You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Accessing old iCloud Backups

How would I download and install an old iCloud backup that is 9 years old and was downloaded onto an iPhone 5 in 2013, as I want to restore an old backup so I can have all my old apps and everything back on an iPhone 5 running iOS 6. I thought the iCloud backup would be stored, I feel frustrated because Apple have moved on in the wrong direction as a lot of aspects of their original software was better and definitely more magical. Would i be able to download an iCloud backup from 2012/13 onto the iPhone 5 running iOS 6 today?

iPhone 5

Posted on Feb 7, 2023 7:28 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 8, 2023 1:24 PM

Hey there Bendy83,


Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities.


To get started, the first step would be to find out if the backup for that device is still available in iCloud. For help with locating previous backups, check out this link here: Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support


Find and manage backups stored in iCloud
If you use iCloud Backup, you won't find a list of your backups on iCloud.com. Here's how to find your iCloud backups on your iOS or iPadOS device, Mac, or PC.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
1. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
2. Tap Manage Account Storage, then tap Backups.
3. Tap a backup to see more details about it, choose which information to back up, or delete the backup.

On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later:
1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
2. Click Apple ID.
3. Click iCloud.
4. Click Manage.
5. Select Backups.

On a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier:
1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
2. Click iCloud.
3. Click Manage.
4. Select Backups.

On your PC:
1. Open iCloud for Windows
2. Click Storage. 
3. Select Backup.


If you're able to confirm that the backup is still available, learn how to restore previous backups with the steps in this next link here: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support


We do want to make you aware that if the backup was created on a device running a later iOS version, the iPhone would need to be updated to the same iOS version or later to restore the backup.


Let us know if the information above was able to help.


Have a great day!

1 reply
Sort By: 
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 8, 2023 1:24 PM in response to Bendy83

Hey there Bendy83,


Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities.


To get started, the first step would be to find out if the backup for that device is still available in iCloud. For help with locating previous backups, check out this link here: Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support


Find and manage backups stored in iCloud
If you use iCloud Backup, you won't find a list of your backups on iCloud.com. Here's how to find your iCloud backups on your iOS or iPadOS device, Mac, or PC.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
1. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
2. Tap Manage Account Storage, then tap Backups.
3. Tap a backup to see more details about it, choose which information to back up, or delete the backup.

On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later:
1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
2. Click Apple ID.
3. Click iCloud.
4. Click Manage.
5. Select Backups.

On a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier:
1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
2. Click iCloud.
3. Click Manage.
4. Select Backups.

On your PC:
1. Open iCloud for Windows
2. Click Storage. 
3. Select Backup.


If you're able to confirm that the backup is still available, learn how to restore previous backups with the steps in this next link here: Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support


We do want to make you aware that if the backup was created on a device running a later iOS version, the iPhone would need to be updated to the same iOS version or later to restore the backup.


Let us know if the information above was able to help.


Have a great day!

Reply

Accessing old iCloud Backups

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.