Back up and restore iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to your Windows computer or iCloud
One of the best ways of safeguarding the information on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch against damage or loss is backing up, or copying, your files and settings either to your Windows computer or to iCloud. Backing up is also useful if you get a new device and want to transfer your previous settings to it.
After you back up your device, you can use the backup to restore the information on your device whenever needed. If your device has issues that can’t be fixed by restoring from a backup, you can try to fix the problem by restoring your device first to its factory settings and then to a recent backup.
Back up your Apple device
Connect your Apple device to your Windows computer.
You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable.
In the Apple Devices app on your Windows computer, select the device in the sidebar.
If you connect your device to your Windows computer using a USB or USB-C cable and don’t see the device in the sidebar, see If your iPhone, iPad or iPod doesn’t appear in the sidebar.
Select General in the sidebar.
To select backup options, do any of the following:
Select “Back up your most important data on your [device] to iCloud” to store backup data in iCloud, instead of on your Windows computer. Your device backs up to iCloud during the next automatic backup. This happens on your Apple device and not while syncing with your Windows computer.
Select “Back up all of the data on your [device] to this computer” to store backups on your Windows computer. Your device backs up to your Windows computer during the next automatic backup.
Select the “Encrypt local backup” tickbox to encrypt your backup data and protect it with a password.
Important: If you forget the password, you won’t be able to use your previous encrypted backups. See the Apple Support Article If you can’t remember the password for your encrypted backup.
To immediately start a backup of your device to your Windows computer, select Back Up Now. After the backup is complete, select Manage Backups to see the backup file.
Restore your Apple device from a backup
If your device has an issue, you can use a recent backup to restore the information on the device.
Connect your Apple device to your Windows computer.
You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable.
In the Apple Devices app on your Windows computer, select the device in the sidebar.
Select General in the sidebar.
Select Restore Backup.
Click the Restore Backup pop-up menu, choose the backup you want to restore to the device, then click Restore.
If your backup is encrypted, you must enter the password before restoring your files and settings.