User profile for user: infiniter
infiniter Author
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Questions about different backup methods

I have iPhone, iPad Pro and a Windows PC. The PC is used for backups of the iDevices to SSD. I also have a Mac Mini, but since more recently and never used it for backups. Not yet. My current purchase is an iPhone 14 Pro. Considering the backup options I searched the internet dor answers, but always only found answers to the How? not to the What? or How much?. Perhaps someone has answers:

  • Cloud
    • Never seemed an option, because slow. I also assumed that the backup of a, let‘s say, 60% filled 128 GB phone would not be done as cloud space is limited. Question: are cloud backups the same as PC/Mac disk backups regarding what is backed up?
  • Mac Mini
    • I learned that Finder does it. Questions: Is Timemachine used in the background of Finder? Or was Timemachine not made to backup iDevices? How complete is an iDevice backup on a Mac?
  • PC
    • iTunes is discontinued and only in the MS store. Not everyone has access. The last version still works on Windows 10 and supports my 12 mini and iPad Pro, but I doubt the 14 Pro. Questions: The mobile device driver is still updated or not? Couldn‘t find anything, not even on Apple‘s website. Not even a list of devices it supports, considering the 14 still being kinda new. I suppose if the driver would support the 14 Pro, I could continue to do the backups in iTunes. I will of course also use it to sync my music. If not, I hope there is an alternative for Windows users.


The basic question though is: is there a difference between cloud, Mac and PC backups and if so, what is the most complete? Thank you.


P. S. The forum forced me to select a topic. Itunes for Windows being under Music is weird enough, but there wasn‘t a more suitable option. Perhaps some mod can move the post to another forum.

Posted on Oct 5, 2023 12:08 PM

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
278,161 points

Oct 5, 2023 12:44 PM in response to infiniter

See the support article Backup methods for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support. In brief backups exclude data that already lives in the cloud, or should be added/synced to a device from a computer. You'll need to use an encrypted backup, or iCloud, if you want passwords to be preserved in your backup. Ideally backup to both iCloud and one or more computers so that if a restore goes wrong you have an alternative source to restore from.


You don't have to use the Microsoft Store to obtain iTunes for Windows. Use one of these versionless links instead:


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
278,161 points

Oct 7, 2023 6:46 AM in response to infiniter

Neither method backs up media, which should be on the computer that you sync from, and neither includes data that stored in the cloud and available simply by signing into the relevant account. You can only sync devices to one computer at a time, although you can potentially backup to multiple computers. In macOS 15 Catalina or later syncing and backup duties are moved into Finder.


tt2

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User profile for user: infiniter
infiniter Author
User level: Level 1
56 points

Oct 5, 2023 1:58 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks.

Seriously, the KB article never showed up in the Google results. However, it's confusing. If I understand correctly, neither method does save everything, but the backup to PC/Mac is stil the best option. It also speaks about syncing which is quite different between cloud sync and PC/Mac sync. So I think the best option is still sync with PC/Mac and backup to PC/Mac.

However, how to sync to a Mac? There is no iTunes on Mac anymore.

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User profile for user: infiniter
infiniter Author
User level: Level 1
56 points

Oct 8, 2023 5:53 AM in response to infiniter

Forget the post before. I wanted to edit it, then couldn't save. Later I couldn't delete.


Sure, but in case I can sync from a PC to my iPhone, the backed up content along with the sources is quite complete. In case iTunes won't support the newer phones, a Windows PC has no alternatives, at least none that I know of.


On a MAC, sync and backing up seems to be easy. I found a KB article: Sync music between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support. It tells how to sync music, but the option "Entire music library" is based on an actual music library I have to build first. But with what, the Music app? The same one that wanted to upload the entire music to the cloud, even in iTunes? I have > 150 GB in music, no chance that I will upload this to any cloud, apart from the fact it would take age.


Let's see. I will get my new iPhone next week and still hope iTunes will work with it. Using a Mac is cumbersome. Apple pretty much limits you in everything.


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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
278,161 points

Oct 8, 2023 12:46 PM in response to infiniter

Windows 7 is limited to older versions of iTunes, which won't support current versions of iOS. Windows 10 should be able to sync to the latest versions of iOS and iPhone. If you're still running Windows 7 you should be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Alternatively see Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community to copy your iTunes content to a new computer. If you copy to a modern Mac then you would convert the library to the Music format.


tt2

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User profile for user: infiniter
infiniter Author
User level: Level 1
56 points

Oct 9, 2023 12:34 PM in response to Michelleroach

Full backup to the iCloud makes sense if you have no PC, but then you cannot sync anyway. You only have that stuff on your phone you got from Apple. If you rip bought CDs to MP3 and want to bring them to your phone, it would require to have a PC/Mac. Once in the cloud, you could access from there. But everything beyond 10 or 20 GB takes a lot time to sync and I'm not sure if there is a cloud storage limit regarding backups and music.


Maybe music could be limitless if you an Apple Music subscription.

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