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

After you’ve backed up your device, you’ll have a copy of your information to use in case your device is ever replaced, lost or damaged.

Back up with the Finder

1. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open a window in the Finder.

2. Connect your device to your Mac with a USB cable.

   • You may be asked for your device passcode. Forgotten your passcode?

   • You may be asked to allow the accessory to connect. Click Allow.

   • You may be asked to trust this computer. Click Trust.

3. When your device appears in the sidebar of the Finder window, select your device. Can’t see your device?

   

4. If you want to save Health and Activity data from your device or Apple Watch, select “Encrypt local backup” and create a password. You can’t recover your backup without this password.

5. Click Back Up Now.

6. When the backup has completed successfully, the window will show the date and time of your last backup.

   

Find out what to do if you can’t back up your device.

Learn more

• Restore your device from a backup

• Locate and manage backups of your device

• Back up your device with iCloud