How to back up your phone so you do not lose your photos and contacts
Learn how to back up your iPhone or Android phone to the cloud so your photos, contacts, and messages are safe even if you lose your phone.
What you will learn
In this guide, you will learn how to set up automatic backups on your phone so that your photos, contacts, messages, and apps are safely copied to the cloud. If anything happens to your phone, you can restore everything onto a new one.
What you need
- Your phone (iPhone or Android)
- A Wi-Fi connection
- An Apple ID (for iPhone) or a Google account (for Android) — you already have one if you use your phone
The steps
Step 1: Connect to Wi-Fi
Backups upload a lot of data, so you need a Wi-Fi connection. Go to Settings, then Wi-Fi, and connect to your home network or another trusted network.
Step 2: Set up iCloud Backup on iPhone
On iPhone, go to Settings and tap your name at the very top of the screen. Tap iCloud, then tap iCloud Backup. Turn on Back Up This iPhone. Your phone will now back up automatically every day when it is connected to Wi-Fi, plugged in, and locked.
Step 3: Start your first backup on iPhone
To start a backup right away, tap Back Up Now on the same screen. You will see a progress bar showing how much data is being uploaded. Keep your phone connected to Wi-Fi until it finishes. The first backup may take a while.
Step 4: Set up Google Backup on Android
On Android, go to Settings, then System (or Accounts and backup on Samsung), then Backup. Turn on Back up to Google Drive (or Back up my data). Make sure the Google account shown is correct. Your phone will now back up automatically.
Step 5: Back up your photos separately
Phone backups do not always include every photo at full quality. For extra safety, turn on photo backup. On iPhone, go to Settings, then your name, then iCloud, then Photos, and turn on Sync this iPhone. On Android, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, then Photos settings, then Backup, and turn it on.
Step 6: Verify your backup
On iPhone, go to Settings, then your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup. You will see the date and time of your last successful backup. On Android, go to Settings, then System, then Backup. Check that a recent backup date is shown. If the date is today, everything is working.
Tips
- Plug in your phone to charge at night and it will back up automatically while you sleep.
- If you see a message that your iCloud storage is full, you can buy more storage for a small monthly fee (Settings, your name, iCloud, Manage Storage, Change Storage Plan).
- Back up your phone before traveling internationally, in case something happens to your phone.
- If you switch from Android to iPhone (or the other way around), both Apple and Google have tools to help transfer your data.
Useful links
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Frequently asked questions
What is a backup?
A backup is a copy of everything on your phone -- photos, contacts, messages, app data, and settings -- stored safely on the internet or a computer. If your phone is lost, broken, or replaced, you can restore everything from the backup.
Does backing up cost money?
Both iCloud and Google offer free storage. iCloud gives you 5 gigabytes free, and Google gives you 15 gigabytes free. If you need more space, you can pay for a monthly plan. iCloud starts at about 1 euro per month for 50 gigabytes.
How long does a backup take?
The first backup can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and your Wi-Fi speed. After that, daily backups only save what changed and take just a few minutes.
Do I need to back up manually every time?
No. Once you turn on automatic backup, your phone backs up on its own every day when it is connected to Wi-Fi, plugged in, and the screen is locked. You do not need to do anything.
What happens to my backup if I get a new phone?
When you set up a new phone, it will ask if you want to restore from a backup. Choose your latest backup and everything -- photos, contacts, apps, and settings -- will transfer to the new phone.
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