3 Simple Methods to Back up iPhone or iPad to Computer with or without iTunes

Most iOS users have heard or experienced a tragic data loss and you are no exception. When data loss happens, you might feel frustrated and panic. To prevent data from losing or reduce the risk of data loss, we suggest you make a proper backup strategy. Like many iOS users, you can back up your iPhone or iPad to iCloud, copy your iPhone and iPad to the computer, or move data from iPhone to an external drive. There are plenty of options for you to back up the iPhone. But in this guide, we are going to talk about the way to back up your iPhone or iPad to the computer. Next, you can follow this guide to get 3 methods to make it. Additionally, if there were errors during backup, you can refer to troubleshooting tips in part 4 to fix it.

Beforehand, let’s take a quick look at the following comparison table that lists the benefits and drawbacks of each method, which can help you quickly find the way that works best for you.

Part 1. Quickest and Safest Way to Back up iPhone to Computer without Data Loss

If you don't like using iTunes or there is no iTunes at hand, you can use many free iTunes alternatives to move your iPhone files to the computer. EaseUS MobiMover, a professional and reliable iPhone data transfer tool, is a good choice. With MobiMover, you can efficiently back up your iPhone data to the computer without errors. Photos, videos, music, voice memos, contacts, messages & attachments, and notes are all supported.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer running Windows system with a USB cable > Select the "Backup Manager" from the left panel > Select "Backup" to proceed.

Step 2. Tick the box next to "Select All" to back up all files from iPhone to computer > Set the destination on computer > Click on "One-Click Backup" to start the backup process.

Step 3. MobiMover will start immediately to back up iPhone files to your computer without requiring iTunes. Wait patiently until it finishes.

Part 2. How to Back up iPhone or iPad to PC/Mac Using iTunes

Backing up iPhone or iPad via iTunes to your computer is pretty straightforward. Everything on the iPhone can be backed up and restored via iTunes. But before using iTunes, there are a couple of things you need to know. First, iTunes can't recognize your iPhone 8/8 Plus, so it can not sync to the iPhone 8. Second, you might meet some iTunes sync errors like iTunes error 54 while syncing. Here are the steps to back up iPhone with iTunes:

Step 1. Download and install the newest version of iTunes on your computer. (Or you can check whether you have the latest version of iTunes by going to the Help > Check for Updates)

Step 2. Open it and connect your iPhone or iPad to the computer with its original USB cable.

Step 3. Click your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in the upper left corner.

Step 4. On the Summary page, Check "This Computer" and click "Back UP Now." 

Part 3. How to Back up iPhone or iPad to PC/Mac Using iTunes Sync

Using this method, you can back up your iPhone to the computer without a cable. And this method is suitable for people who have the habit of data backup. Before we start, you need to make sure iCloud is turned off.

Step 1. Set Up iTunes on PC/Mac

• Before connecting your iPhone, please connect your iPhone and PC/Mac to the same Wi-Fi.
• Then, open iTunes and connect your iPhone to iTunes by using an original cable. (You have to do this for the first time, after this, you don't have to use the cable anymore}.
• On the Summary page, check the box: "Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi" > Click "Apply" button.

Step 2. Set Up iTunes Wi-Fi Sync on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

• Unplug your cable, iTunes will keep detecting your iPhone or iPad.
• On your iPhone, go to Settings > Tap "General" > Find "iTunes Wi-Fi Sync" and click on it.
• Then, click on "Sync Now", and it will start syncing your iPhone.

Part 4. iPhone Won't Back Up to Computer? How to Fix?

It can be annoying when the issue "iPhone won't back up to your computer" occurs. The culprits could be on the computer you are using, iTunes, or your iPhone itself. In most cases, it is software-related. Besides, a damaged cable or defective USB port on the computer can also cause this issue. In this case, you can resolve the problems by switching to a new USB port or using an alternative cable. Apart from these simple fixes, there are many other tips you can fix the "iPhone won't back up to computer" issue.

• Reboot your computer and your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
• Update your iTunes to the latest version.
• Make sure there's enough storage on your PC.
• Contact Apple Support.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have introduced three ways to back up your iPhone. Each method has its pros and cons. With MobiMover, you can safely and quickly make a backup to the computer with one-click. It supports a wide variety of files and allows you to back up the whole or specific files. With iTunes, you can back up your data to the computer straightforwardly and it supports restoring. However, as we have mentioned, it has many restrictions on data transfer. You can choose one of them to make a backup for your iPhone. Hope our guide is useful to you.