Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (2024)

iTunes 12.13 Windows

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Table of Contents

iTunes User Guide

  • Welcome
  • How iTunes is changing
    • How to add items
      • Subscribe to Apple Music
      • Stream recommended music and video
      • Add and download music
      • Play Apple Music radio
        • Create an Apple Music profile
        • Share music with friends
        • See what friends are listening to
      • Customize Apple Music
      • Intro to the iTunes Store
      • Set up and view an account
        • Buy or download items
        • Rent movies
        • Download podcasts
      • Purchase music and video as gifts
      • Use a gift card
      • Create a wish list
      • Pre-order items
      • Download previous purchases
      • Use Family Sharing
      • Restrict access to explicit content
      • Authorize a computer
      • Problems using the iTunes Store
      • Import songs from CDs
      • Choose import settings
      • If you don’t see song information
      • Intro to using iTunes with iCloud
      • Automatic downloads
      • iCloud Music Library
      • Import items already on your computer
      • Import from other computers using Home Sharing
    • Transfer purchases from a mobile device
    • Import songs from the internet
    • Export music or video from other apps
    • Play music, video, and more
      • Play songs
      • Play songs from iCloud
      • Listen to internet radio
      • Play CDs
      • Use iTunes MiniPlayer
      • Adjust the volume
      • Adjust the sound quality
      • Problems playing music or audio
      • See movies, TV shows, and other video
      • See visual effects
      • Intro to playlists
      • Create, edit, and delete standard playlists
      • Create, delete, and use Smart Playlists
      • Use iTunes Genius
      • See which playlists an item is in
      • Organize playlists in folders
      • Save a copy of your playlists
      • Intro to burning CDs and DVDs
      • Create your own CDs and DVDs
      • Problems burning a disc
      • From a shared library
      • From email and more
    • Choose speakers
      • Stream content to Apple TV
      • Play movies on Apple TV
      • Get more help for Apple TV
    • Use HomePod with iTunes
    • Set up the iTunes Remote app
    • Intro to syncing
    • Sync iTunes content with your devices
    • Wi-Fi syncing
      • Sync photos
      • Sync app info
      • Transfer files
      • Problems syncing a video
      • Manage iPod shuffle
      • Use iPod as an external hard disk
      • Update device software
      • Restore to factory settings
      • Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
      • Turn on your device’s accessibility features
      • Get more help for iPhone
      • Get more help for iPad
      • Get more help for iPod
    • Customize the iTunes window
      • Change song and CD information
      • Add artwork
      • Enter and view lyrics
      • Rate songs and other items
    • Find items and duplicates
    • Find a song with the column browser
    • Delete items
      • Change where files are stored
      • Use multiple iTunes libraries
      • Convert music file formats
      • Move your iTunes library to another computer
      • Install plug-ins
      • Update iTunes
      • Change the language
      • Bypass the Windows firewall
      • Connect to the internet
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Change iTunes preferences
    • Symbols used in iTunes
    • Accessibility solutions
    • More information on the web
  • Copyright
Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (1)

Backing up means copying certain files and settings from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer. Backing up is one of the best ways to make sure you don’t lose the information on your device if it’s damaged or misplaced. It’s also useful to have a backup if you get a new device and want to transfer your previous settings to it.

Back up your device

iTunes automatically backs up your device when you connect it to your computer. But you can also back up your device manually at any time. And if you have iOS 3.0 or later, iTunes can encrypt your backups to secure your data.

  1. Connect your device to the computer you normally sync with.

    You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable or a Wi-Fi connection. To turn on Wi-Fi syncing, see Sync iTunes content on PC with devices on Wi-Fi.

  2. In the iTunes app Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (2) on your PC, click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window.

    Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (3)
  3. Click Summary.

    Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (4)
  4. Click Back Up Now (below Backups).

    To encrypt your backups, select “Encrypt [device] backup," type a password, then click Set Password.

To see the backups stored on your computer, choose Edit> Preferences, then click Devices. Encrypted backups have a lock icon in the list of backups.

