You can back up an iPhone with iCloud, a Mac or a Windows PC. Here are the steps for each method, what to do when iCloud is full, how to check the backup worked and how to restore everything.
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2026-10-02
A backup is your only safety net if your iPhone gets lost, breaks or is replaced by another phone. You can make one in three ways: in iCloud, on a Mac or on a Windows PC. Below are the steps with the menu names used in iOS 26, followed by how to restore the backup.
In short: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. Not enough iCloud space? Make an encrypted backup on your computer.
| Method | Where the backup is stored | What you need | Passwords and health data |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCloud | Online, in your Apple Account | Wi-Fi and enough iCloud storage (5 GB is free) | Synced through iCloud if they are turned on in your iCloud settings |
| Mac (Finder) | On your Mac | Cable, macOS 10.15 or later (older: iTunes) | Only in an encrypted backup |
| Windows PC | On your PC | Cable, Apple Devices app or iTunes | Only in an encrypted backup |
With the switch on, iCloud backs up your iPhone every day when it is connected to power, locked and on Wi-Fi. On iPhones with 5G it can also use the mobile network if your carrier allows it: turn on Back Up Over Cellular on the same screen.
Photos, contacts, calendars and messages that already sync with iCloud are not copied into the backup a second time. They are already safe in iCloud. The backup covers the rest: settings, your Home Screen layout, app data, and your photos if iCloud Photos is turned off.
The free 5 GB is too little for most iPhones. You have three options.
The Finder method works on macOS 10.15 or later. On an older Mac you do the same in iTunes.
A tip from the workshop: if the computer doesn't see your iPhone, try a different cable first. Not every charging cable transfers data.
A regular computer backup leaves out sensitive data. Only with "Encrypt local backup" does it also include your saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, website history, call history and health data. Face ID, Touch ID and your device passcode are never included in a backup.
Keep the password somewhere safe. Without it you cannot restore the backup. If you forget it, you can set a new backup password, but your old encrypted backups can no longer be used. Make a new backup straight away.
If today's date isn't there, the backup didn't work. Do it again before you erase, repair or sell anything.
You restore during setup of a new or freshly erased iPhone. If the phone is already set up, you first need to erase all content.
Still have your old iPhone? You can also use Quick Start: place both phones side by side and follow the steps on screen.
After restoring, some apps, such as banking apps and two-factor authentication apps, ask you to sign in or activate them again. Keep your login details at hand. If you use WhatsApp, also check WhatsApp's own chat backup; see transferring WhatsApp chats.
Before a repair. When a screen or battery is replaced, your data normally stays where it is. But a phone that no longer starts properly after a drop or water damage sometimes has to be restored through a computer, and without a backup everything is gone. So make a backup before you bring your iPhone in for . If the screen only half works, do it as soon as possible, while you can still enter your passcode.
Before selling or trading in. You erase your old iPhone completely before handing it over. The order is always: back up, check that it worked, and only then sign out and erase. The step-by-step guide is in reset and wipe your iPhone before selling. After that you can sell or trade in your phone with us.
With iCloud Backup on, it happens automatically every day. A computer backup you start yourself. Do one at least before a major iOS update, a repair or a sale.
If you turn off iCloud Backup for a device, Apple keeps the last backup for 180 days.
If iCloud Photos is on, your photos are already in iCloud and not in the backup. If it's off, they are included in the backup. Want a separate copy on your computer as well? Read moving photos from your iPhone to your PC.
With a successful backup you can safely erase your old phone and sell it or trade it in with us. Then restore your backup to a refurbished iPhone with a 2-year warranty and 30-day returns.
Refurbished iPhones met 2 jaar garantie. Elk toestel doorloopt ons 50-punts inspectieproces en wordt geleverd met 2 jaar garantie.
Every refurbished phone is sold in one of four conditions:
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