How Do I Backup My iPad? Find Out Here

How do I backup my iPad

Backing up your iPad is important as you never know when your iPad could break and stop working. Losing all your cherished photos and music can be a nightmare especially if you don't have a backup of them anywhere. There are so many things that can go wrong with technology nowadays such as an update causing errors or accidently deleting all your files. It’s always good to keep a backup of your iPad - just in case the worst happens.

There are two simple and easy to follow methods on how to backup your iPad.

The first method is to backup using iCloud. iCloud is a service offered by Apple when you make an account with them. Their online cloud storage offers plenty of room to upload all your movies, pictures, apps and books. One of the benefits of using iCloud is that it allows you to backup your data from anywhere using your Wi-Fi connection. No longer do you need to stand next to your PC for hours, you can simply do it from sitting on your couch.

 

Make a Backup using iCloud

The first step is to make sure your iPad is connected to a Wi-Fi network. If you’ve been using your tablet at home for a while then the chances are it will already be connected and have the information stored.

The second step is to is to tap the settings icon on the main iPad homepage. Then follow the menu through by clicking iCloud and finally Backup. Once you reach the backup page there will be an option to enable or disable iCloud Backup. Make sure this is green and enabled. At the bottom of this page it should also give you information on the last time it was backed up.

iback ipad backup

The third step is to press the Back Up Now button at the bottom of the page and stay connected to the Wi-Fi until it's complete.

Once the backup has finished it’s best to check and make sure it was successful. If you go back into the settings options and go through to the iCloud setting you should be greeted with more options. Click the storage icon and then manage storage. It will show you a list of all your devices that have been backed up using iCloud. Make sure you select your iPad device and it should display information about the iPad back up such as the time and backup size.

There you have it, the backup is all stored online now. If you ever have an accident and need to access your backup just log on to your account and it will be there.

After you’ve turned on the iCloud backup, iCloud will automatically backup your device every day. In order for the daily backup to commence your iPad must be charging, have its screen locked and be connected to a Wi-Fi network. If all these conditions are met your iPad will automatically backup its data daily.

 

Make a Backup using iTunes

The second method is to backup using iTunes on your computer. By backing up on your PC or MAC it allows you to access the backups on your system without having to transfer them first. For the more advanced users it also allows you to store much larger backups compared to iCloud.

The first step is to make sure your iPad is connected to your system and you have iTunes opened.

The second step is to save any content that you’ve downloaded from the App store by clicking file then devices followed by transfer purchases. Once the transfer has finished move on to step 3.

ipad backup purchases

For the third step if you want to save health and activity data from your iPad then you’ll need to encrypt your backup. To do this you’ll need to select the box called encrypt [device name] backup and make a memorable password. If you don’t want to backup this data then skip this step and continue to step 4.

The fourth step is to select your iPad in iTunes and under the summary tab select backup now. An alternative way to do it is once the iPad is connected click file then devices followed by back up. After the backup has completed you can see if your backup finished successfully in iTunes preferences then devices. You should see the name of your device with the date and time that the backup was created. If the backup was encrypted there should be a little padlock icon next to the name of your iPad.

encrypted ipad backup

Your backup is now complete and stored safely on your computer just in case you need it in the future.

 

So there are the two methods to backup your iPad. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. If you’re just a normal user with not a lot of data then using the iCloud method would be the best. Whereas if you have a large iPad with over 64GB of storage then you might want to use the iTunes method instead. So now you know how to backup your iPad you have no excuse not to do it. Always make sure you backups are up to date as it will be a lifesaver when your tablet breaks!

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