How to Backup Your Data in iTunes - Sync, Back Up, and Transfer Purchases

http://decipher-media.blogspot.com/2011/05/itunes-sync-vs-backup-how-to-ensur...

One of the great things about working on Decipher TextMessage and Decipher VoiceMail is that I get to help people recover important and personal data (messages from loved ones, photos of grandchildren, and that 11-month conversation with your significant other) on an almost-daily basis. On the other hand, sometimes I have to heartbreakingly tell people that the data might be lost forever. If there is one thing that I've learned from all of these interactions, as well as my own iPhone use, it's that to most of us, the iTunes backup functionality is a mystery that we hope will pleasantly surprise us one day. I'd like to take a minute to remove some of the mystique, and give everyone some much-needed peace-of-mind.

When you plug your iPhone/iTouch/iPad into your computer and run iTunes, there are three forms of communication that you can request happen between your computer and the device: syncing, backing up, and transferring purchases. This video goes over each of them, explaining what data is saved where during the process, and shows you how to request that iTunes perform that process immediately.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• iphone
• backup
• back
• up
• data
• music
• texts
• voicemail
• itunes

[Adnilra97]

I need help! So basically, syncing is data from itunes going into device, backing up is data from device going into itunes, and transferring purchases is putting stuff you bought from your device into itunes??? I'm a little confused

[TheDecipherMedia]

@Adnilra97 You're summary is accurate :) So I think you got it pretty well! The only catch is that some syncing (like contacts and calendars) tries to reconcile your computer data and your phone data, so the communication is two way.

[soroushantikchi]

I bought 2 movies and they show up in my library but after syncing my ipod touch , it's not there. what should I do ?

[TheDecipherMedia]

@soroushantikchi Did you double-check that you have syncing movies enabled in iTunes (under Movies tab)?

[GraandHustleMafia]

om freaking g!!!

its a chick!! just because its a chick i giving this video a thumbs up! and thanks for the info!!! Chicks FTW!!

[TheDecipherMedia]

@GraandHustleMafia I program and play video games too! ;) Hopefully that helps reinforce the thumbs up!

[Rae56789]

this helped SOOO much...someone stole my laptop so now im using an old desktop computer that was in the garage was trying to update my phone since ios5 is out but i didnt want to loose EVERYTHING on my phone just to update it..now i can back up my phone so everything on my phone will be on itunes and i wont loose anything yay! thnx !!

[PyroMachinima]

my head hurts.

[MinecraftOnly1]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

[elizabella77]

what if ur iPhone won't backup? mine waz backing up fer 4 hrz last lite n at 11:00 I just lost it n unplugged. I wasn't backin up pics, hardly any apps. I just really wanted my text mess. n contacts n the apps I do hav. any help?

[Adnilra97]

@TheDecipherMedia Awesome :) I have an ipod touch so does that not concern me? One more question...you said that you should do a back up about once every month. How about syncing? Sorry, that might be a stupid question but just to make sure :P Thanks for your help again!

[1felixjs]

hello TheDecipherMedia i accidently deleted my photos on my iphone 4 do u know how to restore my deleted pic pics back