Start a backup from your iPhone's settings

You can back up your iPhone to iCloud without a computer by opening Settings, tapping your name at the top, then selecting iCloud. From there, tap iCloud Backup, turn it on, and tap Back Up Now. The backup runs in the background while your phone stays on Wi-Fi and plugged in — it typically takes 5 to 30 minutes depending on how much data you have.

Your iPhone backs up automatically once a day after that, as long as the phone is locked, connected to Wi-Fi, and plugged into power. You do not have to do anything else. If you want to check whether a backup completed, go back to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and look for the date and time listed under "Last Backup".

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup to turn on automatic backups and start one immediately.
  • Your phone must be on Wi-Fi and plugged in for backups to run, and they happen automatically once per day after the first manual backup.
  • iCloud stores your backup for 180 days if you stop using the phone, but deletes it if you sign out of iCloud or turn off iCloud Backup.
  • You get 5 GB of free iCloud storage; photos, videos, mail, and app data count toward that limit, but your phone's system software does not.
  • If you run out of storage, you can delete old backups, buy more iCloud storage, or back up only the data you need most.

What gets backed up to iCloud

iCloud backs up your photos and videos (except those stored in iCloud Photos), messages, mail account settings, notes, reminders, calendars, contacts, health data, home automation settings, and app data. It does not back up music you bought from iTunes, movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, or anything already stored in iCloud Photos.

Your phone's operating system and the apps themselves are not backed up — when you restore from a backup, iOS reinstalls from Apple's servers and your apps download from the App Store. Only the data inside those apps is saved. This means a backup is much smaller than a full copy of your phone.

Understanding iCloud storage limits

Every Apple ID gets 5 GB of free iCloud storage. Photos, videos, mail, notes, reminders, and app data all count toward that 5 GB. If you use iCloud Photos to store your entire photo library, that alone can fill your quota in days or weeks depending on how many photos you take.

When you run out of space, iCloud stops backing up automatically. You will see a warning in Settings that your iCloud storage is full. At that point you can delete old backups, buy more storage (50 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB monthly plans are available), or turn off backup for specific apps you do not need to restore.

How to manage backups and free up space

To see which backups are taking up space, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage. Tap Backups to see a list of all devices backed up under your account. Tap any device name to see what data is included — you can turn off backup for individual apps like Photos or Mail to save space without losing the backup entirely.

To delete a backup completely, tap Edit in the upper right, then tap the red minus sign next to the device you want to remove. Confirm by tapping Delete. This frees up space immediately but means you cannot restore that device from that backup anymore. If you delete a backup by mistake, you can start a new one right away.

Restoring from an iCloud backup

When you set up a new iPhone or erase and restore an existing one, the setup screen asks whether you want to restore from an iCloud backup. Sign in with your Apple ID, choose which backup you want (the most recent one is listed first), and tap Restore. Your phone downloads the backup data over Wi-Fi and reinstalls everything — this can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on backup size and connection speed.

During restoration, your phone will restart several times and may appear to be stuck on the Apple logo. This is normal. Keep the phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi until the process finishes. Do not force restart or unplug the phone. Once restoration is complete, your apps will begin downloading from the App Store in the background.

Troubleshooting backup problems

If your backup is not running, check that your phone is on Wi-Fi, plugged into power, and locked. iCloud backups only run when all three conditions are met. If your storage is full, delete old backups or buy more space. If you see an error message, try signing out of iCloud (Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out) and signing back in.

If a backup keeps failing, restart your phone by turning it off and on again, then try tapping Back Up Now manually. If the problem continues, check that you are using the correct Apple ID and that two-factor authentication is turned on. Some older Wi-Fi networks or networks with login portals can also block backups — try connecting to a different network if possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I back up my iPhone while I am using it?

No. iCloud backups only run when your phone is locked, on Wi-Fi, and plugged in. If you unlock the phone or disconnect it from power, the backup pauses and resumes later when the conditions are met again.

What happens to my backup if I do not use my iPhone for a long time?

Apple keeps your backup for 180 days after your last backup. If you do not back up again within that window, the backup is deleted. If you sign out of iCloud or turn off iCloud Backup, your backup is deleted immediately.

Can I back up to iCloud and to a computer at the same time?

Yes. You can use iCloud backups and also plug your phone into a Mac or PC to create an encrypted local backup. Both run independently and do not interfere with each other. This gives you two copies of your data in different places.

Do I need to pay for iCloud storage to back up my iPhone?

Not necessarily. If your backup is smaller than 5 GB, the free tier is enough. If you have a lot of photos, videos, or app data, you will likely need to buy storage or delete old backups to make room.

Can I choose which apps to back up?

Yes. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups, tap your device, and toggle off any apps you do not want included in the backup. This saves space without deleting the backup itself.