iPhone won't back up to iCloud? 9 fixes to try (2023)

It's easy to backup your iPhone. So easy, in fact, your iPhone will usually back it up automatically, so you don't have to do anything. However, this does not always go according to plan; Sometimes iPhone backup fails.

Regardless of the exact cause, you don't need to do anything too complicated to back up iPhone to iCloud again. You just need to figure out what the problem is first and we're here to help.

1. Check your iCloud settings

3 Pictures

To back up to iCloud, you first need to make sure the feature is enabled. Because if you don't have it enabled, automatic iCloud backups just won't happen. You need toBack up your iPhoneUse iTunes instead.

To enable iCloud backups, you need to do the following:

1. OpenIdeas.
2. Tap your name at the top of the page to open your Apple ID settings.
3. ChooseiCloud.
4. Scroll down and tapBackup iCloud.
5. Press the iCloud Backup slider so it moves to the green "On" position.
6. ChooseOKif asked.

This will turn on automatic iCloud backups. Therefore, you can now back up your iPhone simply by plugging it into a power source and connecting it to Wi-Fi. You also need to make sure your iPhone is locked.

2. Check your WiFi connection

3 Pictures

As mentioned earlier, you need to connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network in order to back it up to iCloud. You can check if your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi by looking at the top right corner of the screen. If you see the Wi-Fi icon (which consists of four concentric lines radiating outward), that's fine.

Don't worry if you don't see the WiFi icon. You can easily connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi with these steps:

1. OpenIdeas.
2. BeatW-lan.
3. Press the Wi-Fi slider to move it to the green "On" position.
4. If your iPhone doesn't automatically connect to a known network, select your Wi-Fi network and enter your passcode.

You also need to make sure that the iPhone is close enough to the WiFi router. If you are too far away, the WiFi signal may be too weak to complete the backup.

3. Connect to a power source

You also need to charge your iPhone to initiate a backup. In addition to a standard power outlet, you can also plug it into a computer if you prefer.

When connecting, you need to make sure that the cable is working properly. You will see that the battery icon in the upper right corner shows aLoadingicon and the screen confirms it. If the phone doesn't charge, try a different cable.

While you can use third-party cables to charge your iPhone, not all cables are created equal. Try using the official Apple cable and connector that came with your iPhone if you have trouble with others.

4. Make sure you have enough iCloud storage

2 Pictures

Unsurprisingly, iPhone backups take up your iCloud storage allotment. So if you don't have enough iCloud storage space, backups will run into trouble.

How much storage you need depends on what's on your iPhone. Backups can take up 1 GB to 4 GB of storage space. And since Apple only gives owners 5GB of free iCloud storage, it's easy to run out of space. Luckily it's easyManage your iCloud storage space.

To check how much disk space you have left:

1. OpenIdeas.
2. Tap your name at the top of the page.
3. PressiCloud.
4. Choosemanage storage.

Once you are on the iCloud storage page, you can see that all 5GB of the allocated space is taken. In this case, you must take one of two actions.

Create more storage space on iCloud

First, you can delete old backup data. This can be for the iPhone itself or for one of its apps. Deleting iPhone backup will probably free up more storage space. However, if you delete it and create a new backup, you will probably face the same storage problems again. Hence, it is better to exclude the backups of the app related data.

What you need to do:

1. On the iCloud Storage page, tap the app you want to clear backup data for.
2. Pressdelete data. For some apps you may seeDelete documents and data, orDisable and delete.
3. ChooseExtinguishConfirm.

Second, instead of deleting backups, you can upgrade your iCloud storage plan for a few dollars a month. In many cases, this small fee is worth it to save you the trouble of juggling your space. To do this, you have to typeTo updateon the iCloud storage page. we look upWays to use iCloud storageif you're wondering what to do with all that newfound space.

5. Check iCloud status

Believe it or not, Apple's iCloud servers can sometimes go down. This means that no matter what you do, you cannot back up your iPhone to iCloud.

If you suspect a problem, you can quickly check the status of iCloud servers by going toApples Systemstatusseite.

search hereBackup iCloud. If you see a green light next to it, everything is working as it should. In other words, your backup problem is due to a problem on your end.

6. Quit iCloud

Sometimes you can solve iPhone backup issues by signing out of your iCloud account and signing in again. This fixes issues related to validation issues.

To log out and back in:

1. OpenIdeas.
2. Tap your name at the top to open Apple ID settings.
3. Scroll down and pressGo out.
4. If prompted, enter your Apple ID password and tapTurn offto turn off Find My iPhone.
5. ChooseGo out.
6. BeatGo outagain when prompted.

To log in again, you need to tapSign in to your iPhone. From here you will need to enter your Apple ID and password. If you have a Mac or other Apple device associated with your Apple ID, you'll get a verification code on it. You need to enter this on your iPhone and then enter your iPhone passcode.

After signing in again, you should try connecting your iPhone to Wi-Fi and a power source. Hopefully it will start backing up to iCloud after locking. You can also try leaving it plugged in overnight to give the backup enough time to finish.

7. Reboot your iPhone

Then you can try restarting your iPhone. This is a simple action, but it will reset your iPhone's temporary storage. In this way, you can sometimes get your iPhone properly backed up again.

If you have an iPhone X or newer, here's how to reset it:

1. shutside buttonand alsovolume control. Hold them down until theto push outslider appears.
2. Swipe right on the shutdown slider.
3. After the shutdown, hold theside buttonuntil the Apple logo appears to start again.

If you have an iPhone 8 or older, the process is slightly different:

1. shutPage(orHeadmaster)Taste. Hold them down until theto push outslider appears.
2. Swipe right on the shutdown slider.
3. After the shutdown, hold theside buttonuntil the Apple logo appears.

8. Reset settings

If a reset fails to fix iPhone backup issues, you should try resetting all settings. This will not erase your data, but it will erase settings like your saved WiFi passwords and all phone settings.

It's a bit of work to change it all back, but since something might be interfering with the backup process, it's worth a try at this point:

1. OpenIdeas.
2. BeatGenerally.
3. Scroll down and pressStart anew.
4. Choosereset settings.

9. Update iOS

3 Pictures

It's possible that some kind of software glitch is preventing the iPhone from backing up to iCloud. Consequently you mustUpdate your iPhone to the latest iOS versionwhen a new one is available.

How to upgrade:

1. Connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network and a power source.
2. OpenIdeas.
3. BeatGenerally.
4. ChooseSoftware update.
5. If an update is available, tapDownload and install.
6. If prompted, enter your password.

General iPhone maintenance tips

At least one of the steps above should be enough to help you when your iPhone won't back up to iCloud.

But even if you solve your problem, it's always a good idea.Perform basic iPhone maintenance. By keeping your iPhone in good condition, you will be less likely to encounter problems like backup errors in the future.