Even if they are not necessary to use or administer one iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, backups are recommended for all users. A backup or a backup copy is a file that contains all the data of your device and can be restored on it or on another device that belongs to you, in case you lost it or sold it the first time, you were forced to do a restoration or even a fatal error caused the loss of all the data on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. At the moment, users of devices with operating systemiOS have two ways to back up their devices: via iCloud and through iTunes.
If the first method is the most convenient because it does not need any intervention on your part or any connection with a computer, the second one suits the requests of most of the users. The backup via iCloud can only be done within the limit of the storage space you have, and this is 5 GB in the case of the majority - so insufficient if you have, for example, 9 GB of data saved on your terminal. Along with this aspect, some users simply do not have iCloud accounts, they don't want their data to be stored on foreign servers, but prefer to have it locally, on their computer, they don't always have a Wi-Fi connection or they have a slow one or they want to have a backup copy for more data. Of course, between iCloud and iTunes backups, you don't necessarily have to put one “or”, because no one stops you from making a backup in iCloud as well as one in iTunes.
The idea is that it doesn't matter much which backup method you opt for, as long as you select one of the two specified above, the choice is an excellent one. Just like iCloud, iTunes will back up, among other things, settings, messages, photos, videos, documents and saved games.
How can you backup an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch using iTunes? Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Connect your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to your computer using USB cable;
- Open the iTunes application;
- Click on the File option from the menu bar Mac's or the iTunes application (on PC);
- Select Devices;
- Click on Backup.
Note: If you use iTunes 10.7 or a previous version, then right-click on the device name in the sidebar of the application, then select Make backup.
Where is the backup stored? The backup data storage folder depends on the operating system installed on your computer. iTunes places backup files in the following locations and it is recommended not to move the backup folder from its original location:
Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ , where "~" represents your home folder. If you do not see the residence file in the Library, click on the Access menu>Access the file and copy the command above.
Windows:Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8: Users(username)AppDataRoamingApple ComputerMobileSyncBackup. To quickly access the AppData folder, click on Start and type %appdata% in the search bar, then press the Enter key.
Windows XP: Documents and Settings(username)Application DataApple ComputerMobileSyncBackup . To quickly access the Application Data folder, click Start, select Run, then type %appdata% and then press Enter.
