Does turning off the backup option(iCloud Storage) harm the application or end up in a data loss?

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Level 1

15 points

Does turning off the backup option(iCloud Storage) harm the application or end up in a data loss?

I'm having a total allocated space of 5Gig as my storage, in my iPhone5s (16GB, Update 9.3.2). I'm having backups for like almost most of my apps. So I tried grabbing space by turning off the backups, for some of the apps. Now will that be harmful?

In other words, for example lets say i'm having the backup for WhatsApp and then by turning off, I'm freeing up space for the storage. So once I turn off backup, what actually happens? It does not store any messages or conversations in the cloud?

Adding to the above question, what's the difference of turning off the backup and deleting the documents & data off the app ?

Any help would be appreciated.

iPhone 5s, iOS 9.3.2

Posted on Jun 3, 2016 3:20 AM

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Answer 1

mabaeyens

Level 5

4,585 points

Jun 3, 2016 3:48 AM in response to kulasangar

Backups are not mandatory, nor in iCloud or in iTunes either. They are always recommended, because if anything wrong happens to your device, if it gets lost or if you upgrade and the software fails, having a backup means that all your information created in that device (notes, documents, emails received, you name it) will be stored somewhere else and safe and ready to be installed in a new device, or recovered.

That's why I recommend you that if you don't want to have iCloud backups, that's OK but then, if you don't want to lose any information, back it up with iTunes. If you don't really care or data there is nothing you can really miss, then don't backup at all.

If you remove WhatsApp backups, whatever conversation, media, videos, photos which are not currently in your device, will be removed. So if you delete WhatsApp and reinstall again, you will have no conversations there. If you have it set up to backup on iCloud and you delete it, next time you open WhatsApp you will see it empty.

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Answer 2

kulasangar Author

Level 1

15 points

Jun 3, 2016 3:41 AM in response to mabaeyens

Thank you for the reply. Well what does this mean?

no backups in iCloud means that if you don't backup your device with iTunes in your laptop, in case of crash or problems..

So it's a must that I should be having the back up of my device in my iTunes as well ? I'm sorry since I'm a nerd in this. So what's the relationship between iTunes & iCloud?

Earlier in my second question, the documents & data which I mentioned was, of the WhatsApp's. So in that case, if I try deleting the documents & data of WhatsApp, any idea what will it remove? Just the login info?

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Answer 3

mabaeyens

Level 5

4,585 points

Jun 3, 2016 3:41 AM in response to kulasangar

To your first question: no backups in iCloud means that if you don't backup your device with iTunes in your laptop, in case of crash or problems, you won't be able to retrieve your data, and your data will lost. But turning it off does not cause any loss of data itself, as you are prompted whether you want to keep what you have in your device or not (always answer "Keep on my iPhone")

Second, deleting app information is deleting your game progress, or Safari bookmarks, or email attachments or any other app information like login info. It does remove data from your device.

iCloud: iCloud storage and backup overview

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