HT4859 If all devices are backed up on iCloud, do I still need to keep the files on my computer?
If all devices are backed up on iCloud, do I still need to keep it on my computer? It takes up a lot of space.
"iCloud Backup" is a little misleading.
Apple says you get "unlimited free storage for music, movies, TV shows, apps, and books" but then goes on to say "previous purchases may not be restored if they are no longer in the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBookstore". Therefore what you purchased is really not "backed up". Your "backup" is no more than your ability to download your purchases again, and that is nothing new. The content remains where it originated - on iTunes, if it's still available.
Apple could easily change its mind and remove it, change it, or simply make it unavailable.
Photos and videos in your camera roll are backed up, but photos and music that originated on your computer's iPhoto and iTunes Libraries are not.
Your free 5 GB of iCloud storage is also used for iWork documents stored in iCloud, app data, all of which is lumped in with "Storage and Backup".
Same thing for iTunes Match I'm afraid... iTunes Match does not back up your content and is therefore not a backup strategy. It finds a "match" in its vast library and permits you to access it. There have been a lot of complaints from purists who found their mono Beatles tracks were "matched" with stereo equivalents, "explicit" tracks matched with clean, etc.
Contrast this with a traditional backup associated with iTunes syncing. In that case everything really is backed up to your computer - apps, purchases, music, videos, everything.
The bottom line is that iCloud is no substitute for one's own iTunes backup, and a backup / clone of the device containing it.
More:
Should I use iTunes or iCloud to back up my iOS device?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5262
iCloud: Backup and restore overview
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4859
Similar Messages
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I want to rent a movie on my ipad, when i try to I'm unable because of not enough space. I do have all my data backed up on icloud so is it necessary to keep all my photos on there, which take up the most room.
Don't rely on iCloud to back up your photos. Instead, import them to your computer as outlined here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083.
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How can I have contacts on iPhone show up on iPad and MacBook Pro? All are backed up to iCloud.
Is it possible for all contacts to appear on all 3 of my Apple devices regardless of on which device they are entered? I have an iPhone 5, iPad 2 and MacBook Pro; I'd like to see the same contacts on all. All three devices already back up to iCloud. Thanks!
No you haven't misunderstood if you have those settings on. The contacts on your phone should automatically sync to the other devices. They should also be viewable/editable at https://www.icloud.com
The following link to an Apple Support troubleshooting document may have something that will help: Get help using iCloud Contacts - Apple Support -
Does family sharing mean all photos are backed up to one icloud account?
I am unclear what Family Sharing means.
Does family sharing mean all photos are backed up to one icloud account? Or simply that we can all see each other's streams. As it stands now, I understand we can share streams, without having family sharing enabled. Basically, I want to know if we can be logged into separate icloud accounts yet share photo and document storage as we currently can with dropbox.
I want to share photo storage and file backup with my wife. Currently, we both use her apple id to make store purchases and have our own icloud accounts. This solves some problems, but I still have old itunes purchases(grant you fairly old at this point) that I cannot access when I am logged into her id.
I realize we could both use our own icloud account and upgrade storage individually, but this fails the economy test. We have roughly 60 gb of family photo storage, so we would both need 200 gb plans.
we both have ipads and iphones. i simply want us each to be able to take photos and have them automatically saved to one storage solution.
Thanks in advance.
ShalomThe only way you can see the contents of an iCloud backup is to restore it to an iOS device. You could restore it to your new phone -- but that would mean you would first have to erase your new phone so I wouldn't recommend it unless you have nothing of value on the new phone. In theory you could backup the new phone, erase it, restore from the old and see what is there and copy the photos to a computer and then erase it again and restore it back from the new phone backup. I would emphasize that is at your own risk as restoring from backups do not always go as advertised. More info: iCloud: Restore your iOS device from iCloud
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I've done everything I know in order to get my calendar in iCloud synchronized with my macBook, my IPad and my iPhone, but get no success. I've checked if all devices are set to the same account. Can you help me?
The only thing I can see strange is that when I login my iCloud account through my principal email address, when I check my preferences is marked an @me.com address that is old and I don't use it anymore, but I can't erase it or even change it.
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If I'm receiving a message "all devices are online, but cannot be located" what can I do to be able to locate the devices on a map?
My understanding is that a device must have access to either WiFi, a cellular network, or (best) GPS in order to establish a location. Of course iPhones can access all three and iPads also if they incorporate cellular. However, Mac computers don't have GPS or cellular.
