The two ways to back up your iPhone
You can back up your iPhone to a computer in two ways: through iTunes (on Windows or older Mac) or Finder (on Mac with macOS Catalina or newer). Both methods create a complete copy of your phone's data—apps, photos, messages, settings, and more—that you can restore if your phone is lost, damaged, or replaced. The backup lives on your computer's hard drive, not in the cloud.
The choice depends on what computer you have. Windows users and Mac users with older operating systems use iTunes. Mac users with Catalina (released in 2019) or newer use Finder instead. Both take 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data is on your phone and how fast your connection is.
Key Takeaways
- Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable, then open iTunes (Windows) or Finder (Mac Catalina and newer) to start a backup.
- You can choose to encrypt your backup so passwords and health data are included; without encryption, some sensitive information will not back up.
- Backups save to your computer's hard drive and take 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data you have.
- You can restore from a backup if you get a new phone, replace a broken one, or need to recover deleted data.
- Encrypted backups cannot be restored to a different Apple ID, so remember the password you set during backup.
How to back up on Windows or older Mac using iTunes
read iTunes from Apple's website if you do not already have it. Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable that came with your phone. Open iTunes. Your phone should appear as a device in the upper left corner of the window—click it.
In the left sidebar, click Summary. Under the "Backups" section, you will see two options: "iCloud" and "This Computer." Select "This Computer" to save the backup locally instead of to iCloud. Then click the Back Up Now button. A progress bar will appear. Do not disconnect your phone until the backup is complete—this usually takes 10 to 30 minutes.
If you want to include passwords, health data, and other sensitive information in your backup, check the box labeled "Encrypt iPhone backup" before clicking Back Up Now. iTunes will ask you to create a password. Write this password down or save it somewhere safe—you will need it if you ever restore from this backup, and there is no way to recover it if you forget it.
How to back up on Mac with Catalina or newer using Finder
Connect your iPhone to your Mac using the USB cable. Open Finder and look in the sidebar on the left—your iPhone should appear under "Locations." Click it. At the top of the window, click the General tab.
Under "Backups," you will see three options. Select "Back up all of the important data on your iPhone to this Mac" to save the backup to your computer. Then click Back Up Now. A progress bar will show how far along the backup is. Leave your phone connected until it finishes, which usually takes 10 to 30 minutes.
To include passwords and health data, check the box for "Encrypt local backup" before clicking Back Up Now. Finder will ask you to set a password. Save this password somewhere you can find it later—you cannot recover it if you forget it, and you will need it to restore from this backup.
What happens during a backup and what gets saved
A backup copies almost everything on your phone: your apps, photos, videos, messages, contacts, calendar events, notes, reminders, settings, and more. It does not copy music or movies you bought from iTunes, because those can be re-downloaded to any device linked to your Apple ID.
If you do not encrypt your backup, some sensitive data will not be included—specifically passwords saved in Safari, health and fitness data, and home automation settings. Encrypted backups include everything. The trade-off is that an encrypted backup can only be restored to a device using the same Apple ID that created it, and you must remember the password.
The backup file itself lives on your computer's hard drive. On Windows, it is usually stored in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup. On Mac, it is in ~/Library/process Support/MobileSync/Backup. You do not need to know where it is to use it—iTunes and Finder handle the location automatically.
How to restore from a backup
If you get a new iPhone or need to restore an old one, connect it to your computer and open iTunes (Windows) or Finder (Mac). Click your phone in the device list, then click the Summary tab (iTunes) or General tab (Finder). Look for a "Restore" or "Restore Backup" button and click it.
A window will appear showing all the backups saved on your computer, with dates and times. Select the backup you want to restore from—usually the most recent one—and click Restore. If the backup is encrypted, you will be asked to enter the password you set when you created it. The restore process takes 10 to 30 minutes. Your phone will restart during this time. Do not disconnect it until the process is complete.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is disconnecting your phone before the backup finishes. Always wait for the progress bar to reach 100 percent and for iTunes or Finder to say the backup is complete. If you disconnect early, the backup will be incomplete and may not restore properly.
Another mistake is forgetting the password for an encrypted backup. If you set a password and then forget it, you cannot restore from that backup. Write down or save the password in a password manager before you close iTunes or Finder.
Some people back up to iCloud instead of their computer by accident. iCloud backups are useful, but they are separate from computer backups. If you want a backup on your computer specifically, make sure you select "This Computer" (iTunes) or the option to back up to your Mac (Finder), not iCloud.
When to back up and how often
Back up your iPhone before you update iOS, before you sell or give away your phone, and regularly if you have important photos or data you cannot replace. Many people back up once a month or whenever they have added a lot of new photos or messages.
You can create a new backup whenever you want—just connect your phone and click Back Up Now again. Each new backup overwrites the previous one, so you only have the most recent backup on your computer at any given time. If you want to keep multiple backups, you can copy the backup folder to an external hard drive or cloud storage before creating a new one, but this requires manual file management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I back up my iPhone without a computer?
Yes. iCloud is Apple's cloud backup service, and it works without a computer. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and toggle it on. Your phone will back up automatically when it is plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi. However, this article covers computer backups specifically, which store data on your computer's hard drive instead.
What if my iPhone does not show up in iTunes or Finder?
Try a different USB cable—the original cable that came with your phone works best. Make sure your phone is unlocked and tap "Trust" if a prompt appears asking whether to trust the computer. Restart both your phone and computer, then try again. If it still does not appear, your USB port or cable may be damaged.
Can I back up my iPhone to two different computers?
Yes, but each computer will have its own separate backup. If you back up to Computer A and then to Computer B, Computer B's backup will not include data from Computer A. You can restore from whichever backup you want, but you only have one backup per computer.
How much space does a backup take up on my computer?
A backup takes up roughly the same amount of space as the data on your phone. If your phone has 64 GB of photos and apps, the backup will use about 64 GB of your computer's hard drive. Check how much free space your computer has before backing up a large phone.
What if I forgot the password to my encrypted backup?
There is no way to recover a forgotten encryption password. You will not be able to restore from that backup. You can create a new, unencrypted backup going forward, or set a new encryption password on your next backup. If you have important data on your phone, back it up again before you forget the password.