Back up an unmanaged iPhone or iPad with iCloud Backup
After a user backs up their iPhone or iPad, they can use that backup in case their device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged, or to move to a new device. A backup of a device to a Mac includes almost all of the device’s data and settings.
How a Mac backup works and what that backup includes
A local backup of iPhone or iPad to a Mac is a copy of the device’s data, including configuration profiles, that are saved to that Mac, rather than to iCloud.
A backup includes the layout of the Home Screen, device settings including restrictions and certificates, certain account types, contacts, and the Camera Roll. If the user doesn’t sync app data with iCloud, such as app data such as Safari bookmarks and Calendar events, that data can also be included. A backup doesn’t include apps, media synced with the Finder, or items already stored in iCloud or iCloud Drive.
Backups can also be unencrypted or encrypted. Encrypted backups contain even more information, typically privacy-related, from the device.
What iPhone or iPad backups on Mac don’t include
A local backup from a Mac using the Finder or Apple Configurator on a Mac doesn’t include the following items:
Content from the iTunes and App Stores or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books.
Content synced from a Mac or PC, like imported music files or CDs, videos, books, and photos.
Data already synced and stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, iMessages, and text (RCS and SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages.
Face ID or Touch ID settings
Apple Pay information and settings.
Apple Mail data.
Offline maps.
Select “Encrypt local backup” to include the following items:
Saved passwords
Wi-Fi settings
Website history
Activity data
Health data
HomeKit data
Keychain data
Safari autofill and browsing history
Call history
Note: To ensure the highest level of security for backups of organization-owned devices, it’s recommended to use an encrypted backup to a Mac and a device management service can require encrypted backups of organization-owned devices.
For information on backing up and restoring devices enrolled in a device management service, see Back up and restore managed devices in Apple Platform Deployment.
Common iCloud backup solutions
To make sure that iPhone or iPad stays backed up with iCloud, see the following:
Automatic backups with iCloud Backup
To ensure that iPhone or iPad automatically back up, confirm that the following conditions are met:
Go to Settings > [Apple Account] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, and verify that Back Up This [device name] is turned on.
Connect the device to a power source.
Connect the device to a Wi-Fi network.
Make sure that the device’s screen is locked.
If an alert says that not enough iCloud storage space is available, use the following methods:
Delete unneeded information to reduce the size of the backup.
On an unmanaged Apple Account, you can Update the iCloud+ plan to get more space.
To perform a manual backup, follow these steps:
Go to Settings > [Apple Account] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
Tap Back Up Now.
Note: On iPhone models that support 5G, your organization’s carrier may give you the option to back up iPhone using the cellular network. Go to Settings > [Apple Account] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then turn Back Up Over Cellular on or off.
How to manage iCloud backups
To reduce the size of an iCloud Backup, you can stop backing up unused apps, or delete old iCloud backups. If you turn off iCloud Backup for a device, any backups stored in iCloud are kept for 180 days before being deleted. For more information, see the Apple Support article Reduce the size of your iCloud Backup.
If an alert says there’s not enough iCloud storage
Go to Settings > [Apple Account] > iCloud.
Note: At the top, you can check how much iCloud storage has been used.
Tap Storage or Manage Account Storage.
Tap Backups, then tap the device you’re using.
Next Backup Size should show the size of the next backup. It might take a few minutes for the device to calculate Next Backup Size.
Use the following methods if the backup needs more space than the amount available in iCloud:
Delete unneeded information to reduce the size of the backup.
On an unmanaged Apple Account, you can Update the iCloud+ plan to get more space.
If a message says the last backup couldn’t be completed
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi to make sure that the device is connected to Wi-Fi.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update, and download and install any available updates for the device.
Try to back up on another Wi-Fi network.
Check to make sure that you have enough iCloud storage for the backup.
If the iCloud backup is taking longer than expected to complete
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi to make sure that the device is connected to Wi-Fi.
Check the upload speed.
Leave the device connected to a power source and Wi-Fi for 24 hours. If the backup still isn’t done, archive important data, and try the backup steps again.
If the iCloud Backup option is dimmed
Check if a restore is still in progress. Go to Settings > [Apple Account] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
Check whether you installed a profile that restricts iCloud Backup. Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management for a list of installed profiles.
Help for backing up to iCloud
If you need to help a user back up their iPhone or iPad with iCloud Backup, see the Apple Support article If you can’t back up to iCloud.