So if a Mac is connected to Internet via Ethernet to a LAN and not WIFi it will not be able to establish a location. Anyway, that's my experience. -
can not get my iMac iTunes library synced to my iPad and iPhone using USB. all devices have latest software. There is no device icon on my IMAC toolbar as indicated it should be in the support FAQs. What advise does anyone have?
Hello Luckyone1,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
If your iOS devices are note being recognized in iTunes on your Mac, please follow the steps in the article linked to below.
iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for OS X - Apple Support
Take care,
Alex H. -
I recently changed my password for my Apple ID and now I can't receive calls on my iPad or Mac. All devices are signed on with the same iCloud account. Anyone have the same issue?
Hello!
On all of these devices, go to: Settings > iCloud and make sure they're updated with the new password. If you're talking about Macs, go to: "System Preferences > iCloud" too. -
how do you see the items that are backed up to iCloud - I have 4.5 GB that I have used but I cant find where to see those items...help
That is everything in your iCloud account. Videos and camera roll photos are only included in your backup, the size and content of which you can see on your phone in Settings>iCloud>Storage & Backup>Manage Storage>tap the name of your device under Backup. This will show you the size of "Camera Roll", where these are contained. (You can't see any detail beyond that.) Photo stream photos can only been seen in your photo stream album on your phone, and they don't count against your storage so they aren't part of the 4.5 GB. Everything esle is either in the backup, the items listed in Settings>iCloud>Storage & Backup>Manage Storage, or on icloud.com, where you can see your contacts, calendars, etc.
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my iphones broken and i'm getting a new one today, i haven't synced this one with itunes, is all my data backed up on icloud? so i can access all my contacts and photos through icloud on the new device?
Welcome to the Apple community.
If you have been previously using iCloud with your old phone, then when you login to your iCloud account with your new phone all the data from the services you were using will be added to your new phone. -
Hello. When I turned on my Ipone 4s today all of my contacts were gone. They are backed up in iCloud but can't figure out how to get them from there back to my phone. Aren't them supposed to sync automatically over wifi? Can someone please help me?
Hello jllew333
Check to make sure that Contacts is toggled on to sync by going to Settings > iCloud. Also go to iCloud.com to see if the contacts are showing up there to see if it syncing those contacts.
iCloud: Change iCloud feature settings
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2613
Regards,
-Norm G. -
how do i get my contacts back? they are backed up by i cloud but when I "MERGE" only the new ones are there and not the old ones
Hi sfuentes,
You need to check iCloud to see if they are actually there. Go to iCloud.com and sign in and then look at your Contacts there to see if the old ones are still showing on iCloud.
If they are not, then you can either re-enter them while you are on iCloud.com, or you can restore your device from the backup where you saved them:
https://support.apple.com/kb/ph12521
Cheers,
GB -
My wife and I have been texting on our iPhones. All of the sudden all messages are being sent as text. We cannot seem to make the iMessage work. Any ideas?
Your question is almost too much a personal one, begging the question "do we (husband and wife) feel comfy sharing one account on the Mac" maybe thats why nobody answered you.
It doesnt complicate anything, but it adds steps for switching accounts on the Mac/ purchases etc. of course
since your question is mostly personal, ..I wont answer THAT part of it, but creating a new account is easy.....messing with switching back and forth is also a personal preference 'issue' as well. I prefer to keep things simple, but...........you and yours, I dont know.......
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11468 -
I have lost my iPhone 5. How can I get photos that are backed up on iCloud?
Hello,
I have lost my iPhone 5. How can I get photos that are backed up on iCloud?
Thanks!I wish, essentially you have an image file of your personal information integrated with parts of IOS in the cloud server. If you had it on your computer - you could use one of the software extractors (bunch with google search, paid and free). From icloud server it can be restored to other iphone, ipod touch, ipad - then backed up or imported to computer for you. Then that other device can return to your friend or family member. That is the only way I can think of.
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i lost my iphone and had it backed up to icloud and photo stream but i never plugged it into a computer since i had set up photo stream. is there a way to login to any mac device to view my photos or anything?
Welcome to the Apple Community.
Yes you should be able to log into iCloud on a Mac from system preferences > iCloud and set up photostream to download any photos that are there. You should also be able to use your iCloud back up to restore any replacement phone to reflect the phone you lost.
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