Restore your device from a backup

If you ever need to restore backed-up information to your device, you can do so.

  1. Connect your device to the computer you normally sync with.

    You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable or a Wi-Fi connection. To turn on Wi-Fi syncing, see Sync iTunes content on PC with devices on Wi-Fi.

  2. In the iTunes app Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (5) on your PC, click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window.

    Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (6)
  3. Click Summary.

    Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (7)
  4. Click Restore Backup.

    If your backup is encrypted, iTunes asks you to enter the password before restoring your files and settings.

Automatically backed-up information includes text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, and more. In addition, photos in Camera Roll or Saved Photos are also backed up. Other media files (such as songs, videos, and some photos) aren’t backed up, but can be restored by syncing with iTunes.

See the user guide for your device or the Apple Support website.

Important: Before disconnecting your device from your computer, click the Eject button Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (8).

See alsoChange Devices preferences in iTunes on PCApple Support article: How to back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iTunes on your PCApple Support article: About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touchApple Support article: Use the Finder or iTunes to transfer data from your previous iOS device to your new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

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Now, let's discuss the concepts mentioned in this article.

Backing up your device with iTunes:

Backing up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is an important step to ensure that you don't lose any data if your device gets damaged or misplaced. iTunes provides a way to automatically back up your device when you connect it to your computer, but you can also manually back up your device at any time.

To back up your device using iTunes on a Windows PC, follow these steps:

  1. Connect your device to the computer you normally sync with using a USB or USB-C cable or a Wi-Fi connection.
  2. Open the iTunes app on your PC.
  3. Click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window.
  4. Click Summary.
  5. Click "Back Up Now" below Backups.

You can also encrypt your backups to secure your data. To do this, select "Encrypt [device] backup," type a password, and click Set Password. Encrypted backups have a lock icon in the list of backups.

To view the backups stored on your computer, choose Edit > Preferences in iTunes, then click Devices.

If you ever need to restore backed-up information to your device, you can do so by following these steps:

  1. Connect your device to the computer you normally sync with.
  2. Open the iTunes app on your PC.
  3. Click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window.
  4. Click Summary.
  5. Click "Restore Backup."

If your backup is encrypted, iTunes will ask you to enter the password before restoring your files and settings.

It's important to note that automatically backed-up information includes text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, and more. Photos in Camera Roll or Saved Photos are also backed up. However, other media files such as songs, videos, and some photos are not backed up but can be restored by syncing with iTunes.

For more detailed information and instructions, you can refer to the user guide for your device or visit the Apple Support website.

I hope this information helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.

Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC (2024)

FAQs

Back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in iTunes on PC? ›

Back up iPhone using iCloud

Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Turn on iCloud Backup. iCloud automatically backs up your iPhone daily when iPhone is connected to power, locked, and connected to Wi-Fi.

How do I backup my iPhone when my computer is full? ›

Back up iPhone using iCloud

Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Turn on iCloud Backup. iCloud automatically backs up your iPhone daily when iPhone is connected to power, locked, and connected to Wi-Fi.

Is it better to backup your iPhone to iCloud or your computer? ›

In most cases, Apple recommends iCloud Backup. When is iCloud Backup the best choice for me? iCloud Backup provides an easy and reliable backup solution. Use iCloud Backup if you want to back up your iOS devices wirelessly and automatically without connecting your device to a computer.

What gets backed up when you backup iPhone to computer? ›

A computer backup of your device, which is not the same as a sync, includes almost all of your device's data and settings. A backup from a computer doesn't include: Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books.

Where is iTunes backing up my iPhone on PC? ›

In the Search bar, enter %appdata%. If you can't see your backups, enter %USERPROFILE%. Press Return. Double-click these folders: "Apple" or "Apple Computer" > MobileSync > Backup.

Why can't I backup my iPhone on iTunes? ›

Restart all your devices. If you use a Mac, skip this step. If you use a Windows PC and iTunes won't respond or your backup never finishes, you might need to update, change, disable, or uninstall your security software. If you own more than one computer, try to make a backup on your other Mac or PC.

