How Often Does iCloud Backup Occur?

iCloud backup is a remarkable way to keep your data safe. It ensures that sensitive data is retrievable if something happens to your Apple device. Yet, you may sometimes wonder: How often does iCloud backup occur?

This guide will explain how frequent iCloud backups happen and under what conditions. You'll also learn to manually initiate the backup process and much more.

How Often Does iCloud Backup Take Place?

Automatic iCloud Backup takes place every day if you meet the following conditions:

1. Turn on the ‘Back Up This iPhone’ feature in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

   

2. Connect your iPhone to a power source and a Wi-Fi network.
3. Ensure you've locked the phone's screen.

Going into details: How often does the iPhone backup to iCloud? Two different things happen: iCloud sync and iCloud Backup. iCloud sync takes place in real-time, provided you have an internet connection. You can go to Settings and see when the last sync occurred.

If you delete a photo, it should get removed from iCloud. To be sure, you can log into your iCloud account from a computer and browse the photos there directly.

iCloud Backup, on the other hand, does incremental snapshots of the device so it can later be restored. As explained, Backup occurs when three essential conditions are met. Device is connected to Wi-Fi (or cellular if you turn it on), plugged in (or on a wireless charger), and the screen is locked. You can see when the last Backup happened in settings by following these steps:

1. Open your iPhone's Settings, then your Apple ID.
2. Tap iCloud, then iCloud Backup.
3. Review the latest backup information.

   

How to Manually Initiate iCloud Backup on iPhone

You can manually initiate iCloud backup on your iPhone using simple steps. One, connect your device to a Wi-Fi network. Two, go to Settings, tap your name, and then choose iCloud. Toggle the Backup This iPhone button to On, then hit the Back Up Now button.

Check the detailed steps here:

1. Connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network.
2. Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap your Apple ID, then choose iCloud.
3. Tap iCloud Backup, then click the Back Up Now button.
4. Stay connected to the Wi-Fi network until the process is completed.

   

On iPhones that support 5G, your carrier may give you the option to back up using the cellular network. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Turn on or off Back Up Over Cellular.

You may get an alert that there's an insufficient iCloud storage space to complete the Backup. If that happens, you can buy more iCloud storage.

How long does an iCloud backup take? The process takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours. The exact time depends on the number of files to Backup, internet speed, and the condition of the device. Back-up times will often be short if you regularly back up your iPhone. You can see the date and time of your last Backup under Back Up Now.

How Many iCloud Backups Are Stored?

Apple's iCloud backup system keeps things simple. It follows an incremental policy, storing only one Backup at a time. So, the next time you back up your device with iCloud, it will merge the previous Backup with the current one.

A single backup per device ensures that you always have the latest data saved. The policy helps save storage space, allowing you to make the most of your free 5GB iCloud plan. Storing only the latest Backup also allows Apple to manage storage efficiently. At the same time, it ensures that your data is always up to date.

You can check the number of backups stored in your iCloud using the following steps:

1. Go to Settings and tap your name at the top of the screen.
2. Select iCloud, then tap Manage Storage.
3. Select Backups.

   

Here, you'll see a list of devices linked to your iCloud account and their backup details. You can choose a specific device to view its backup information, which includes the date and size of each Backup.

[Bonus] Back Up Your iPhone Without iCloud

iCloud offers excellent convenience for iOS users to back up and restore their data. But there's an alternative: Wondershare MobileTrans - Backup & Restore. With this, you can back up your iPhone to a computer and, when needed, restore the data in one click! You can even restore your data to an Android.

Once backed up on your PC, you don't need the Internet to access your data! You can access and manage your data even when you’re offline. The tool is also secure, easy to use, and fast. It supports many data types, including photos, videos, contacts, messages, and more.

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Here's how to Backup your iPhone with Wondershare MobileTrans:

1. Connect your iPhone to the Mac or Windows PC.
2. Download and install MobileTrans on your computer. Once the installation is complete, open the software.
3. Go to Backup & Restore > Backup under Phone Backup & Restore.

   

4. MobileTrans will load all the supported data types on your iPhone. Select the ones you wish to back up.

   

5. Click the Start button to begin the backup process. Keep your phone connected until the end.

You can view what is backed up using Restore from the MobileTrans backup file in Restore mode. As mentioned, you can restore the data to the current iPhone or any other phone when needed.

Conclusion

You now have the answer to the question: How often does iCloud back up? You know that iCloud automatically backs up your iPhone daily. But, some conditions must be met for this to happen:

• You must have turned on the ‘Back Up This iPhone’ feature in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
• Plug in your device and connect it to a Wi-Fi network.
• Ensure the screen is locked.

You can also manually back up your iPhone at any time in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Tap ‘Back Up Now’ and keep your iPhone connected to a Wi-Fi network until the process completes. Remember that MobileTrans can back up and restore your iPhone to and from any computer without internet access!

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