How to Back Up Your iPhone to iCloud

Backing up your iPhone means your photos and contacts are safe even if your phone is lost or broken. Here's how.

2 min read · 5 steps · Checked March 2026

1. Step 1. Turn on iCloud Backup

   Go to Settings, tap your name at the very top, then tap iCloud. Scroll down and tap "iCloud Backup." Tap the toggle to turn it on. Then tap "Back Up Now" to start your first backup right away.

   Quick Tip

   Apple's full iCloud Backup guide is at support.apple.com/guide/iphone/back-up-iphone-iph3ecf67d29/ios

2. Step 2. What gets backed up

   An iCloud backup saves your contacts, photos (if iCloud Photos is off), messages, app data, settings, and ringtones. Apps themselves are not backed up. They can be re-downloaded for free from the App Store. Photos stored in iCloud Photos are already in iCloud and do not need to be in your backup separately.

3. Step 3. Let it back up automatically every night

   Your iPhone backs up automatically when it is plugged into power, connected to Wi-Fi, and the screen is locked. The easiest way to keep your backup current is to plug your phone in to charge each night before bed — the backup happens on its own while you sleep.

4. Step 4. Check when your last backup was

   Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Underneath the toggle, you will see the date and time of your most recent backup. If it says "Never" or the date is weeks old, tap "Back Up Now" to create a fresh backup.

   Warning

   If your backup is more than a week old, you could lose recent photos and contacts if your phone is lost or breaks. Aim to keep it backed up every few days at minimum.

5. Step 5. Check your iCloud storage

   Apple gives you 5GB of free iCloud storage. To see how much you have used, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage. If your backup is failing due to full storage, you can upgrade to 50GB for $0.99 per month or delete old backups from devices you no longer use.