How do I back up my iPhone or iPad to iCloud?
iCloud backup automatically saves a copy of your iPhone or iPad to Apple's secure servers whenever you are connected to Wi-Fi and charging. This means if your device is lost, stolen, or stops working, all your photos, contacts, messages, and apps can be restored to a new device. Setting it up takes just a few minutes. Go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud, then iCloud Backup. Turn on 'Back Up This iPhone/iPad' and tap 'Back Up Now' to do your first backup right away. From then on, it will happen automatically overnight while you charge.
What to do
- Open Settings (grey gear icon) on your home screen.
- Tap your name at the very top of Settings.
- Tap 'iCloud' then scroll down to 'iCloud Backup'.
- Turn on the 'Back Up This iPhone' or 'Back Up This iPad' toggle.
- Tap 'Back Up Now' to start your first backup immediately.
- From now on, your device will back up automatically every night while charging on Wi-Fi.
The 3-Second Rule
Turn on iCloud Backup today. If your phone is ever lost or broken, your photos and memories are safe. Do not wait until after something goes wrong.
Important Warning
Apple's free iCloud plan includes only 5GB of storage. If your backup is larger, you may need to upgrade your iCloud plan (from $1.29/month for 50GB in Canada).