Data Backup Digest

Apple recently released the latest version of their iOS platform. This is what powers their portable devices like the iPhones or iPads and is released for free to all their users. iOS is now on its eighth version and with it comes an assortment of new features. These include the ability to send voice and video through text, easier notifications, an improved keyboard, and family sharing.

The release of a new iOS is an exciting time for a lot of Apple devices owners and many are keen to upgrade as soon as possible. However, there are some things that need to be done before hitting that update button. It’s very likely that the process will be smooth and problem free, but nothing is ever guaranteed in the world of tech.

The chances of something going wrong are small, but why even take the chance? It is possible that the update could mess up and delete some or all of your data in the process. Ensuring everything is properly backed up may take a little bit of time, but it’s a process that is fully worth going through. If you don’t, and you lose your data, then it’s going to be a much bigger headache.

There are multiple ways to go about backing up your data from an iDevice. We’re going to go through all of them and it’s recommended that you do too. The more copies you have of your data then the safer your backup is.

First of all, go to your phone Settings and turn on iCloud. This only works when you’re connected to WiFi in order to save on data. You’ll be given the option to send data to Apple’s cloud; this includes things like app data, iTunes purchases, account preferences, and more. Once done, select ‘Storage & Backup’ and then ‘Back Up Now’ to do an immediate backup.

iCloud only gives you 5GB of storage space for free, so it’s possible that you’ll be shown a warning saying you don’t have enough storage to carry out the backup. If this is the case then go to your ‘Backup Options’ and deselect things that you can back up with an alternate method (like photos).

Secondly, data can be backed up using iTunes. Select your device within the program and then click the ‘Summary’ tab. Here you’ll see details about your device and, below it, the ability to backup. Under ‘Backups’ simply click ‘Back Up Now’ and your iOS data will be sent to the computer.

Photos and videos are some of the most important bits of data on portable devices, so you can take an extra step to ensure that these are secure. Connect your device to your Mac and use iPhoto to copy all your photos over. If you’re on a PC then just right click the device from ‘Portable Devices’ and then select ‘Import pictures and videos’.

Once you’re certain that all your data is backed up and secure, go ahead and upgrade to iOS 8. Now that you’ve learnt how to back your data up, be sure to carry it out regularly and securely – you never know when a data loss disaster might strike.