So you want to Backup your iPhone on your PC? Kudos to you, because not many users realize the volatile nature of mobile devices and its effects on data. You are always one hardware failure away from totally losing your data and settings, forever.
Not only that, backing up your device is absolutely necessary if you want to transfer your data from your old iPhone when you purchase a new one.
Yes, there are multiple ways of backing up your iPhone or any other Apple device for that matter. One way is to back it up to iCloud and the other one is to create a backup on your Windows PC or Mac.
Let’s get to the point. Follow this article to know all about ‘how to take a backup of iPhone on Windows’. For Mac users and those who want to learn how to backup to iCloud, please visit these guides.
At CydiaOS – iPhone and Android Hacks, we do not believe in cramming too many things into one piece and make it look disorienting to the readers. So, here’s the short guide.
Backing up iPhone on Windows
When you connect your iPhone to your Windows computer, iTunes starts an automatic backup to that PC. Of course, for that to happen automatically, you’ll have to have iTunes installed on your computer.
You can also take manual backups of your iPhone whenever you want. Even after iTunes has already backed up automatically once before. Whichever type of backup you are taking, you need to know how to choose the files you want.
For that, you need to carefully sync your iPhone in the iTunes software. You need to select the type of content from the file types present on the left bar in iTunes window. They can be music, movies, tv shows, photos, info and file sharing.
Select the appropriate items by marking them and the start the sync process. This way the iTunes software becomes aware of what all item types you want to sync on this computer every time you connect your iPhone to it. Now coming to taking a backup, here’s how.
How to take a Backup of iPhone on Windows
- Choose your regular PC, or a new Windows computer with iTunes installed in it.
- Establish a connection between your iPhone and the computer using the provided cable. You can also sync iPhone data to PC through Wi-Fi.
- If it’s your regular PC, it would automatically recognize your iPhone and start syncing your current data.
- If you have not ‘trusted the computer’ yet, then do it when prompted and enter your iCloud account and password.
- Now in the iTunes app, click on the iPhone icon on the top bar. Your iPhone info opens up on the left.
- Now click summary and navigate to Backups. Click Back Up Now.
After that, in order to protect your back up from going into the wrong hands you can also encrypt that back up on your computer. To encrypt, select “Encrypt iPhone backup”, and set a password for that.
If you want to check out all the back ups you have stored on your computer, click Edit -> Preferences -> Devices. There you can see the list of all the backups both automatic and manual. To identify encrypted backups you can see that they have a lock icon over them.
Restore iPhone from a backup
- Connect the iPhone to the computer that has the backup.
- Open iTunes and let the iPhone sync. If prompted type in your Apple ID and password.
- Once again click the iPhone symbol that appears towards the top left of the iTunes window.
- Click on Summary in the left bar. And click Restore Backup.
- If you had encrypted that backup previously, then enter the password when iTunes prompts you.
The restoration of your iPhone from the backup you created on your Windows computer should now start. Do not interrupt until it gets completed. All the files that you had picked to be backed up previously, should all be back on your iPhone after this process.
If it was an automatic backup only the text messages, notes, call history and sound, widgets and contact settings may be restored, unless you had set the sync process otherwise.
In case something went wrong during the process and you want a quick fix to repair your iOS System do not hesitate to use these best iOS System Repair Software to get your iOS device out of trouble.
