can you turn on iCloud back up without the device

sharindenver wrote:

I'm confused. I agree you shouldn't be able to turn find my phone on remotely. But on my stolen phone, find my phone IS enabled (the phone is just dead). My hope was to backup my phone remotely as soon as the phone is turned on and connects (if that ever even happens). My photo stream was turned off back in November for some reason (probably my kid?). So I would think since I DO have find my phone enabled, it would make sense that I be able to manipulate my phone remotely (if it will allow me to erase it remotely, I wish it would let me back it up remotely). No?

No, the actual commands and features that are enabled in the find my iPhone service are very limited - you can make it sound, you can erase it, you can put it in lost mode with a message, but that is it. You cannot initiate a backup remotely. Find my iPhone allows only very limited manipulation, in part, to keep the mere possibiliity of hacks or exploits minimized (the more options you allow in the iOS for remote manipulation, the more opportunity for someone to find an exploit in the connection feature).

If you had iCloud backup on, then it should have been backing up everyday anyway, when it was on wifi and plugged in. Are you sure you do not have an iCloud backup in place?

If you do, that will include the photos from your camera roll only, and it must be restored to an iOS device to recover them.

Again, really, the time to have made a backup was before it ever went missing. Your only protection, of your content, is making regular backups and keeping them up to date. Once the device is gone, you are out of luck about getting content back unless you get very lucky and recover your device (without it being erased or damaged).

sharindenver wrote:

That really stinks for the instances of stolen devices. I had my phone stolen and had just taken a bunch of pictures at a hockey game. Wish I could get them. 😟

Honestly, that is just silly. By default, no iOS device allows any remote access or remote manipulation. The whole point of the find my iPhone/iPad system is that, by enabling it, you actually create a connection that allows for 24/7 communication and remote manipulation of your device. But without that data communication conduit already in place, there is no way to communicate with the device. To try and initially enable remote communication remotely is putting the cart before the horse.

If you were concerned about your stolen device, then the time to have turned on find my iPhone and other security settings is long before you ever lose it in the first place. You cannot remotely establish a connection with a device which has no remote connection capability enabled.

Find my iPhone/iPad is not some magical method of remote communication. It is a simple and standard secure internet protal over radio between a server to a remote device. If that portal is not already enabled, then no remote conneciton is possible until it is enabled, and that will require someone with actual physical control of the device to turn it on.

I'm confused. I agree you shouldn't be able to turn find my phone on remotely. But on my stolen phone, find my phone IS enabled (the phone is just dead). My hope was to backup my phone remotely as soon as the phone is turned on and connects (if that ever even happens). My photo stream was turned off back in November for some reason (probably my kid?). So I would think since I DO have find my phone enabled, it would make sense that I be able to manipulate my phone remotely (if it will allow me to erase it remotely, I wish it would let me back it up remotely). No?

That really stinks for the instances of stolen devices. I had my phone stolen and had just taken a bunch of pictures at a hockey game. Wish I could get them. 😟

No, you must have the device to be backed up in hand in order to initially activate iCloud backup for that specific device.

If you enable Photo Stream on your iPhone (iPad or iPod Touch) and your PC or mac, then all the pictures taken on your iPhone would be in the Photo Stream on your PC or mac.