How to set up automatic iCloud backups for your iPad

Many of you already know the importance of backing up your device, whether it be an iPad or an iPhone.  If this is you, I apologize if you’ve heard this before, and I’m happy to hear that you are taking the few minutes it takes to protect your data.  If you’re hearing this for the first time, or if you still haven’t ever backed up your device, pay close attention.  These few easy steps are so painless and important.  Unfortunately,  for some reason many iPad and iPhone owners fail to _ever_ backup their devices.  I have sen this happen time and time again.  Just today I texted a friend of mine who wasn’t sure who I was because he washed his iPhone in the laundry and had lost all his contacts.  I asked him when the last time he backed up his device, and her said never.  Don’t let this happen to you.  It is completely avoidable and only takes a few minutes.

The easiest way to create a backup is to go through iCloud.  Your iPad and/or iPhone come with 5 GB of free storage already, so why not take advantage of it.  In addition, when you buy a new iPad or iPhone it walks you through the process of setting up iCloud while activating your device.

How to Back-up your iPad via iCloud

1. First you need to make sure that your iPad is connected to your local Wi-Fi network.
2. Next, open the Settings App–> and choose iCloud–> Backup, and turn the feature on
3. To immediately initiate  your back-up, select Back Up Now, and wait for the process to complete before disconnecting your device from Wi-Fi.
4. You can now verify that your back-up is complete, by going back to Settings, and choose Storage–> Manage Storage, and select the iPad you just backed up. If you successfully backed up your device, your iPad or iPhone should now appear in the details with the time it was completed, and the backup size.

Now that iCloud bad-up is turned on, your iPad will automatically back-up each night.  You will no longer have to think about it ever again.  This will continue to happen _every_ night as long as your device is connected to a power source and a Wi-Fi network with the screen locked and ample space available for the backup to save to your iCloud account.

© Renkman for iPad Insight, 2016. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: iCloud