When you sign up for iCloud, you automatically get 5 GB of free storage. Your iCloud
storage is used for iCloud Backup, app data and documents stored in iCloud, and iCloud
Mail (your @icloud.com email account).
If you run out of space, you can buy more storage. You can also manage your storage space by reducing your iCloud backup size or deleting items stored in iCloud.
You have important information on your iPhone and iPad. iCloud automatically backs
up your device over Wi-Fi every day while it’s turned on, locked, and connected to
a power source. With your device information backed up in iCloud, you can easily set
up a new device or restore information on one you already have.
Here’s what iCloud backs up:
- Purchase history for music, movies, TV shows, apps, and books
Your iCloud backup includes information about the content you have purchased, but
not the purchased content itself. When you restore from an iCloud backup, your purchased
content is automatically downloaded from the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store.
Some types of content aren’t downloaded automatically in all countries, and previous
purchases may be unavailable if they have been refunded or are no longer available
in the store. For more information, see the Apple Support article iTunes in the Cloud availability by country. Some types of content aren’t available in all countries. For more information, see
the Apple Support article What can I buy from the iTunes Store in my country?.
- Photos and videos on your iOS devices
- Device settings
- App data
- Home screen and app organization
- iMessage, text (SMS), and MMS messages
- Ringtones
- Visual Voicemail
Your iOS device backup only includes data and settings stored on your device.
It doesn’t include data already stored in iCloud, for example contacts, calendars,
bookmarks, mail messages, notes, shared photo albums, iCloud Photo Library beta, My
Photo Stream, and documents you save in iCloud using iOS apps and Mac apps.
- Photos (photos, screenshots, images saved, and videos taken) and Saved Photos (in
devices without a camera).
- Contacts* and Contact Favorites. (You should regularly sync your contacts to a computer
or cloud service, such as iCloud.)
- Health (only if you have an encrypted backup).
- Calendar accounts, events, and subscribed calendars.
- Safari bookmarks, cookies, history, offline data, and currently open pages.
- Autofill for webpages.
- Offline web app cache/database.
- Notes.
- Mail accounts. (Mail messages aren't backed up.)
- Microsoft Exchange account configurations.
- Call history.
- Messages (iMessage and carrier SMS or MMS pictures and videos).
- Voicemail token. (This isn't the voicemail password, but it is used for validation
when connecting. This is only restored to a phone with the same phone number on the
SIM card.)
- Voice memos.
- Network settings (saved Wi-Fi hotspots, VPN settings, and network preferences).
- Keychain. (Includes email account passwords, Wi-Fi passwords, and passwords you enter
into websites and some apps.)
If you encrypt the backup, you can transfer the keychain information to a new device. With an unencrypted backup,
you can restore the keychain only to the same iOS device. If you're restoring to a
new device with an unencrypted backup, you'll need to enter these passwords again.
- App Store app data. (Minus the app itself, its tmp, and Caches folder.)
- App settings, preferences, and data, including documents. (PDFs downloaded directly
to iBooks on an iOS device are not included in the backup. To back these up, go to
File > Transfer Purchases.)
- In-app purchases.
- Game Center account.
- Wallpapers.
- Location service preferences for apps and websites you've allowed to use your location.
- Home screen arrangement.
- Installed profiles.
When you restore a backup to a different device, installed configuration profiles, such
as accounts, restrictions, or anything that can be specified through an installed
profile, aren't restored. Any accounts or settings that aren't associated with an
installed profile will be restored.
- Map bookmarks, recent searches, and the current location displayed in Maps.
- Nike + iPod saved workouts and settings.
- Paired Bluetooth devices (which you can only use if restored to the same phone that
did the backup).
- Keyboard shortcuts and saved suggestion corrections.
- Trusted hosts that have certificates that can't be verified.
- Web clips.
*Your contacts are part of the backup to preserve recent calls and favorites lists.
To avoid any potential contact data loss, back up your contacts to a supported personal
information manager (PIM) or another cloud-based service (such as Gmail or Microsoft
Exchange). You can also make a copy of contacts that are in iCloud. Learn about backups in iCloud.