- Content Saved to iCloud Is Available Anywhere
- Access Your App-Specific Data Online at iCloud.com
- Create a Photo Stream Using iCloud
- Using a Unique Apple ID for iCloud
- Backing Up with iCloud
- iCloud: Many Uses, One Storage Space
- Share Data with Other Nearby iPhone and iPad Users via AirDrop
- Stream Content from Your iPhone or iPad to Other Compatible Devices Using AirPlay
- Print Files Wirelessly Using an AirPrint-Compatible Printer
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Backing Up with iCloud
Another useful feature of iOS 7 is the capability to create a backup of your iOS device wirelessly, and have the related backup files stored online (“in the cloud”). Using this iCloud Backup feature, your iOS device can be connected to any Wi-Fi Internet connection. Your primary computer is not needed. Thus, the backup can be created from anywhere, and you can later restore your device from anywhere a Wi-Fi Internet connection is present.
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When you activate the iCloud Backup feature, if you connect your iOS device to your primary computer, the iTunes Sync process does not work. If you want to create a backup of your device using iTunes Sync and have the backup files stored on your primary computer’s hard drive (instead of on iCloud), you must first turn off the iCloud Backup feature from within the Settings app.
When activated, your iOS device automatically creates a backup to iCloud once per day. For this to happen, your iPhone or iPad also must be connected to an external power source. However, at any time, you can manually create a backup of your device to iCloud from within Settings. This can be done when your device is running on battery.
Follow these steps to activate and use the iCloud Backup feature on an iPhone or iPad:
- Connect your device to the Internet via a Wi-Fi connection.
- From the Home screen, launch Settings.
- Tap on the iCloud option.
- Tap on the Storage & Backup option that’s located near the bottom of the iCloud menu.
- About halfway down on the Storage & Backup screen, tap on the virtual switch that’s associated with the iCloud Backup option.
A new Back Up Now option appears near the bottom of the Storage & Backup screen (as shown in Figure 4.7). Tap on it to begin creating a backup of your iOS device. The backup file is stored on iCloud.
FIGURE 4.7 Manage and launch the iCloud Backup feature from the Storage & Backup screen, accessible from within the Settings app.
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The first time you use the iCloud Backup feature to create a wireless backup of your iOS device, the process could take up to an hour (or longer), depending on how much data you have stored on your device.
After the backup process begins, a progress meter is displayed at the bottom of the Storage & Backup screen within Settings. While the backup is being created this first time, refrain from using your iOS device. Just kick back and allow the iPhone or iPad to connect with iCloud and create the initial backup.
In the future, the iCloud Backup process takes place once per day, automatically, when your iOS device is not otherwise in use. These backups save all newly created or revised files and data only, so subsequent iCloud Backup procedures are much quicker.
At the bottom of the Storage & Backup screen within Settings, the time and date of the last backup is displayed. If, for some reason, the backup process could not be completed, such as if the device could not connect to the Internet, an error message displays.
At any time, it’s possible to manually create an updated backup via iCloud by tapping on the Back Up Now icon displayed on the Storage & Backup screen.
The purpose of creating and maintaining a backup of your device is so that you have a copy of all your apps, data, files, content, and personalized settings stored if something goes wrong with your device. If and when you need to access the backup to restore your device using iCloud, when prompted, choose the Restore from iCloud option.
Likewise, if your iPhone or iPad gets lost or stolen and is ultimately replaced, you can restore the content from your old device onto the new one.
iTunes Sync Is also a Viable Backup Option
When it comes to syncing data between your primary computer(s) and other iOS mobile device(s), as well as maintaining a backup of your iPhone or iPad, this can be done by connecting your iOS mobile device(s) directly to your primary computer via the supplied USB cable, and then by using the iTunes Sync process.
Because iOS 7 is fully integrated with iCloud, maintaining a backup of your device and syncing app-specific data, as well as transferring data, files, photos, and content between your Mac(s), PC(s), and other iOS mobile device(s) can now be done much more easily using iCloud. When you use iCloud Backup, your iPhone or iPad’s backup files are stored online “in the cloud,” not on your primary computer’s hard drive. Because this is the more popular way to back up and sync data, it’s the approach we focus on within this book.