac backup through Finder (on newer Macs) or iTunes (on older ones) stores everything locally on your computer and does not count against iCloud storage.
- A Mac backup takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have, and your iPhone must stay connected the entire time.
- You can use both iCloud and Mac backup at the same time — they do not interfere with each other.
- Restoring from a backup (whether iCloud or Mac) erases your current iPhone and replaces everything with the backed-up version.
Backing up through your Mac using Finder or iTunes
If you want a backup stored directly on your Mac instead of in the cloud, you can plug your iPhone into your computer with a USB cable and back up through Finder (on Macs running macOS Catalina or newer) or iTunes (on older Macs).
On a newer Mac: Plug in your iPhone, open Finder, and click your phone's name in the sidebar. Under General, you will see a Backup section. Click "Back Up Now." Your Mac will copy everything — photos, messages, app data, settings, health information — to a folder on your hard drive. This backup is encrypted by default, which means only you can restore from it.
On an older Mac: Plug in your iPhone, open iTunes, click the phone icon near the top left, and under Backups click "Back Up Now." The process is the same, just in a different place.
This backup takes time. Expect 30 minutes for a phone with light use, or several hours if you have hundreds of photos or large apps. Your iPhone must stay plugged in and unlocked the entire time. If you unplug it early, the backup stops and you have to start over.
What gets backed up and what does not
Both iCloud and Mac backups save your messages, contacts, calendar, notes, reminders, photos in the Photos app, app data, home screen layout, and system settings. They also save health and fitness data, wallet information, and your Face ID or Touch ID settings.
Neither backup saves: photos or videos stored in other apps (like Dropbox or Google Photos), music or podcasts you downloaded from services like Spotify or Apple Music, voicemails (unless they are saved as files), or anything stored in cloud services like Gmail or OneDrive. Those services back themselves up separately.
App data is backed up, but the apps themselves are not. When you restore from a backup, your iPhone downloads the current version of each app from the App Store automatically. If an app no longer exists in the App Store, it will not reinstall.
Encrypted backup: what it means and why it matters
Encryption means your backup is scrambled in a way that only you can unscramble. When you back up to your Mac through Finder, encryption is turned on automatically. When you back up to iCloud, encryption is also on by default for most data, but Apple keeps the encryption key, which means Apple can technically read your backup if a government agency asks.
For a Mac backup, you can check the encryption setting in Finder. Plug in your iPhone, click its name, and look for a checkbox that says "Encrypt local backup." If it is checked, your backup is encrypted. If you uncheck it, the backup is not encrypted, which means anyone with access to your Mac could potentially read it.
Most people leave encryption on. The trade-off is that if you forget your Mac password, you cannot restore from that backup — there is no way to recover the encryption key. Write down your password somewhere safe if you turn on encryption.
How to restore from a backup
Restoring from a backup erases your current iPhone and replaces everything with the backed-up version. You cannot pick and choose what to restore — it is all or nothing.
To restore from an iCloud backup: Set up your iPhone as new, sign in with your Apple ID, and when you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, tap "Restore from iCloud Backup." Choose which backup you want (if you have more than one), and your iPhone will read everything from iCloud. This can take an hour or more depending on your internet speed and how much data you have.
To restore from a Mac backup: Plug your iPhone into your Mac, open Finder, click your phone's name, and click "Restore Backup." Choose which backup you want to restore, enter your Mac password if the backup is encrypted, and wait. Your iPhone will restart and the restore will happen automatically.
When to use Mac backup instead of iCloud
Use Mac backup if you have a lot of photos or data and do not want to pay for extra iCloud storage. A Mac backup stores everything on your computer's hard drive, so there is no storage limit beyond what your Mac has.
Use Mac backup if you want your data stored locally and not on Apple's servers. Some people prefer this for privacy reasons, though it means your backup is only as safe as your Mac — if your computer is stolen or the hard drive fails, the backup is gone.
Use Mac backup if you have apps that no longer exist in the App Store. Older backups sometimes contain app versions that are no longer available, and a local Mac backup is more likely to preserve them than an iCloud backup.
You do not have to choose one or the other. You can use both iCloud and Mac backup at the same time. They do not interfere with each other, and having both means you have a backup in the cloud and a backup on your computer.
Troubleshooting common backup problems
If iCloud backup is not working, check that your iPhone is plugged in, on Wi-Fi, and locked. iCloud only backs up under those three conditions. Also check that you have not hit your 5 GB storage limit — if you have, iCloud will not back up until you delete something or pay for more storage. Go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, and look at the storage bar at the top.
If your Mac backup is stuck or taking too long, try unplugging your iPhone and plugging it back in. If Finder or iTunes does not recognize your phone, restart both your iPhone and your Mac. If your iPhone is still not showing up, try a different USB cable — some cables are charging-only and do not transfer data.
If you are trying to restore from a backup and it keeps failing, make sure your iPhone has enough free space. Restoring requires temporary space on your phone while the backup is being written. If your phone is almost full, delete some apps or photos first, then try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I back up my iPhone to my Mac and still use iCloud backup?
Yes. Both backups can run at the same time without interfering with each other. You might do this if you want a local backup on your computer and a cloud backup in case your Mac fails. They are independent.
What happens to my old backups when I make a new one?
On iCloud, the old backup is replaced by the new one. You only have one iCloud backup at a time. On your Mac, each backup is stored separately, so you can have multiple backups from different dates if you want. You can delete old Mac backups manually in Finder to save space.
If I back up to my Mac, can I restore on a different Mac?
Yes, but only if you move the backup file to the other Mac. Mac backups are stored in a hidden folder. It is easier to just back up to the second Mac directly by plugging in your iPhone.
Does backing up my iPhone back up my Apple Watch too?
No. Your Apple Watch backs up separately through your iPhone. When you back up your iPhone, the Watch backup data is included, but the Watch itself is not fully backed up. If you need to restore your Watch, it will restore from the iPhone backup automatically.
How often should I back up my iPhone?
iCloud backs up automatically once a day, so you do not need to do anything. For Mac backups, back up whenever you have made changes you would not want to lose — after adding a lot of photos, before updating iOS, or once a week as a routine. There is no harm in backing up more often.