How to back up your iPhone and Android phone

💡 Need to know

• Set it and forget it—once it’s on. Automatic backups only work after you enable them.
• Photos and messages matter most. Make sure those are included in iCloud or Google backup settings.
• Cloud space fills up fast. If storage is full, your backup quietly stops.
• Last backup date tells the truth. Check it before upgrading or resetting your phone.

You know how important it is to back up your computer, but are you also remembering to back up the data on your smartphone? Thankfully, backing up your phone is simple and can be completed in just a matter of moments. So if your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged, you won't have to worry about how you'll get all those irreplaceable photos and videos from your device back.

Asurion Experts are here to help you with all of your tech care needs. In this article, they'll share everything you need to know to back up your iPhone® and Android™ devices.

What does backing up your phone do?

Backing up your phone makes sure that you don't lose any of the data that's important to you, such as your:

• Contacts.
• Photos and videos.
• Wi-Fi network and passwords.
• Music.
• Apps and app settings.
• Email.
• Passwords.

How to back up your phone to a cloud service

Cloud services like Apple iCloud® and Google One™ (which includes Google Drive™) give you a secure, encrypted digital vault for your photos, files, and settings. By syncing your data to the internet, you ensure everything is backed up automatically and stays retrievable from any device, even if your phone is lost or broken.

How to back up your Android phone

Android backup steps vary by device—a Samsung Galaxy® S26 menu looks different than, say, a Google® Pixel 10—but Google One is the universal fix. It gives you 15GB of free storage to auto-sync your photos, messages, and contacts across all your devices. Plus, it now automatically backs up your Downloads folder, finally protecting those PDFs and files that used to get left behind.

To back up your Samsung phone to Google Drive:

1. Open Settings and tap Accounts and backup.
2. Tap Back up data under the Google Drive section.
3. Toggle Backup by Google One to on and tap Back up now.
4. Flip the Back up using mobile data switch to off if you want to save your data plan and only sync over Wi-Fi.

To back up your Pixel phone to Google Drive:

1. Open Settings and tap Google, then Backup.
2. Ensure the Backup by Google One switch is toggled on.
3. Tap Back up now to start an immediate sync.
4. Check the Backup details list below the button to make sure your photos, videos, and MMS messages are included.

Need help restoring your backup onto a new Android device or after you've completed a factory reset? Check out our guide on how to restore your Android phone.

How to back up your iPhone to iCloud

Backing up your iPhone keeps personal data and information safe in case of device damage, loss, or replacement. It's also a great way to free up storage space.

Before you get started, make sure you're connected to Wi-Fi and that you have your Apple® ID and password to sign into iCloud—if you need help, check out our guide on how to set up iCloud.

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap iCloud, then tap iCloud Backup.
3. Tap Back Up Now and stay on Wi-Fi until the progress bar finishes.
4. To verify, check the Last successful backup timestamp at the bottom of that same screen.
5. If you're out of space, go to iCloud > Photos and ensure Optimize iPhone Storage is checked—this offloads full-res photos to the cloud while keeping smaller versions on your phone.

How to back up your iPhone on your computer

On a Windows PC:

1. Download and open the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store (this replaces iTunes).
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a cable and tap Trust on your phone screen.
3. Select your iPhone in the sidebar.
4. Click General, select Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this computer, and click Back Up Now.

On a Mac (macOS Catalina or later):

1. Open Finder.
2. Connect your iPhone via cable and select it under Locations in the sidebar.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Select Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac.
5. Click Back Up Now.

Once you're backed up, you're now protected in case you need to perform a factory reset on your iPhone or if you get a new phone and need to easily transfer your data. Check out our guide to how to restore your iPhone for next steps on getting your information back on your device.