How to back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Windows

If you back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you'll have a copy of your information to use in case your device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged.

1. Switch to the Finder on your Mac, or open the Apple Devices app on your PC. If your PC doesn't have the Apple Devices app, or your Mac is using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes instead.

2. Connect your device to your PC using the cable that came with your device. Find cables for your device.

3. If asked for your device passcode or to Trust This Computer, follow the onscreen steps. Get help if you forgot your passcode.

4. Select your device in iTunes.

   

5. Click General in the Apple Devices app or Summary in iTunes.

6. If you want to save Health and Activity data from your device or Apple Watch, you need to encrypt your backup. Select the "Encrypt local backup" checkbox and create a password. Write down your password and store it somewhere safe, because there's no way to recover your encrypted backups without this password.

7. Click Back Up Now.

   

When the process ends, the date and time of your last backup appears in the iTunes window.

Learn more

• Learn what to do if your device doesn't appear on your computer.

• Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup.

• Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

• About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch