3 Fixes to iPhone/iPad Not Backing Up to iCloud

Updated on Jun 19, 2024 | by Woodward

Quick Navigation:

Why Is My iPhone Not Backing Up
How to Fix iPhone or iPad Not Backing Up to iCloud
Tip 1. Get More iCloud Storage
Tip 2. Check Network Connection
Tip 3. Update iOS
Bonus Tip: How to Back Up iPhone to Computer
The Bottom Line

Why Is My iPhone Not Backing Up

iCloud is a convenient solution for backing up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, allowing you to wirelessly back up all data and settings to the cloud storage by connecting your device to a Wi-Fi network. However, some users may encounter the frustrating issue of "iPhone not backing up" that prevents them from successfully backing up their device to iCloud.

Your iPhone or iPad is not connected to Wi-Fi or the internet. Your iPhone or iPad is not configured to back up to iCloud. The backup process is paused or interrupted.

To resolve the issue, you can try deleting some of the existing backups to free up space on your iCloud account. You can also consider upgrading your iCloud storage plan to a larger size, such as 50GB, 200GB, or 1TB, depending on your needs.
The network connection is unstable or problematic
The iOS version is outdated

How to Fix iPhone or iPad Not Backing Up to iCloud

Here are the fixes in one paragraph:

Tip 1. Get More iCloud Storage

First, check if the cause is insufficient iCloud storage by going to the Settings app.

Step 1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2. Tap your name and click "iCloud." Here you can see how much iCloud storage is left.

Step 3. Click "Backups" and select the iPhone or iPad you need to back up.

Step 4. Now you can check the "Next Backup Size" here.

Check Next Backup Size on iPad

If your iPhone or iPad's next backup size is larger than the available free iCloud space, you won't be able to back up your device to iCloud. To resolve this, you need to free up more space in your iCloud account. This can be done by deleting unnecessary files, photos, and other data from your iCloud storage. You can also consider upgrading your iCloud storage plan to a larger size to accommodate your device's backup size.

Delete past device backups
Reduce the size of iCloud Photos
Exclude some apps from the backup list
Buy more iCloud storage

To free up your iCloud storage, consider deleting unused emails, photos, and other data, and also delete any unnecessary backups. For more workable tips, refer to the guide on how to manage your iCloud storage.

Tip 2. Check Network Connection

Make sure your iPhone or iPad is connected to a stable network connection. If not, switch to another Wi-Fi network instead.

Tip 3. Update iOS

To ensure a high success rate of making a backup, update your iPhone or iPad to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.

Step 1. Go to the Settings app on your iDevice.

Step 2. Tap "General" > "Software Update."

Step 3. If there is a new version of iOS or iPadOS available, click "Download and install" to update your iOS.

Update to the lastest version of iPadOS on iPad

If the above fixes don't work, you can contact Apple Support for further assistance.

Bonus Tip: How to Back Up iPhone to Computer

If your iPhone or iPad is not backing up to iCloud, you can choose to back up the device to computer with iPhone transfer software like Qiling MobiMover.

Back up iPhone/iPad files selectively or all at once
Transfer files between an iPhone/iPad/iPod and a computer
Transfer data from one iDevice to another
View and manage iDevice content from a computer

This software can be used to download online videos from websites and save them to your computer or iDevice, in addition to its primary function as a video converter.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

To back up your iPhone or iPad to a computer:

Step 1.Connect your iPhone to your PC, trust the computer, and open Qiling MobiMover. Go to "Backup Manager" and select "Back up".

Step 2.Since all the supported files are selected by default, click "One-Click Backup" directly to start backing up your iPhone to computer.

Step 3. Wait patiently until the backup process completes. When you need to restore the backup, go to Backup Manager > Restore and follow the onscreen instructions to continue.

After making a backup, you can access and view it from your computer at any time. To restore data from the backup, simply select the "Restore" feature in the Backup & Restore section.

The Bottom Line

If your iPhone or iPad is not backed up to iCloud, don't worry, there are fixes to solve the problem. If the issue persists, you can try backing up your device without using iCloud.