Difference between Sync and Backup?

geekgirrl wrote:

In early posts it says that syncing also creates a backup. Were they wrong?

When syncing a backup is also created. They are done at the same time but they are not the same thing.

still afraid to sync as it might delete my app data and if I update I might find my pics and contacts gone and they are not synced with anything, they are only backed up by iTunes backup.

iTunes should sync the photos and contacts between computer and iPad. Connect the iPad and click the Info tab then scroll down to see what applications on your computer (contacts and calendar) the iPad is sync'd with.

Clickt he Photos tab to see which pjhotos are sync'd.

See this for info on what is backed up.-> http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4946

Note that to get this backed up info back onto your iPad, you need to Restore from backup.

Photos and contacts and calendars (and music and movies and tv shows and audiobooks) will simply be sync'd as shown in the tabs across the top when selecting the iPad in iTunes.

Last week I synced my iPhone with Itunes yet Under ITUNES>Preferences>Devices the last backup that's listed is from October 2011. So if I restore from backup now, won't l be getting the Oct 2011 version of my iphone instead of my "last week's" version of it?

so, may i ask if i have latest notes on my new iphone (by doing a restore from the itune using last backup of the old iphone which was a gap of months' back) but would like all other latest stuff in my old phone (apart from notes which were lost by accident ) to all go into my new iphone, do i do a backup of the new iphone or backup and sync? anyone know how i can merge the two info into one? am very confused....search the whole url for the past few days but still very confused. any advice is greatly appreciated...

I just went through this with my sister. She upgraded her iPhone 4 to the 4s and noticed that it only had data from last August 3rd 2011. I had her right click on her DEVICE when it was plugged in via USB to her computer. The information showed her last back up was August 3rd 2011.....

She claimed that she plugs the phone in and selects the "SYNC" button a couple of times a week- so how could this be!

I guess that is all it is doing...syncing. IF you want a back up as well, you also need to do an additional step to Backup your phone or iPad. So she right clicked her DEVICE and selected "backup" and now her device is backed up to that current date/time.

I have had an iPhone since the 3G and can't remember what version iTunes I was on then, but I have always stayed current/updated. I remember you could select one button and the sync and back up would occur.

Maybe there is a setting to change to allow for this dual purpose function? Purchases are transferred automatically now in my version, so I no longer have to manually select to do so (unless I am missing something)

Still, it is too confusing for even an above average tech person to deal with...you would think Apple would streamline this or give the option of what you want your sync button to do (one or all 3 actions).

Well I enjoyed reading this discussion. Thank you all for posting. Gotta love the iPad.

We have a lot of customers who are confused by sync vs backup, so I wrote up this explanation (which is meant to be in plain english 🙂) and made a video as well:

http://decipher-media.blogspot.com/2011/05/itunes-sync-vs-backup-how-to-ensure-y ou.html

I hope it is helpful!

Kelly Wilkerson wrote:

We have a lot of customers

Who is "we"?

Chris CA wrote:

Kelly Wilkerson wrote:

We have a lot of customers

Who is "we"?

My apologies, I was trying to keep my post from being blatant advertising 😉

"We" is Decipher Media, a small software company -- we do mobile development and desktop software. One of our products is a tool for reading messages (texts or voicemail) out of the backups, so we spend a lot of time talking with folks about the backup process and managing their backups.

I found this thread today because I was doing some background reading for the launch of a new beta application we're doing today. Decipher Backup Browser will actually let you browse around the iPhone/iPad/iTouch backups in a view that's much easier than the pile of mangled-hashcode-named files. It's nice for recovering files from the backups (like app data, camera roll, or voice notes, etc), or if you're just curious what's in the backup.

It should be up here later this evening http://deciphertools.com, but if you want to contact us through the support form, I can send you a copy before the site is updated.

excellent explanation - thank you!!!!!

No worries,

Please see item #6 here -> https://discussions.apple.com/static/apple/tutorial/tou.html

This may help. If you are doing a "sync," look at the little box at the top where it tells you what operation is being performed. It will say "syncing" but it may or may not ALSO ssay "backing up." If it does say backing up, then you will know that you have both synced and backed up. If it does not say backing up, then it has only synced. My experience it will say backing up maybe half the time. Simple as that. If it does not, in addition, say backing up, then you can feel free to make your own backup, which you know how to do, ie. right clicking and selecting back up, doing it manually. You can always check to see what your latest backup is, by simplying going to edit/preferences/devices...and you will see exactly when your last backup was, time and date.

Thanks for the help everyone, but I'm still not 100% it's clear. As an example, take this situation and then answer my question.

I have an iPad which is due to be replaced. The iPad contains apps, no music or videos, possibly some calendar data and has had it's settings changed in line with general use.

I launch iTunes by holding alt and clicking the icon in the launcher. This prompts me to choose a library or create a new one. I create a new, empty iTunes library just for this iPad.

I plug the iPad in, do not Sync it but instead just right click on the iPad in the iTunes sidebar and select Backup. Once this is done I unplug the iPad and take it to the Apple store, where they swap it for a new one (the old one had a dodgy Home button BTW).

Step 4 or 5 of setting up a new iPad (after selecting the language etc.) gives you the option to restore from backup. I choose it, plug the iPad into my Mac and select the backup I made earlier.

So, here's my question: Will the iPad now be identical to the one I just returned to Apple?

Glenn Broadway wrote:

So, here's my question: Will the iPad now be identical to the one I just returned to Apple?

No. You still have to sync the apps back onto the iPad. The backup contains app data and device settings ... Safari bookmarks and history, your Notes, your calendar entries, your camera roll (I know you don't have photos), text messages, email settings, etc.

Copied from the iTunes: About iOS backups website.

Summary

iTunes can back up your settings, Messages, Camera Roll, documents, saved games, and other data. Backups do not contain content synced to the device, such as movies, music, podcasts, and apps.

You can read more about it here.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4946

Glenn Broadway wrote:

I launch iTunes by holding alt and clicking the icon in the launcher. This prompts me to choose a library or create a new one. I create a new, empty iTunes library just for this iPad.

You already have an iTunes library on your computer.

Just backup, plug in the new iPad then Restore from backup.

Creating a new, empty library will do nothing (except leave you with a new, empty iPad).

You're right of course, but I just wanted to make a point that after two pages it still wasn't really clear on this thread that that was the case. The Apple 'genius' certainly told me the wrong thing - that the backup contains a complete snapshot of your iPad.