Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

what is the best way to backup contents on the iPad/iPhone

B

bj097

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 27, 2013
347
23
what is the best way to backup the contents on the iPad so that the contents are preserved as original as possible? (perfectly original, not optimized version). I am not very familiar with iOS system

Will there be anything that is not backup ? Will it also backup contents on "Notes" and SMS messages (for iPhone) ??
 
bj097 said:
what is the best way to backup the contents on the iPad so that the contents are preserved as original as possible? (perfectly original, not optimized version). I am not very familiar with iOS system

Will there be anything that is not backup ? Will it also backup contents on "Notes" and SMS messages (for iPhone) ??
Click to expand...
Make sure iCloud backup is enabled it's as simple as that
 
Your only two real options are iTunes backup and iCloud backup. I've not had any trouble with iCloud, personally, so I use that (makes restoring/replacing a device easier since I don't have to have access to my desktop with iTunes to do it) though it's a slower process by nature of it's internet paradigm.
 
bj097 said:
I don't think iCloud by default backup original photos, It will compress / optimize the photos
Click to expand...

Nope, it backs up original versions. You are thinking of Photo stream (or iCloud Photo Library, or whatever they are calling it). That's a different service from iCloud device backups.
 
I wouldn't trust the cloud at all. Back up to your computer via iTunes. If you value your photos I would back those up with Photos (or iPhoto ... depending on what OS you're on) as well ... just to be on the safe side.
 
\-V-/ said:
I wouldn't trust the cloud at all. Back up to your computer via iTunes. If you value your photos I would back those up with Photos (or iPhoto ... depending on what OS you're on) as well ... just to be on the safe side.
Click to expand...
Yup do not trust icloud...
 
Night Spring said:
Nope, it backs up original versions. You are thinking of Photo stream (or iCloud Photo Library, or whatever they are calling it). That's a different service from iCloud device backups.
Click to expand...


Hello. How can I find out my photos on "Photo Stream"??
 
Fastest is a local iTunes backup to your computer. But then it "defeats" the idea of the "post PC era."

If you are only concerned about pictures, then just enable iCloud photo library. If you want some redundancy, you an also use dropbox or OneDrive to backup your photos as well.
 
icloud photo library is a PITA especially for a family or multiple device owners. One of my new years resolutions is to abandon that altogether.
 
I only use cloud for small stuff like contacts and such. Stuff I transfer between devices or I use iCloud over web to look up if no device handy. Fits easily in the free space iCloud gives to a non paid account.

I mainly rely on full backup to computer as a general rule.

Photo's (video) you would be best to separate out (export from iPhoto, case of video I import into final cut pro, work what I do there and the project gets archived/moved to external media when done) and put somewhere else. Or in addition to the full backup.

Paranoid aout video/pics externals that support some redundancy and drive failure strategies advised. Not saying you have to go NAS but...mine is 5 bay set up in hybrid array that allows for 2 drives failure. Barring 3 dead drives in record time, I get the time to replace and get the array not limping along.
 
Here's my backup procedure:

1. Macbook Pro stores ALL my photos and backs them up to Time Machine for an onsite backup.
2. Macbook Pro also backs up to Backblaze for an offsite backup.
3. Everything else we own (iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, iPod Touch) are backed up in iCloud. That has worked flawlessly for us so far.
 
pika2000 said:
Fastest is a local iTunes backup to your computer. But then it "defeats" the idea of the "post PC era."

If you are only concerned about pictures, then just enable iCloud photo library. If you want some redundancy, you an also use dropbox or OneDrive to backup your photos as well.
Click to expand...
But we aren't in a post PC era. They are alive and well.
 
pika2000 said:
Fastest is a local iTunes backup to your computer. But then it "defeats" the idea of the "post PC era."
Click to expand...

So what? That only goes to show that we are not yet in a "post PC era". The easiest and most efficient way to do many things is still by using a full fledged computer.

My problem with iCloud and other cloud services as a backup solution is that you have to pay for storage, and then require an internet connection to access it. iCloud only offers a pathetic 5GB of storage for free. At least other services like Google Drive offer 15GB, and until recently, Microsoft OneDrive offered 15GB free right of the bat, plus another 15GB just for setting it as your photo backup, for a total of 30GB free. What's Apple's excuse? 5GB is not enough if they expect people to use iCloud for backup and managing files for access across various devices. With so little storage, all I use it for is a quick way of transferring documents between my PC and iPad.
 
Agree. Post PC era is a crock. Its the same with iPad sales, going down thats a crock also

When you had a PC it was easy to upgrade or replace the laptop. With expensive smartphones, expensive tablets, there is only so much money to go round, so its expected that PC sales slide, as its used less. Same with iPads. Cant replace everything every year, its not like the iPad is used 4 hours every day by most.
 
tdale said:
Agree. Post PC era is a crock. Its the same with iPad sales, going down thats a crock also

When you had a PC it was easy to upgrade or replace the laptop. With expensive smartphones, expensive tablets, there is only so much money to go round, so its expected that PC sales slide, as its used less. Same with iPads. Cant replace everything every year, its not like the iPad is used 4 hours every day by most.
Click to expand...

I think it's also because of the advancement of technology. A PC, for example, used to feel obsolete after just a few years. Now, even a moderately priced PC is powerful enough to be overkill for a lot of users. Unless you're a PC gamer, or into heavy duty multimedia stuff, chances are a 5+ year old PC can still do everything you need it to, so people go a long time before replacing. Tablets are reaching that point too. Once you have an iPad, the average user won't need a new one for years, and thus sales decrease as the market gets saturated. Smartphones continue to do well because cellular contracts have trained people to upgrade their phones every two years like clockwork, but few people upgrade their PCs or tablets that regularly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: \-V-/
joeblow7777 said:
I think it's also because of the advancement of technology. A PC, for example, used to feel obsolete after just a few years. Now, even a moderately priced PC is powerful enough to be overkill for a lot of users. Unless you're a PC gamer, or into heavy duty multimedia stuff, chances are a 5+ year old PC can still do everything you need it to, so people go a long time before replacing. Tablets are reaching that point too. Once you have an iPad, the average user won't need a new one for years, and thus sales decrease as the market gets saturated. Smartphones continue to do well because cellular contracts have trained people to upgrade their phones every two years like clockwork, but few people upgrade their PCs or tablets that regularly.
Click to expand...
Agreed on everything. And your last point is why I'm switching to Google Fi. I feel suffocated by carrier contracts.
 
jetjaguar said:
does backing up to iCloud also back up your health data ? I know doing encrypted backups to iTunes does
Click to expand...
Encrypted iTunes backup is the best, it saves Safari log ins, iMessages, etc.

I use that and iCloud backups also, along with a separate hard drive and online with Crash Plan.
 
tdale said:
But we aren't in a post PC era. They are alive and well.
Click to expand...
Who said "post PC" era? Apple.
That's my point. Apple pushed iDevices as a post PC computing devices, and many consumers have pretty much only their iPhone/iPad as their "computer." Yet ironically it still relies on the "truck" PC for reliable backup. I myself still use iTunes backup.

But at least there's the iTunes option. Android is worse, with no easy way for consumers to have a complete local backup without resorting to workarounds/rooting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back