Can I Unplug My iPhone During Backup?

Myra updated on Apr 29, 2024 to iOS Questions and Answers

If I'm backing up my phone on iCloud and unplug it, does it stop backing up, and if I plug it back in, does it start where it stopped?

The answer is NO! You cannot unplug your iPhone during iPhone backup. If you unplug your iPhone during a backup, the backup process will be interrupted and may not be completed successfully. However, when you plug your iPhone back into your computer in the middle of an iTunes backup, iTunes will resume the backup process from where it left off.

Why can't you unplug your iPhone during the backup process? Here are some possible outcomes if you unplug your iPhone:

  • Incomplete Backup: If you unplug your iPhone while the backup is in progress, the backup file may be incomplete or corrupted. This means that some data may not be backed up or restored properly.
  • Data Loss: If the backup process is interrupted, you may lose some data that was not successfully backed up. This could include photos, videos, messages, and other important information stored on your device.
  • Backup Failure: In some cases, unplugging your iPhone during an iCloud backup can cause the backup process to fail completely. This means you may not have a recent backup to restore from in case of data loss or device issues.

Therefore, you should connect your iPhone to your computer when you use iTunes for backup; connect your iPhone to a power source and a stable network when using iCloud.

Remember that both iTunes and iCloud only keep one backup file, which means they will overwrite the previous backup file once you create a new backup. In this case, there is another tool for you to back up your iPhone without overwriting data - EaseUS MobiMover. MobiMover supports all kinds of data, including photos, videos, messages, audio files, etc.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable.

Step 2. Launch EaseUS MobiMover. Choose Phone to PC, select the data you want to back up, and click Transfer.

Step 3. Then, all the selected data types will be transferred to your computer.

If you prefer a backup method without USB, you can read the following article to back up your Apple devices wirelessly.

Related Article: How to Backup iPhone Without Cable [3 Wireless Ways]