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Whether you know it or not, your iPhone backs up your phone's settings, app data, and other information whenever you connect it to a computer and use Finder or iTunes (Mojave or earlier and Windows) to

 Sync with your iPhone

 Update your iPhone

 Restore your iPhone

Every time you sync your iPhone and computer, most (but not all) of your iPhone content — photos and videos you’ve taken with your iPhone (unless you’re using iCloud Photos), text messages, notes, contact favorites, sound settings, and more — is backed up to wherever you choose — your computer’s hard or solid-state drive or iCloud — before the sync begins.

Note that most of your media, including apps, songs, TV shows, and movies, isn’t backed up in this process. This shouldn’t be a problem because these files can easily be restored by syncing with your computer or redownloading them from the App or iTunes Store.

Backups are saved automatically and stored on your computer by default when you connect your iPhone to your computer with a Lightning-to-USB cable.

Or if you don’t want to involve your computer, you can choose to back up to iCloud by clicking the appropriate button in Finder’s General pane or iTunes Summary pane, as you see in the next section.

Backups are handy if anything goes wonky with your iPhone or you get a new one. A backup lets you restore most (if not all) of your settings and many files that aren’t synced with iCloud or iTunes on your computer. If you’ve ever backed up an iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone, you can restore the new iPhone with the older device’s backup; the new device will inherit the settings and media from the old one.

When you set up a new device running iOS 15, you may see the Automatic Setup option, which lets you transfer settings from another iDevice to the new one. The only restrictions are that both devices must be running iOS 11 or later and be within a couple of feet of each other during the setup process. Follow the on-screen instructions to transfer your settings (but not other content) to your new device.

Even if you take advantage of Automatic Setup, it’s a good idea to set up your new iPhone to back up to either your computer or iCloud.

So, here’s how to enable backing up to iCloud from your iPhone, which we strongly suggest computer-free iPhone users do without further delay:

1 Tap Settings.

2 Tap your name at the top of the Settings screen.

3 Tap iCloud.

4 Tap iCloud Backup.

5 Enable the iCloud Backup switch (so it shows green).We don’t recommend enabling the Back Up over Cellular switch unless you have an unlimited data plan.

6 (Optional) To initiate a backup immediately, tap Back Up Now.

If you also intend to sync your iPhone with a computer, listen closely: Enabling iCloud Backup means your iPhone no longer backs up automatically when you connect it to your computer.

If you’re a computer-free iPhone user, you don’t care because you never connect your iPhone to a computer. But if you are used to syncing your iPhone with your computer, as many folks are, give some thought to which option best suits your needs. Consider that restoring from a computer backup requires physical or Wi-Fi access to the computer but doesn’t require internet access. Restoring from iCloud can take much longer and requires internet access, but it can happen anywhere on Earth that has internet access.

Backups are good; choose one or the other and move on. Or follow our best practices advice and back up to both places — iCloud and your computer — by alternating which backup option you choose on Finder’s General (or iTunes Summary) screen, which you’re about to meet.

Backups can consume a lot of disk space, especially if you have more than one iDevice. We recommend occasionally tapping Manage Storage near the top of the iCloud Settings screen on your iPhone, and clicking Manage Backups on the General or Summary tab in iTunes and Finder.

It’s always a good idea to back up your iPhone, and an even better idea to back it up twice. Just in case.