How to Back Up iPhone 4

iPhone is the latest gizmo toy that everyone wants to own. Those who own an iPhone are forever worried they might lose important contacts, useful apps and their SMS. One can never know when and how a mobile phone may crash, get corrupted or stolen. In order to give you peace of mind, I shall enlist the easiest way that will help you learn how to create a backup. Not only this, but also help you learn how to restore from backup. Sensing your apprehension about losing your data, let me go straight to the explanation of how to back up iPhone 4 systematically.

How to Back up Your iPhone

Contacts
When you connect your iPhone with a USB cable to your computer, it will automatically begin to sync. If you have deactivated the auto sync, you need to launch iTunes. Then you need to click on the phone icon on the left in iTunes. When you do so, you will observe an Info tab. Click on this tab and you will find the first option as 'Contacts'. Here, check on the 'sync contacts from' and select 'Windows address book'. Click on all contacts and then click on 'Sync. You will get a message that asks you if you want to merge or replace the contacts. Select merge and your contacts will be copied to your Windows address book. When you check the Windows address book, you will find all your contacts present there. Do not click on Replace or else the contacts on your iPhone may get deleted.

Apps
When you try to sync your iPhone applications with iTunes, you will find none of the methods work. Your iPhone application backup fails to be uploaded in your iTunes or PC. However, there is a very simple method that you should try, if you are interested to know more on how to back up your iPhone apps. All you need to do is launch iTunes. Do allow auto sync of iTunes with iPhone. Then, in the left hand side of the explorer bar of the iTunes, select your iPhone. Then, you will find a tab that says, 'Transfer Purchases'. Click on it and allow it to sync with your iPhone. You will get a message that says 'Sync in Progress'. When the sync is complete, you will find all your applications saved in iTunes.

Data
You can create a backup of your iPhone 4 by connecting your device to the computer using a USB cable. Then, launch iTunes and select your device on the left hand side panel. You need to right-click on your device name and you will find a 'Back up' tab. Select that tab and wait for your iPhone backup to complete. Once done, all your iPhone data recovery will be saved on your computer. It is a good idea to run a backup of iPhone before you try to restore or upgrade your phones firmware.

How to Restore from iPhone Backup

It is very important to note that iTunes tends to delete the previous backup, the next time you sync your iPhone. This means all your previous data will be lost when you carry out another sync. Therefore, it is important that you take a backup of the previous stored data on your iTunes. You need to locate the backup data on your computer's operating system and save a copy on your desktop, or other folder location. The following are the places where you can locate your iPhone backup data recovery folders.

Windows XP
Documents and Setting ----> Username---> Application Data----> Apple Computer folder----> MobileSync folder---->Backup Folder. Copy the Backup folder and save it on your computer's desktop or other preferred location.

Windows Vista and Windows 7
You need to open Users----> Username----> AppData folder----> Roaming folder----> Apple Computer folder----> MobileSync folder----> Backup folder.

Mac OS X
Home Directory----> Library----> Application Support----> MobileSync----> Backup folder.

If you want to know how to restore iPhone from backup, you need to connect your device with computer. Then launch iTunes and select device. In the summary tab, click on Restore. You need to follow the prompt and select the options. You will be asked if you want to restore your iPhone to factory settings. You will need to click on Restore and then when the process is complete your device will display 'Connect to iTunes'. You need to keep your device connected, till the 'Connect to iTunes' does not clear away from the screen, or you see a message 'iPhone activated'. Then, you need to restore your device from a previous backup. You will find a window that says 'Set Up Your iPhone'. You need to select 'Restore from backup of' and select the date. Once the backup is complete your device will begin to work on the settings restored.

This was all about how to create a backup of your iPhone 4. Just follow the instructions and you can save your important data on your phone.