How to backup iPhone

I’m going to talk about 3 trusted ways to back up an iPhone. In short, you can use Apple-only tools like iTunes and iCloud or opt for a third-party software like CopyTrans Shelbee.

What is the best way to back up an iPhone?

Start
│
├─ Do you want to automatically back up your iPhone?
│ │
│ ├─ No → CopyTrans Shelbee
│ │
│ └─ Yes → iCloud / iTunes
│
├─ Are you looking for free programs for backing up an iPhone?
│ │
│ ├─ Yes → iTunes / CopyTrans Shelbee
│ │
│ └─ No → iCloud
│
├─ Do you want to back up your iPhone to a PC without using cloud services?
│ │
│ ├─ Yes → iTunes / CopyTrans Shelbee
│ │
│ └─ No → iCloud
│
├─ Do you want to back up your iPhone without iTunes?
│ │
│ ├─ Yes → CopyTrans Shelbee / iCloud
│ │
│ └─ No → iTunes
│
├─ Do you want to back up to an external hard drive (if there’s not much space on PC)?
│ │
│ ├─ Yes → CopyTrans Shelbee
│ │
│ └─ No → iTunes

Now that you’ve discovered your go-to software, use the table of contents below to navigate to the instructions.

• Back up an iPhone to a Windows PC or external hard drive with CopyTrans Shelbee
• Back up an iPhone to a Windows computer with iTunes
• Back up an iPhone to iCloud without a PC

How do I back up my iPhone to a Windows computer without using cloud services?

Back up iPhone to Windows PC or external hard drive with CopyTrans Shelbee

You should install CopyTrans Shelbee to your Windows computer and launch it. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a cable and click on “Backup” in the main software window. Choose any local or external folder.

Watch the video or follow the detailed steps below to start to back up your iPhone to PC now.

1. Download and install CopyTrans Shelbee for Windows from the official website.
   If you need help installing the program, refer to the installation guide.
   Download CopyTrans Shelbee
2. Connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB or Type-C cable. I usually opt for the Type-C cable because it speeds up the backup time.

Expert Tip: if your iPhone is not recognized, try another cable and USB port. If the issue persists, install free drivers.

3. Run CopyTrans Shelbee and click on Backup -> Full Backup. The interface is user-friendly – there are only 3 big buttons, so you won’t get lost.




4. Click on the pencil icon to select the folder for the backup. If you don’t select a folder, the software will put the files in the default iTunes backup folder (Where is the iPhone backup stored on the PC?).
   If you don’t have enough space on the computer, I recommend connecting an external hard drive to your computer and selecting it as the backup destination.



5. If you want to save your app data, check “Save the apps”. CopyTrans Shelbee will back up app data only if the app developer allowed it. But note that it’s a paid feature – a licence for 2 years is offered at 19.99 USD. You will also have to log in to the App Store.
   If you don’t want to save app data, simply untick the box to proceed. It’s not an obligatory step. All your iPhone data will be backed up, and nothing will be lost.



6. You will see a backup validation screen. You can “Skip” it or create a password and continue. The program will use the password to validate the integrity of the backup, making sure you can restore it later.



7. If you ever used iTunes, there’s a possibility that you created an iOS backup password (learn more about the password).
   Such encrypted backups include passwords, Wi-Fi settings, etc. (more about encrypted backups from Apple).
   CopyTrans Shelbee will ask you to enter the iOS backup password. If you don’t remember your iOS backup password, you can reset it.



8. Wait while CopyTrans Shelbee performs the backup. Do not disconnect the device and make sure your iPhone screen stays unlocked. The backup can take quite some time if you choose to back up your apps.
9. Success! You backed up your iPhone to a folder of your choice. You can also restore the backup to the same or another iPhone – no licence needed.

How to back up iPhone to computer with iTunes?

To back up an iPhone to a PC with iTunes, install iTunes from the Miscrosoft Store. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a cable. Open your device in iTunes and click on the “Back up now” button.

Here are detailed steps that show how to back up an iPhone to a PC with iTunes:

1. Install the latest official version of iTunes from the Microsoft Store via the button below. Then launch iTunes.
Download iTunes
2. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a cable. Choose “Trust This Computer” on your iPhone if prompted.



3. In the iTunes main window, click on the little iPhone icon on top. This is the iPhone that you have just connected.



4. The “Summary” menu will open. You will see the button “Back up now” in the “Backup” section. Click on it.



Expert Tip: a backup takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours. If your backup takes longer than that, make sure your iPhone has at least 500 MB of free space and use a type-C cable. See the article How long does an iPhone backup take, and why can it take so long? for more tips.

5. You can see the backup progress in the bar at the bottom. It will disappear when the backup is finished.

If you would like to try the new Apple Devices program, you can install it instead. The procedure is the same for the Apple Devices because it’s almost identical to iTunes.

How to automatically back up an iPhone to a computer when connected?

You can enable automatic sync with iTunes over Wi-Fi or cable. To do so, connect your iPhone to iTunes. Enable the automatic backup to iTunes in the “Backup” section.

Scroll down the menu and also tick the box “Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected” or “Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi”.

How to do a backup on iPhone?

Back up iPhone with iCloud

To back up your iPhone to iCloud, open your iPhone settings and touch your Apple ID account on top. Open iCloud from the setting list that appears. Select iCloud Backup in the next list and start the backup.

If iCloud backup seems to be the best solution for you, here are the steps to follow:

1. Make sure you have the Internet connection enabled. The backup via Wi-Fi is usually faster. But make sure you don’t use a public Wi-Fi connection.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings → your Apple ID (sign in if not signed in) → iCloud → iCloud Backup.


