Should your iPhone backup be the same size as space used up in your iPhone?

[cleanair]

If 30GB of space is used on your iPhone, does that mean your backup should be 30GB as well?

I ask because my backup is showing only 1.5GB as opposed to 30GB

 

[Blackforge]

Nope. The backup only needs to store the "user data" for each app and the rest of the backup will be your messages, etc. The apps themselves will download from the app store, music from Apple Music/iTunes, etc on a restore.

 

[Shirasaki]

No. Apps are not backed up. Music and video from iTunes library or streaming services are not backed up. Photo library is not backed up if iCloud library is enabled.

 

[cleanair]

What app should you use to separately back up your music if you didn't buy them from iTunes?

I thought iCloud can only store about 5GB of photos?

 

[Shirasaki]

Use iTunes to store all music you acquire from various sources. That’ll do it.
Yes. iCloud can only store up to 5GB of photos assuming iCloud backup is not enabled, unless you pay $1 per month for 50GB tier.