How to Back Up iPhone on Mac or Windows

Backing up your iPhone is essential for keeping your iPhone safe and ensuring that you can restore your iPhone data if anything goes wrong. Whether you’re upgrading to a new device or protecting yourself from unexpected issues, it’s important to have a backup option in place. Many users fail to back up their data regularly, assuming their iPhone is secure—until valuable information, like contacts or photos, are lost.

In this guide, we’ll show you different ways to back up your iPhone, including using iCloud, a Windows PC, macOS, and the AltTunes app. We’ll also explain how to backup iPhone without iCloud or iTunes, so your data stays secure.

Why You Should Back Up Your iPhone

Your iPhone holds valuable data—contacts, photos, messages, app data, and more. Losing this important data can be frustrating, whether due to accidental deletion, hardware failure, or theft. Regular backups help you:

• Restore iPhone data if you switch to a new iPhone or iPad
• Recover lost information in case of accidental deletion
• Protect against hardware failures and software crashes
• Avoid data loss when updating to the latest iOS version

The Best Ways to BackUp Your iPhone

1. Using AltTunes for a Flexible, Fast Backup

If you need an easy and flexible way to back up your iPhone, AltTunes is the perfect solution. Unlike iCloud, which offers limited free storage, or iTunes, which can be slow and outdated, AltTunes allows you to quickly create a local backup on your Windows PC or Mac computer..

How to Back Up Your iPhone with AltTunes

Step 1. Download & Install AltTunes

The first thing you need to do is download the software onto your PC. To do this, visit AltTunes' dedicated page and click on the “Free download” button. You can also use the special banner below.

You will be redirected to a “Downloading” page, where your download will automatically start. Once the download finishes, run the wizard to install the software and launch it.

Step 2. Connect Your iPhone to Computer

Plug your phone into your computer and wait for AltTunes to detect it.

Step 3. Back It Up!

You will see the option “Backup” on the screen. Click it, and you will be taken to a page with many options for customizing your backup. Review these options and play around with the settings until you’re happy. Then, click the “Back Up” button in the lower right corner.

With AltTunes, you can easily manage files on iPhone, including text messages, photos, and more.

Restoring Your iPhone with AltTunes

Once you have a backup, restoring your iPhone allows you to load that data onto your current device or a new one, like when you need to transfer iPhone to iPhone. It’s like transferring the “soul” of your old iPhone into a new device, bringing along your contacts, settings, and files.

If you ever need to restore data:

1. Connect Your iPhone to the computer where your backup is stored.
2. Launch AltTunes and Select “Restore”.
3. Pick the Desired Backup File and click Start Restore.

Your phone will now automatically be restored and will be ready to be used.

2. Backing Up Your iPhone to iCloud

iCloud is a cloud storage solution that lets you back up your iPhone data online. It’s a simple, automatic option to keep your iPhone backed up without the need for a physical connection to a computer. Check out how to move photos to iCloud and learn more about managing iCloud messages.

iCloud doesn’t back up any of your purchased apps, music, movies, or books, but you can still re-download them from the AppStore after you have restored your phone from an iCloud backup. All of your information will be backed up.

To back up your iPhone to iCloud:

1. Connect to Wi-Fi: Your iPhone must be connected to Wi-Fi.
2. Go to Settings: Open the Settings app, tap your name, then select iCloud.
3. Enable iCloud Backup: Tap iCloud Backup and turn it on.
4. Start the Backup: Tap Back Up Now to begin.

Note: Apple’s iCloud provides 5 GB of free storage, but you’ll need to purchase additional space if you want to back up more data such as photos or apps.

3. Using iTunes to Back Up Your iPhone (Windows PC & Older macOS Versions)

iTunes allows you to create a local backup of your iPhone on your computer. This method stores your iPhone backups on your hard drive, which means your backup folder can hold a significant amount of data.

1. Install iTunes: Ensure you have the latest version of iTunes installed.
2. Connect Your iPhone: Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to a Windows computer or a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier.
3. Trust the Computer: If prompted, tap Trust This Computer on your iPhone.
4. Select Your Device: Click the iPhone icon in iTunes.
5. Start Backup: Click Back Up Now. To encrypt your backup, check Encrypt iPhone Backup and set a password.

Note: iTunes tends to be pretty buggy when run on Windows as opposed to the macOS, so it doesn’t always work seamlessly. Most importantly, it only saves one backup of a single device and has to restore the entire device as is; you can’t pick and choose which Apps you want to be on the restored device.

4. Backing Up Your iPhone on macOS Catalina and Later

With macOS Catalina and later, iTunes has been replaced with Finder for managing iPhone backups.

1. Connect Your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.
2. Open Finder and select your iPhone in the sidebar.
3. Click “Back Up Now” to create a local backup on your Mac.
4. Encrypt Your Backup if you want to include sensitive information such as saved passwords and health data.

Note: Finder backups are stored on your Mac's hard drive, so ensure you have enough storage space.

In addition to creating regular backups, AltTunes offers unique features like the Time Machine approach, allowing you to view previous backups and choose the exact version you need. This feature is particularly useful if you need to recover permanently deleted photos or files. AltTunes also enables you to export contacts from iPhone or transfer contacts to iPhone, making it a comprehensive tool for iPhone data management.

Why is backing up often forgotten?

Although data is valuable, it’s easy to forget to back it up. Many users don’t prioritize backups until they lose important information. But losing contacts, messages, or files can be a nightmare, which is why it’s helpful to stay proactive.

Apps like AltTunes can simplify the backup process, offering flexibility and control over your data. Wondering about what exactly happens if delete iCloud backup? With solutions like AltTunes, you can safely manage your backups without relying solely on iCloud.

Conclusion

Although iTunes and iCloud are the only two ways to Back Up and Restore your phone that many people know, they’re not the only ones. Software like AltTunes can do everything they both do, including many more.

They’ve managed to unlock what it means to honestly give the control over to decide precisely how you want your data dealt with, making it the best option available in the market for now.

Try these solutions and find the one that works best for you! Stay tuned for more tips on how to manage your iPhone data securely.

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