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The Health App data is not backed up???

iwayne

iwayne

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 12, 2011
318
117
Santa Clara, California
Why in the world is the health app not backed up via iCloud or the data not backed up when you sync? I had to restore my iPhone 6 yesterday. I restore from a backup, open the health app and it's EMPTY. What genius at Apple thought it was a good idea to have people store important life data and put it in an app that doesn't actually save records. Again what is going on at Apple?
 
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iwayne said:
Why in the world is the health app not backed up via iCloud or the data not backed up when you sync? I had to restore my iPhone 6 yesterday. I restore from a backup, open the health app and it's EMPTY. What genius at Apple thought it was a good idea to have people store important life data and put it in an app that doesn't actually save records. Again what is going on at Apple?
Click to expand...

Health and Medical information is very sensitive. So sensitive there are tons of laws around it. It's a good move on Apple not to store any health information on their servers even if it's footsteps or what have you.

For Reference

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/
 
From the Apple website:

Back up your health data

You can back up the data stored in the Health app to iCloud. Your data is encrypted as it goes between iCloud and your device, and while it's stored in iCloud.

If you're not using iCloud, you can back up your health data with iTunes if you select "Encrypt iPhone backup" in the Summary tab.
 
iwayne said:
Why in the world is the health app not backed up via iCloud or the data not backed up when you sync? I had to restore my iPhone 6 yesterday. I restore from a backup, open the health app and it's EMPTY. What genius at Apple thought it was a good idea to have people store important life data and put it in an app that doesn't actually save records. Again what is going on at Apple?
Click to expand...

I restored from my iCloud backup last week and my health data was saved. Steps, heart rate, calories, distance and medical ID card all transferred over without a problem.
 
gloomcookie1 said:
From the Apple website:

Back up your health data

You can back up the data stored in the Health app to iCloud. Your data is encrypted as it goes between iCloud and your device, and while it's stored in iCloud.

If you're not using iCloud, you can back up your health data with iTunes if you select "Encrypt iPhone backup" in the Summary tab.
Click to expand...

Well, Hell to my theory then LOL. At least it's encrypted.
 
Under Settings>iCloud>Backup.

It does write this..
"Automatically back up data such as your photo library, accounts, documents, Health data, HomeKit configuration, and settings when this iPhone is plugged in, locked, and connected to Wi-Fi."
 
And BMI, weight, heart rate, BAC, inhaler usage, times fallen, O2, blood pressure, medications one is on (if filled in medical id). Nutrition info (eg. Eating too many fatty slaty things?).
 
iwayne said:
All signs say this data should be saved/backed up. They've got to do a better job of testing and catching these bugs.
Click to expand...

In fairness this is an ambitious App with lots of API in and out's that must be air tight secure. Apple has HUGE plans for HealthKit and foresees it encompassing all of our health and medical related data into one digestible and comparable place. We are just on version 1 so there are bound to be hiccups and bugs.
 
Julien said:
In fairness this is an ambitious App with lots of API in and out's that must be air tight secure. Apple has HUGE plans for HealthKit and foresees it encompassing all of our health and medical related data into one digestible and comparable place. We are just on version 1 so there are bound to be hiccups and bugs.
Click to expand...

This is Apple not a second rate company. Imagine if the first iPhone deleted all your emails, contacts, calendar etc. If you put information in and it says it will be saved then it needs to be saved. I am an Apple fan but will not make excuses for what is my favorite company slacking off.
 
Last edited:
iwayne said:
Why in the world is the health app not backed up via iCloud or the data not backed up when you sync? I had to restore my iPhone 6 yesterday. I restore from a backup, open the health app and it's EMPTY. What genius at Apple thought it was a good idea to have people store important life data and put it in an app that doesn't actually save records. Again what is going on at Apple?
Click to expand...

What version of iOS were you on? There was an issue with iOS 8.0 where iCloud backups did not backup health app data, but that was resolved in 8.02 and I assume is still resolved in 8.1 (although I haven't tried it in 8.1).
 
iwayne said:
Why in the world is the health app not backed up via iCloud or the data not backed up when you sync? I had to restore my iPhone 6 yesterday. I restore from a backup, open the health app and it's EMPTY. What genius at Apple thought it was a good idea to have people store important life data and put it in an app that doesn't actually save records. Again what is going on at Apple?
Click to expand...

According to Apple, it should indeed be synced to iCloud:

Use Health on your iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 8
Back up your health data

You can back up the data stored in the Health app to iCloud. Your data is encrypted as it goes between iCloud and your device, and while it's stored in iCloud.

If you're not using iCloud, you can back up your health data with iTunes if you select "Encrypt iPhone backup" in the Summary tab.
Click to expand...

It also says it right underneath the Backup on/off toggle in Settings > iCloud > Backup.
 
Sorry to come to this thread late. 8.0 was not backing up health data so this may have been resolved with 8.1. I will be transferring to a new iPhone in the next day or so and I will have a chance to test it. Sure hope it's working now.
 
Perhaps this was resolved, but it didn't do it for me. When I upgraded from iPhone 5 to iPhone 6+ my Health Data did NOT transfer over from the iCloud backup. I was using 8.0.2 on iPhone 5...
 
Armen said:
Health and Medical information is very sensitive. So sensitive there are tons of laws around it. It's a good move on Apple not to store any health information on their servers even if it's footsteps or what have you.

For Reference

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/
Click to expand...

Right, but they should make this abundantly clear to customers. "We back up all your crappy photos nobody cares about, but when it comes to health data, you are on your own..." They should also provide a way to export or teansfer this data. If you can't restore your data, tou cery likely also can't transfer it to a nre iPhone when you decide to upgrade...
This happened to me too some time ago and i was very disappointed...
 
Stormycat said:
Right, but they should make this abundantly clear to customers. "We back up all your crappy photos nobody cares about, but when it comes to health data, you are on your own..." They should also provide a way to export or teansfer this data. If you can't restore your data, tou cery likely also can't transfer it to a nre iPhone when you decide to upgrade...
This happened to me too some time ago and i was very disappointed...
Click to expand...

Actually recently I learned if you encrypt your backups it does back up health data. well, at least it kept my Apple watch activity data when I restored it.
 
Armen said:
Actually recently I learned if you encrypt your backups it does back up health data. well, at least it kept my Apple watch activity data when I restored it.
Click to expand...

True. Doing an encrypted backup in iTunes contains the health data. So do iCloud backups because those are encrypted as well. The only backups that won't are normal non encrypted iTunes backups. (iTunes has both options)
 
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