iTunes backs up your iPhone to your computer, storing photos, messages, settings, and app data in one file

iTunes is Apple's media and device management software for Windows and Mac computers. When you connect your iPhone to a computer running iTunes, you can create a backup — a complete copy of your phone's contents saved to that computer's hard drive. This backup includes your photos, text messages, app data, settings, and passwords, but not media files like songs or videos that iTunes already manages separately.

The backup process takes 5 to 30 minutes depending on how much data is on your phone and how fast your computer is. You can back up over a USB cable or wirelessly if your iPhone and computer are on the same network. iTunes stores the backup on your computer, not in the cloud, so you control where it lives and how long you keep it.

Key Takeaways

  • iTunes creates a local backup on your computer that includes photos, messages, app data, and settings, but you must have iTunes installed and a USB cable or wireless connection.
  • The backup process starts automatically when you connect your iPhone, or you can start it manually by clicking the Back Up Now button in iTunes.
  • You can encrypt your backup with a password so that sensitive data like saved passwords and health information are protected.
  • To restore from an iTunes backup, you connect your iPhone to the same computer, open iTunes, and select Restore from the backup file.
  • iTunes backups are stored only on your computer, so if your computer fails or is stolen, the backup is lost unless you have copied it elsewhere.

What you need before you start

You need a computer running iTunes, a USB cable that fits your iPhone, and enough free space on the computer's hard drive — usually at least 5 to 10 gigabytes more than the amount of data on your phone. iTunes is built into Mac computers running macOS Catalina or later (it is called Finder instead, but the backup function works the same way). On Windows, you download iTunes from Apple's website for free.

Check that your iPhone and computer are both updated to recent versions. If your iPhone is running an older version of iOS than your computer's iTunes supports, iTunes may refuse to back up until you update the phone first. You can check your iPhone's iOS version in Settings > General > About, and update it by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

How to back up over a USB cable

Plug your iPhone into your computer using the USB cable. iTunes will open automatically on most computers, or you can open it yourself. When iTunes opens, look for your iPhone's name in the left sidebar or at the top of the window — it usually appears within a few seconds of plugging in.

Click on your iPhone's name to open its settings page. On the left side, you will see a section labeled Backups. Under that, you will see options for where to back up: either "This computer" or "iCloud". Select "This computer" if it is not already selected. Then click the button labeled "Back Up Now". iTunes will begin copying your data to your computer and show a progress bar. Do not unplug your iPhone until the backup finishes — the progress bar will disappear when it is done.

How to back up wirelessly

Wireless backup requires your iPhone and computer to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Plug your iPhone into power — it must be charging for wireless backups to work. Open iTunes on your computer and click on your iPhone's name in the sidebar.

In the Backups section, select "This computer", then check the box next to "Back up automatically when this iPhone is plugged in". Your iPhone will now back up wirelessly whenever it is plugged into power and on the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. You can also click "Back Up Now" to start a backup immediately without waiting for the automatic schedule.

Encrypting your backup with a password

By default, iTunes backups do not encrypt sensitive information like saved passwords, health data, and home automation settings. To protect this information, you can add a password to your backup. Open iTunes, click on your iPhone's name, and look for a checkbox labeled "Encrypt local backup" or "Encrypt iPhone backup" depending on your iTunes version.

Click the checkbox and enter a password when prompted. iTunes will ask you to enter the password again to confirm it. Write this password down or save it somewhere safe — if you forget it, you cannot restore that backup. From that point forward, every backup will be encrypted with the same password. When you restore from an encrypted backup, iTunes will ask you to enter the password before it begins.

Where iTunes stores your backup files

iTunes stores backup files on your computer's hard drive in a hidden folder. On a Mac, the backups are in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/. On Windows, they are usually in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\. Each backup appears as a folder with a long string of letters and numbers as its name.

Because these folders are hidden by default, most people never see them. If you want to back up your iTunes backups to an external drive or cloud storage, you can copy these folders, but do not move or rename them — iTunes needs them to be in the original location to recognize them. If you delete a backup folder, iTunes will no longer be able to restore from it.

How to restore your iPhone from an iTunes backup

Connect your iPhone to your computer with the USB cable and open iTunes. Click on your iPhone's name in the sidebar. In the Backups section, you will see a button labeled "Restore Backup". Click it and iTunes will show you a list of available backups, with the date and time each one was created. Select the backup you want to restore from and click Restore.

If your backup is encrypted, iTunes will ask you to enter the password. Your iPhone will restart and begin restoring data from the backup. This process can take 10 to 60 minutes depending on how much data is being restored. Do not unplug your iPhone or close iTunes until the process finishes — interrupting it can leave your phone in an unusable state. When it is done, your iPhone will restart again and show your home screen with all your apps, photos, and settings restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I back up my iPhone if I do not have a computer?

iTunes backups require a computer with iTunes installed. If you do not have access to a computer, you can use iCloud instead, which backs up your iPhone wirelessly to Apple's servers. iCloud is built into every iPhone and does not require iTunes or a computer.

Will iTunes back up my photos and videos?

Yes, iTunes backs up all photos and videos in your Photos app, including screenshots and videos you recorded. It does not back up videos you downloaded from streaming services like Netflix, because those services do not allow copying. Music and podcasts you purchased from iTunes are backed up, but music you added from other sources may not be.

What happens if I back up to iTunes and then also use iCloud?

You can use both at the same time without problems. iTunes backs up to your computer, and iCloud backs up to Apple's servers. If your computer fails, your iCloud backup is still safe. If you lose internet access, your iTunes backup is still on your computer. Having both gives you two separate copies of your data.

How often should I back up my iPhone?

If you turn on automatic wireless backups, iTunes will back up your iPhone every time it is plugged in and on the same Wi-Fi network. If you use manual backups, back up at least once a week, or more often if you create important photos or messages you would not want to lose.

Can I back up my iPhone to more than one computer?

Yes, but each computer will have its own separate backup. If you back up to Computer A on Monday and Computer B on Wednesday, you will have two different backups from two different dates. If you restore from Computer A's backup, you will lose any changes made between Monday and Wednesday. To avoid confusion, most people back up to one main computer.