How much space does an iPhone backup take on a computer? ›

iCloud backup: An iCloud backup of a 128GB iPhone will typically require around 50GB to 100GB of storage space, depending on the specific content on the phone. iTunes backup: An iTunes backup of a 128GB iPhone will typically require around the same amount of storage space as the phone's internal storage, or 128GB.

What is difference between iCloud and iTunes? ›

iTunes is an application. It resides on your computer or your iOS device. iCloud is a place to store your digital stuff. Your music can be on iCloud, but iTunes plays it.

Is iCloud backup the same as iTunes backup? ›

Backing up an iOS device to a computer – either via the Finder or via iTunes – is easy, and much quicker than backing up to iCloud, because the data just goes over the cable that connects your iOS device to your Mac. However, these backups only occur when you sync your device.

Which backup is faster iCloud or iTunes? ›

Backing up to your computer is generally much faster, and restoring to a backup made on your computer is definitely much faster. Also, backups made on your computer include more data that iCloud backups (which don't included data that is assumed to be in your iCloud account such as your calendar).

How do I know if my iPhone backup is successful on my computer? ›

View and manage iCloud backups on your Windows computer

Open iCloud for Windows, then click Storage. Click Backups on the left. On the right, you see devices with iCloud Backup turned on.

Can you still backup an iPhone to iTunes? ›

A: Yes, you can choose which data to include in your iPhone backup. In the iCloud settings, you can toggle on or off various types of data, such as contacts, photos, and app data. In iTunes, you can choose to backup specific apps or include all app data.

Are photos included in an iPhone backup? ›

If you haven't turned on iCloud Photos, iCloud Backup may include photos and videos in your Photos or Camera Roll, as well as face information from the People & Pets album. When you use iCloud Photos, your photos, videos, and face information automatically sync to iCloud so they aren't included in your daily backup.

Does iTunes backup include photos? ›

Your iTunes backup includes: 1. Purchased music, apps, and books, 2. Photos and video in the Camera Roll, 3. Device settings (for example, Phone Favorites, Wallpaper, and Mail, Contacts, Calendar accounts), 4.

Is iTunes still available? ›

The iTunes Store still exists as a part of the Apple Music app, as it does on the Mac version of the app. Users can purchase music from the iTunes Store, as before, but fewer people are interested in buying music, since they can get all the music they want for a low monthly price.

What does iTunes backup include? ›

Your iOS device backup only includes data and settings stored on your device. It doesn't include data already stored in iCloud, for example contacts, calendars, bookmarks, mail messages, notes, shared photo albums, iCloud Photo Library beta, My Photo Stream, and documents you save in iCloud using iOS apps and Mac apps.

How do I backup my iPhone to iCloud when storage is full? ›

If you can't back up to iCloud
  1. In iOS or iPadOS, go to Settings > [your name].
  2. Tap iCloud. ...
  3. Tap Manage Account Storage or Manage Storage.
  4. Tap Backups, then tap the device you're using. ...
  5. If your backup needs more space than the amount you have available in iCloud, you can: ...
  6. If you still need help, contact Apple Support.
Nov 8, 2023

How to free up space on Mac to backup iPhone? ›

If you use your Mac to back up your iPhone or iPad, you can delete old backups. Uninstall apps that you no longer use. If your Mac is set up for multiple users, delete users that no longer need access to your Mac.

How do I free up space on my iPhone backup? ›

You can free up storage in iCloud by deleting content that you're not using:
  1. Check Recommended for You.
  2. Reduce the size of your iCloud Backup.
  3. Delete photos in iCloud Photos.
  4. Delete folders or files in iCloud Drive.
  5. Delete texts and attachments in Messages.
  6. Delete messages and manage Mail.
  7. Delete voice memos.

Can I backup iPhone to external hard drive? ›

Go to Finder > Locations > select your iPhone> Manage Backups. Select a backup > Show in Finder. In Finder, drag the backup to the external drive in Locations.

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