iPhone and iPod touch: About backups

Original article found at Apple.com

A good read on syncing VS backing up on the iPhone / iPod touch.

Summary

iTunes can create backups of settings and certain other information on iPhone and iPod touch. You can use a backup to restore this information to your iPhone or iPod touch after a software restore or update, or to transfer the information to a different device. Backups can be deleted from iTunes using the steps below.

Products Affected

iPhone, iTunes 7 for Windows, iTunes 7 for Mac, iPod touch

Syncing vs Backups

You can use iTunes to sync content on your computer (such as music, podcasts, videos, ringtones¹, photos, email account settings, contacts, calendars, and bookmarks) with your iPhone or iPod touch². Syncing makes sure this content is the same on your iPhone or iPod touch and computer. You can also use iTunes to create a backup of settings and certain other information on your iPhone or iPod touch to use in case you want to restore the software on your iPhone or iPod touch or transfer this information to a different device. Backup information includes information such as mail settings, text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, certain network settings, and other preferences.
Creating a Backup

Backups can be created in the following ways:

• If you have configured your iPhone or iPod touch to automatically sync with iTunes on a specific computer, iTunes will back up the iPhone or iPod touch after you connect it to that computer and sync with iTunes. iTunes will not automatically back up an iPhone or iPod touch that is not configured to sync with that computer. iTunes only makes one backup each time you connect, even if you sync multiple times before disconnecting.
• If you choose to update the software, iTunes will back up the iPhone and iPod touch automatically.
• If you choose to restore the software to factory settings, iTunes will ask you if you want to back up the iPhone and iPod touch.

Restoring from a Backup

To restore information from a backup:

1. Connect the iPhone to the computer you normally sync with.
2. In iTunes, select the Summary tab and click Restore (this erases all data on iPhone). When prompted, select the option to restore your settings.Notes:
   • Information you can sync from the computer (e.g., photos, videos, songs) that are not stored in the back up will need to be resynced. Photos you take with iPhone are included in the backup with iPhone software 1.1 and later.
   • Your passwords will need to be entered again if your restore your backup to a different device.
   • If you restored to a different iPhone, you will need to reactivate Visual Voicemail.

Deleting a Backup

If you want to delete a backup created by iTunes, follow these steps in iTunes 7.5 or later:

1. Open iTunes Preferences:
   Windows: Choose Edit > Preferences.
   Mac: Choose iTunes > Preferences.
2. Click Syncing (iPhone or iPod touch does not need to be connected).
3. Select the backup you want to remove and click Remove Backup.
4. Confirm you wish to remove the selected backup by clicking Remove Backup.
5. Click OK to close the iTunes Preferences Window.

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Tagged as: back up, iPhone, iPod Touch