Backing up your iPhone regularly is important to prevent losing your data if anything happens to your device. The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus have a few different backup options available, including backing up to iCloud or to your computer using iTunes. Here’s a guide on the different backup methods and how to restore your data if needed.
Table of Contents
Back Up to iCloud
iCloud provides an easy wireless way to back up your iPhone over Wi-Fi. Here are the steps to set up and use iCloud Backup on an iPhone 6S/6S Plus:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud
- Tap on iCloud Backup
- Turn on iCloud Backup
Once enabled, iCloud will automatically back up your iPhone daily when:
- Your device is connected to a power source
- Your device is connected to Wi-Fi
- Your screen is locked
You can also manually trigger a backup at any time by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tapping on Back Up Now.
iCloud backs up various types of data including:
- Contacts
- Calendars
- Reminders
- Documents
- Photos
- Videos
- Device settings
- App data
- iMessage, Text messages, WhatsApp messages (if enabled)
- Ringtones
Pros:
- Automatic wireless backups
- Backups saved securely online
- Can access backups from any device by logging in to iCloud
Cons:
- Limited free storage space (5GB)
- Need internet connection to back up and restore
Back Up to Computer Using iTunes
You can also back up your iPhone 6S/6S Plus by connecting it directly to your computer using iTunes.
To set up iTunes backups:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable
- Open iTunes
- Select your iPhone
- Under Backups, select This Computer
- Click Back Up Now to perform a manual backup
iTunes can back up similar data as iCloud, including:
- Device settings
- App data
- Messages
- Contacts
- Calendars
- Photos
- Videos
Pros:
- Larger storage capacity
- Faster backup speed
- Can select encryption for security
Cons:
- Need computer and cable connection
- Manual backups only
- iTunes required
Restore iPhone 6S/6S Plus from Backup
If you get a new iPhone, need to wipe your device, or lose data somehow, you can use either your iCloud backup or iTunes backup to restore your data.
Restore from iCloud Backup
- Turn on your iPhone and proceed through the initial setup prompts
- When asked how you want to set up your device, tap on Restore from iCloud Backup
- Sign in with your Apple ID
- Select the desired backup from the list of available backups
- Wait for the restore process to complete
Restore from iTunes Backup
- Connect your iPhone to the computer you normally sync with and open iTunes
- Select your iPhone
- Under Backups, right click on desired backup file and click Restore Backup
- Wait for the restore process to fully complete
- Set up device and apps
Restoring from a previous backup allows you to get back your data like contacts, photos, messages, device settings, and more. This makes transitioning to a new iPhone or recovering from data loss on your current device much quicker and easier.
Tips for Backing Up Your iPhone
Here are some additional tips for backing up your iPhone 6S/6S Plus:
- Back up regularly – Don’t just rely on automatic backups. Manually back up once a week or so.
- Encrypt backups – Enable encryption for iTunes backups to secure data.
- Offload unused apps – Offloading unused apps frees up storage space for backups.
- Check backup status – Periodically check the Last Backup date and size under iCloud Backup.
- Have enough iCloud storage – Upgrade iCloud storage if you get alerts about inadequate space for backups.
- Use both iTunes & iCloud – Use iCloud for wireless backups and iTunes for encrypted backups.
Conclusion
No matter if you want to set up a new iPhone, recover lost data, or switch devices, being able to restore from a backup is extremely useful. Following this iPhone 6S/6S Plus backup and restore guide helps ensure you have a safety net for your data by routinely backing up your device. Let us know if you have any other questions!
