The Two Ways to Back Up Your iPhone
You can back up your iPhone to your computer in two ways: through iTunes (on Windows or older Mac computers) or through Finder (on Mac computers running macOS Catalina or newer). Both methods store a complete copy of your phone's data—photos, contacts, messages, settings, and apps—on your hard drive so you can restore it if something goes wrong.
The backup includes everything except content you bought from Apple (music, books, movies) and data already stored in iCloud. If your computer crashes or your iPhone is lost or damaged, you can use this backup to put your phone back exactly as it was.
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 must trust the computer on your iPhone the first time you connect it, or the backup will not proceed.
- A full backup takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data is on your phone and how fast your connection is.
- Encrypted backups protect your passwords and health data; unencrypted backups do not, but either type restores your phone completely.
- You can set up automatic backups to run whenever your iPhone is plugged in and your computer is unlocked.
Backing Up on a Mac with Finder
If you have a Mac running macOS Catalina (released in 2019) or newer, use Finder instead of iTunes. Plug your iPhone into your Mac with a USB cable. Your phone should appear in the Finder sidebar under Locations within a few seconds.
Click your iPhone's name in the sidebar. A window opens showing your phone's storage and backup options. Under "Backups," you will see a button that says "Back Up Now." Click it. A progress bar appears at the top of the window showing how much data has been copied. Do not unplug your phone until the bar reaches 100 percent and disappears—this usually takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much is on your phone.
The first time you connect, your Mac will ask "Do you trust this computer?" on your iPhone's screen. Tap "Trust" and enter your passcode. If you skip this step, Finder cannot back up your phone. You only have to do this once per computer.
Backing Up on Windows or Older Mac with iTunes
If you use Windows or a Mac older than Catalina, read iTunes from Apple's website (it is free). Install it, then plug your iPhone into your computer with a USB cable. iTunes opens automatically or you can open it from your Start menu (Windows) or Applications folder (Mac).
Your iPhone appears as a device icon near the top left of the iTunes window. Click it. A summary page opens showing your phone's storage, capacity, and backup options. Under "Backups," click the button labeled "Back Up Now." A progress bar shows the backup running. Leave your phone plugged in until it finishes—usually 10 to 30 minutes.
Like Finder, iTunes will ask you to trust the computer on your iPhone the first time. Tap "Trust" on your phone and enter your passcode. After that, backups run without asking.
Choosing Between Encrypted and Unencrypted Backups
Both Finder and iTunes offer a checkbox for "Encrypt iPhone backup." This choice matters because encrypted backups include passwords, health data, and home automation settings. Unencrypted backups do not—if you restore from an unencrypted backup, you will have to re-enter passwords and reconfigure those features by hand.
If you check the encryption box, you must set a password. Write this password down or store it somewhere safe. If you forget it, you cannot restore from that backup. If you leave the box unchecked, your backup is not encrypted, but you also do not have to remember a password.
Most people should use encryption because the extra security is worth the small inconvenience of remembering one password. If you share your computer with others or use a public computer, encryption is especially important.
Setting Up Automatic Backups
Both Finder and iTunes can back up your phone automatically every time you plug it in. In Finder, open your iPhone's summary page (click the device icon, then the General tab). Check the box next to "Automatically back up." In iTunes, the same checkbox is on the summary page under "Backups."
Automatic backups only run when your computer is unlocked and your phone stays plugged in. If you lock your computer or unplug your phone, the backup pauses and resumes the next time you plug in. This means you do not have to remember to back up manually—it happens in the background.
If you have automatic backups turned on and you plug in your phone while your computer is asleep, the backup will not start until you wake the computer. Some people leave their computer on overnight so backups can run while they sleep.
Troubleshooting Common Backup Problems
If Finder or iTunes does not recognize your iPhone, try these steps in order: first, unplug the cable and plug it back in; second, restart your computer; third, restart your iPhone (hold the power button, slide to power off, wait 10 seconds, then power back on); fourth, try a different USB cable or USB port on your computer. Damaged cables are the most common reason a backup will not start.
If the backup starts but stops partway through, your USB connection probably dropped. Plug the phone back in and click "Back Up Now" again. The backup will resume from where it left off, not start over. If it keeps stopping at the same point, try a different cable or port.
If you see a message saying your computer is not trusted, tap "Trust" on your iPhone again and re-enter your passcode. Sometimes this message appears even after you have already trusted the computer—just repeat the step.
If your backup is taking longer than an hour, your phone may be running out of storage space on your computer's hard drive. Check how much free space your computer has. A backup needs at least as much free space as the amount of data on your phone. If your computer is nearly full, back up to an external hard drive instead, or delete files from your computer to make room.
Where Your Backup Is Stored
On a Mac, backups are stored in a hidden folder at ~/Library/process Support/MobileSync/Backup/. You do not need to know this location to restore your phone—Finder and iTunes find the backup automatically. But if you want to move your backup to an external hard drive or check how much space it is using, you can navigate there.
On Windows, backups are stored in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Apple\MobileSync\Backup\. Again, iTunes finds it automatically, but you can browse there if you need to.
Each backup is a folder with a long string of letters and numbers as its name. Do not rename or move these folders unless you know what you are doing—doing so can make the backup unreadable. If you want to keep multiple backups, the safest way is to let iTunes or Finder manage them, or to copy the entire Backup folder to an external drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I back up my iPhone to iCloud instead of my computer?
Yes. iCloud backups are automatic and do not require a cable. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and turn it on. Your phone backs up automatically when plugged in, connected to Wi-Fi, and locked. A computer backup and an iCloud backup are separate—you can have both, and many people do for extra safety.
What happens if I back up to my computer and then get a new iPhone?
When you set up the new iPhone, it asks whether you want to restore from a backup. Choose your computer backup from the list, and iTunes or Finder will copy everything back onto the new phone. This includes all your apps, photos, messages, and settings—the new phone becomes an exact copy of the old one.
Do I need to back up if I use iCloud?
iCloud backups are good, but a computer backup is safer because you control it and it is not dependent on your internet connection or Apple's servers. Many people use both: iCloud for convenience and a computer backup as a second copy in case something goes wrong with iCloud.
How often should I back up my iPhone?
If you have automatic backups turned on, your phone backs up every time you plug it in. If you do not use automatic backups, back up at least once a week, or more often if you take a lot of photos or make important changes to your phone. The more often you back up, the less data you lose if something goes wrong.
Can I back up just my photos instead of everything?
Finder and iTunes do not offer selective backups—they back up everything or nothing. If you only want to back up photos, use iCloud Photos or copy them manually to a folder on your computer. A full backup is still useful because it includes settings, messages, and other data that photos alone do not cover.