Backing up your mobile devices regularly is a tedious but necessary task. With an iPad that you don’t use as its primary device, it’s easy to forget that it still contains a lot of information about your personal life: emails, notes, images, messages, health information, device settings, music and applications with private data that You would regret losing if you lose your iPad or it falls into the wrong hands. We tell you how to back it up to an iPad.
Regular backups ensure that you can restore all critical information if necessary and if you ever decide to replace your current iPad with a new model, backups make it easy to transfer information to the new device without time-consuming setup. You can back up iPad directly to your macOS laptop or desktop as well as PC using iTunes. You can also back up to iCloud directly from iPad, a method that is not inherently superior to the other and it all depends on your preferences.
Backup an iPad with iTunes or Mac
If you are using a Mac with macOS Catalina or newer, you will find that iTunes has been divided into separate applications. The instructions are basically the same, but you will always start by selecting the device from Finder once connected. If you are using a PC, iTunes is still the software to use; Backing up your iPad with iTunes or Mac Finder allows you to do a full local backup residing on the computer.
Local storage depends on how much free space you have available on your hard drive. While encryption is disabled by default for local backups, you can make an encrypted backup of your iPad through iTunes or Finder. An iPad backup does not include content from the iTunes or App Store; iBooks; synced iTunes content such as MP3, CD, video, book, or photo; data currently stored in iCloud, such as photos, text messages, multimedia messages, iMessages, Apple Pay information and settings, Apple Mail data or activity, health and keychain data. The last three require an encrypted backup.
IPad backup on Mac is done in a single window in iTunes or Finder. If you are using this method, start the application and connect the iPad to your computer through the USB cable that comes with your device. You may be asked to enter the iPad access code or “Trust this computer”; just follow the on-screen instructions.
When everything is connected, select the iPad icon in the upper left side of the iTunes or Finder window. If you have health and activity data stored on your iPad, check the Encrypt local backup box and create a new password that will be stored on your keychain. If you are not keeping this type of private data, you can choose to make an unencrypted backup. Then click the Back up now button ; wait until the progress bar ends at the top of the window. Then click the Done button at the bottom right and the Eject button next to the iPad icon.
Backup an iPad with iCloud
You can back up your iPad with iCloud over a Wi-Fi connection. The process is simple, but you have to make sure you have enough space in your iCloud account. All Apple device owners get 5GB free on iCloud, but if the backup takes up more space than you have available, you’ll need to purchase additional space.
An iCloud backup covers all device data and settings, HomeKit settings, home screen and app organization, music purchase history (but not content), movies, TV shows, apps, and books; Ringtones; and your visual voicemail password. It does not include anything that is already stored in iCloud, such as Contacts, Calendars, Notes, iCloud Photos, shared photos, iMessages, Voice Notes, text and multimedia messages, health data, data stored in other cloud services (Gmail , Exchange, and Apple Mail), Apple Pay information and settings, and Face ID and Touch ID settings. Backups through iCloud are always encrypted.
Make sure on the iPad that you are connected to a secure network. Then go to Settings> Apple ID> iCloud and tap iCloud Backup ; Enable iCloud backup by toggling the button to green and pressing OK . At that time you will receive an alert indicating that the iPad will no longer automatically backup your computer when you connect the device. A pop-up alert may also appear, telling you that backup is enabled. Then tap the command Backup now; A progress bar appears under the command: wait until complete. Subsequently, a notation will appear indicating the time of the most recent backup. With iCloud backup enabled, iCloud will back up your iPad every 24 hours.
You can even manage backups prioritizing which data is most important to you. That can save you space if you’re not willing to clutter up your free iCloud account; To do this, press the Manage storage command and select your iPad. Tap the Show all apps option to see the full list of apps on your iPad, and you should disable the ones you don’t want.
If you make a backup through iCloud, you will never have to do the backups manually since you can configure the backups to take place automatically. To do this, leave iCloud Backup enabled in the settings of your iPad; Next, connect iPad to a power source, connect to a secure Wi-Fi network, and keep your device’s screen locked. It will only upload the changes you have made to the iPad during that interval.
One more thing: you don’t have to choose one backup method over another – you can do both, but not at the same time. This allows you to back up and recover your data anytime from anywhere and also allows you to store your backup on your home computer for easy access and a cloud backup just in case.
