Can anything be backed up to iCloud?

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Level 3

885 points

Can anything be backed up to iCloud?

This is probably the most asked question on here. I know iCloud is used to share content across several of your devices and to back certain things up. I want to know how can I back up documents or maybe photos (right now I use Dropbox), or even my music (is that what iTunes Match is for?)

When I go to iCloud.com, I am not seeing anything that I would want to back up other than my contacts and notes. I want to use iCloud to my advantage but just have no idea where to even start.

If I am using iCloud on my iPhone what exactly can I back up? As I am sitting here typing this I am also looking at my phone in the settings under iCloud. I do see where it says I can back up my camera roll, accounts, documents and settings when the phone is plugged in, locked and connected to WiFi. Going back to iCloud.com where would those things from my phone show up at? I don't see where my camera roll photos or documents etc., would end up unless a folder is created once I start the back up maybe?

Thanks

iPhone 4S, iOS 5

Posted on Mar 15, 2014 12:37 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 15, 2014 12:47 PM in response to DVX100Shooter

iCloud backs up iOS devices but it's a single backup containing the contents of the phone (not including apps which can be re-downloaded). You can't see inside it and when you restore your restore the lot (I believe there are some third party apps which enable you to get into it and restore individual items).

iCloud does not provide backups for Macs or general file storage in the manner of DropBox. iWork documents can be saved to iCloud, edited there, and accessed from other devices as desired.

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Answer 2

DVX100Shooter Author

Level 3

885 points

Mar 15, 2014 12:49 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Hmmmm okay thanks!

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Answer 3

randers4

Level 9

63,519 points

Mar 15, 2014 12:51 PM in response to DVX100Shooter

The iCloud backup includes the following:

Photos and videos in your Camera Roll
Device settings
App data
Home screen and app organization
iMessage, text (SMS), and MMS messages
Ringtones
Visual Voicemail

It also will redownload purchased apps and other media from the iTuens and App store when you restore the backup to your device. Other data (contacts, calendars, etc.) remains on the iCloud server so it does not need to be included in the backup. It downloads to your device when you sign back into your account. In other words, if you are syncing data with iCloud, when you restore an iCloud backup, your phone looks exactly like it did before.

As far as music, any music purchased from the iTuens store is available to redownload from the iTunes store. Music from other sources such as your CDs should be in your iTuens library and can be synced back to your phone using iTunes. iTunes Match is a separate subscription service that enables you to access your entire iTunes library from iCloud (up to 25,000 songs, not including music purchased from the iTuens store), including music from your CDs.

The data you see on icloud.com is synced data, not your backup. You also won't see photo stream photos on icloud.com.

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