This is how the menu looks since iOS 26:


3. You will see a backup summary screen with the date and time of your last backup. Touch “Back Up Now”.

Expert Tip: the iCloud backup usually fails because the free iCloud space is exhausted. You need to get an iCloud Plus subscription in order to make a backup larger than 5GB. See the article What to do if the iCloud backup failed? to troubleshoot the issue.

If you want to schedule regular backups to iCloud, make sure you enable iCloud Backup in Settings → your Apple ID → iCloud → iCloud Backup. Once the switch next to iCloud Backup is on, your iPhone will be backed up automatically every day.

What to do if my iCloud backup is taking forever?

1. Charge your iPhone: the backup will start if you have at least 50% of battery or your iPhone is charging;
2. Restart your iPhone: it will refresh the system to avoid bugs;
3. Check your internet connection or switch to another Internet source: it should be stable and fast because poor internet performance considerably slows down the iCloud backup process.
4. Disable large apps and files backup: you have an option to select and deselect data to back up.

If the issue still persists, consider using iTunes or CopyTrans Shelbee to back up your iPhone on a Windows computer.

Conclusion: What is the best option for iPhone backup?

Whether you’re using iCloud, your computer, or a third-party app, the process is way easier than you think. Future you will thank you – no stress, no panic, and no scrambling to recover lost data when something unexpected happens. So, take a few minutes today to set up a backup. It’s like giving your iPhone a little security and giving yourself peace of mind.

Comparing different methods to back up iPhone data

The table below shows the comparison of the three methods described in the article. I hope it will help you choose the right solution.

Use CopyTrans Shelbee to back up your iPhone:

🔹 Choose any backup folder or external drive;

🔹 Validate the backup to prevent corruption;*

🔹 Choose between a Full Backup or backup of the latest changes;

Download CopyTrans Shelbee

* Unlike iTunes, CopyTrans Shelbee validates the integrity of each backup after it is done. Let’s say you have done 10 consecutive backups over a period of time, attempt #3 was corrupted in the process, but you were never made aware of this. That means that the rest of them were done in vain. The restore attempt will give you an error message.

FAQ: iPhone Backup

What software options are available to back up an iPhone to a PC?

The Apple-only official solutions are iTunes on a PC and iCloud on the iPhone. There are many third-party apps that do iPhone backups on a Windows PC. Consider CopyTrans Shelbee – the full backup and restore are free, but you can also buy a 2-year licence and enjoy special features like incremental backups, saving app data, custom restore.

Best free programs for backing up an iPhone to a computer

They are iTunes and CopyTrans Shelbee. iTunes is an Apple-only official solution. CopyTrans Shelbee is a secure third-party app that saves the same data as iTunes, but it also validates your backup integrity to make sure nothing is corrupted.

Is it better to back up an iPhone to iCloud or a computer?

If you want a wireless backup and you don’t mind paying for iCloud space, then opt for the iCloud Backup. If you wish to save money and don’t mind connecting your iPhone to a PC and launching iTunes, then do backups on your computer.

Can I manually back up my iPhone to iCloud?

Yes, you can select data for the backup. Go to the Apple ID settings on your iPhone -> iCloud-> Manage Storage -> Backups. Uncheck the data that you don’t want to be backed up. Learn more in the article “What is iCloud backup?”

Is it necessary to back up an iPhone to iCloud?

Not at all. iCloud offers you 5GB of free space, but it’s up to you to use it or not. If you want to secure your iPhone data, you can do backups on your Windows computer via iTunes or CopyTrans Shelbee for free.

Will a backup save my photos?

Yes, except the Photo Library files. It means that everything out of the Camera Roll won’t be backed up. E.g., photos and videos synced from the PC.

Will I lose my photos if I back up my iPhone?

No, nothing will be erased from your iPhone after a backup. But note that photos outside Camera Roll won’t be included in the backup. It means that only the Camera Roll photos and videos will be copied over if you restore the backup.

How to back up iPhone photos and videos to a computer safely?

CopyTrans Studio is the most convenient option because it offers 3 free full photo and video backups a day. The app is safe – none of your date is sent to any external, there are no annoying ads or card details required.

Your iPhone Photo Integrated into Windows Explorer

With CopyTrans Studio

• Do 1-click Full photo and video backup to any folder
• Set Automatic backups
• Get your photo library of any iOS device
• Access your iPhone on your PC via Wi-Fi
• Learn more about CopyTrans Studio

Download CopyTrans Studio!

Can I back up my iPhone to my computer without iTunes?

Yes, you can use a third-party app called CopyTrans Shelbee. It offers free full backups to a folder of your choice. You can also get extra features like incremental backup, custom restore, and app data backup at 19.99 USD for 2 years.

Can I back up my iPhone directly to USB / NAS through computer?

You can create a junction of the default iTunes backup folder to a NAS, but it’s complicated. The easiest way to back up an iPhone directly to an external hard drive is via CopyTrans Shelbee. Install CopyTrans Shelbee on your Windows PC, connect your iPhone to the PC with a cable, select “Backup” in the main app window, then select any backup folder.

How to back up an iPhone to PC without iTunes or iCloud?

Via CopyTrans Shelbee. Install it on your Windows PC, connect the iPhone to the PC with a cable, and launch a backup to a folder of your choice. The full backup and restore are free features.

Can I back up only messages/WhatsApp?

Yes, but you need to use third-party apps. For example, a software developer, CopyTrans, offers different tools like CopyTrans Contacts that can transfer your messages and WhatsApp conversations in a readable format.

How often should I back up my iPhone?

Back up your iPhone every 2 weeks, before an update, or each time you apply big changes. It’s a reliable way to prevent massive data loss in case something goes wrong.