Backup with iTunes or iCloud? A comparison

If you want to backup your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you can do so via iTunes or iCloud. We present both ways, compare them and show you how they work.

Backup with iTunes or iCloud?

• Backup via iTunes: The advantage of the "old-fashioned" backup is the independence from the Internet. You have saved your backup directly on your PC. However, if the computer is not accessible, there is no cable in sight, or if it breaks, it looks bad with the backup.
• Backup via iCloud: Backup via iCloud can be carried out from anywhere. You no longer need a cable or PC, just an internet connection. However, if you store more than 5 GB of data in your Apple cloud, you will need to purchase additional storage.
• Backup via iCloud is much easier and faster. The cloud only reaches its limits with large amounts of data or a large number of photos. The classic backup via iTunes, on the other hand, involves a lot more effort.
• The golden mean: Use the iCloud to save "normal" data. The memory-eating photos, on the other hand, are backed up using an iTunes backup. There it is sufficient if you connect your device to the computer once a month.

Backup via iCloud

1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and scroll down a little to the menu item "iCloud".
2. Activate all areas that you want to save in the cloud, such as mail, calendar, contacts, photos or documents and data (see picture).
3. Then select "Storage & Backup" at the bottom.
4. You can now activate the "iCloud backup" option at the bottom. Now your first backup is created.

Backup via iTunes

1. Start iTunes and connect your iOS device to your computer with a USB cable.
2. Click the button with the name of your device in the top right corner of iTunes. You are now on the overview.
3. In the "Backups" category, you can use the "Back up now" button to perform a backup.
4. Then select the "Backup apps" or "Don't backup apps" option to decide whether the backup should also save the apps on the computer. As a rule, backing up the apps only eats up memory and has no real benefit.
5. You have now successfully backed up via iTunes.

• The CHIP editorial team explains how you can make backup copies as quickly as possible and how you can ideally outsource them. Is the hard drive the ideal medium or are there better alternatives? We show where you can best archive your data.
• In the CHIP kiosk you can download the CHIP guide as a PDF

This practical tip shows you how to make a backup copy of your iTunes library.