iCloud Backup Not Working on iPhone!

“I've been researching this issue. Currently using iPhone 8 but just bought iPhone X. Want to backup my current phone before using the X. It says ‘the last backup was 11/12/19’ and every time I try to backup it says ‘the last backup could not be completed.’ Is there any solution?”

Apple's proprietary storage service iCloud is suitable for everyone and provides 5GB of storage space for free. With it, you can safely back up iOS device data and protect the security of photos, videos, and third-party software data. You can also log in to the same iCloud account on different devices to complete iPhone data transfer.

In the process of backing up computers to iCloud or using iCloud, there is a more common problem: iCloud backup not showing up or doesn’t work, there is an "iCloud backup not completing" issue sometimes. These problems may be caused by a variety of reasons. Let's start troubleshooting why the iOS device like iPhone cannot backing up to iCloud, and then learn how to solve the problem so that you can stop getting iCloud error messages, and complete the backup.

Why is My iCloud Backup Not Working?

For some users, the iCloud backup can work seamlessly and perfectly without any pauses or problems at all. However, for others, iCloud backup failed for various reasons. The most common causes of problems are as follows:

• Backups are disabled.

• Corrupted or incompatible backups.

• Have trouble in the Wi-Fi connection.

• The system is not updated to the latest version.

• iCloud backup failed: not enough storage.

• iOS device battery is low.

6 Ways to Fix iCloud Backup Doesn’t Work

Here are some effective solutions that you can use to solve the iPad or iPhone iCloud backup not working. Before starting the steps below, please make sure that your device has sufficient power and turn off the low battery mode.

• Method 1. Restart the device

• Method 2. Log out and re-add your iCloud account

• Method 3. Check the network connection/reset network

• Method 4. Update the device to the latest version

• Method 5. Turn off restrictions in Settings

• Method 6. Check iCloud storage space

• How to Enlarge iCloud Storage?

• Frequently Asked Questions of iCloud Backup

Method 1. Restart the device

Restarting the device is a very simple and frequently used technique that can help you solve many common problems like iCloud backup incomplete.

Step 1. Press and hold either volume button and the side button at the same time until the power off slider appears.

Step 2. Drag the slider and wait for the device to turn off.

Step 3. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.

Method 2. Log out and re-add your iCloud account

ID verification may cause the iCloud backup to not work properly, you can log in to your iCloud account again to try to solve this problem.

Step 1. Navigate to Settings, find, and click on account and password.

Step 2. Swipe to the bottom and choose Sign Out to exit.

Step 3. Wait for a while, then enter the iCloud login page. Enter your username and password to log in again, and then continue with the subsequent process.

Method 3. Check the network connection/reset network

iCloud automatic backup is only performed under the Wi-Fi connection status. You can check the network status to ensure that it is connected to a normal Wi-Fi network. 

☛You can check the Wi-Fi signal strength of yourself and other nearby Wi-Fi networks directly from "Settings".

Step 1. Open the Settings on the iPhone or iPad, go to Wi-Fi.

Step 2. Under the Wi-Fi network list, you can see the small Wi-Fi signal indicator next to the Wi-Fi network name. Three bars indicate that the Wi-Fi signal is good. It is best to switch to a good network for backup.

☛If Wi-Fi is switched, iCloud backup is still not in progress, try to reset the network.

Navigate to Settings on an iOS device, tap on General, and then open Reset to choose “Reset Network Settings” option.

Method 4. Update the device to the latest version

Upgrading the system version is also an effective method to solve all error problems on iOS devices.

Step 1. Connect your device to power and connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi.

Step 2. Go to Settings > General, then tap Software Update.

Step 3. Tap Download and Install.

Method 5. Turn off restrictions in Settings

iPhone or iPad network restrictions may cause iCloud backup failed, turn off it by following the path - Settings > General > Restrictions > Accounts > Allow Changes.

Method 6. Check iCloud storage space

iCloud only provides 5GB of free storage. If the pop-up window shows that the iPhone backup failed, iCloud storage space may be insufficient.

Navigate to Settings, then click on the name with a portrait at the top, then select iCloud, where you can see how much space is available.

How to Enlarge iCloud Storage?

If you find that there is not enough space, you can use the following method to expand the storage space to ensure normal backup.

☛Way 1. Buy more iCloud storage.

Tap on the manage storage, then you can select “buy more storage” or “change storage plan”. Selecting a plan and then just follow its step.

Have a look at the price of iCloud Storage in 2022 through the following picture:

☛Way 2. Delete old or unnecessary backups to free up more space to back up new data.

☛Way 3. Use other cloud drives to replace iCloud.

Among the many cloud drives, iCloud with only 5GB free storage is slightly inferior. Some cloud storage services provide more free storage space, for example, Google Drive provides 15GB of space for each user. If your iCloud drive does not have enough space, you can use Google Drive or even register more cloud drives as an alternative.

To back up your iOS device to Google Drive, just perform the following steps:

Step 1. On your iPhone or iPad, install and open the Google Drive app.

Step 2. In the top left, tap the Menu icon.

Step 3. At the top, tap Settings and then Backup.

Step 4. Tap Start backup.

If you are using multiple cloud drives (such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.), you can use cloud backup service - CBackup to combine cloud storage. It can help you combine the space of all added cloud storage services, combine a small amount of space into a completely large space for backing up your data, and help you make full use of free cloud drive resources.

Bonus tip: Backup Windows PC to CBackup Cloud

Besides, CBackup provides a professional cloud backup desktop application that supports backing up computers to its secure cloud - CBackup Cloud. As a reliable PC cloud backup tool, in addition to providing professional backup methods and settings (schedule backup, incremental backup, etc.), it is also more cost-effective than other services. Before that, you can download and experience it for free.

Frequently Asked Questions of iCloud Backup

As an iCloud user, here are some common iCloud backup questions you may want to know.

#1. What's included in the iCloud backup?

Here's what iCloud Backup includes: 

Your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backups only include information and settings stored on your device. They do not include information already stored in iCloud such as Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Notes, Voice Memos3, Messages in iCloud, iCloud Photos, and shared photos.

#2. How long do iCloud backups take?

Considering uncertain and various situations, there is no specific answer. It depends on your data volume, device conditions, and Wi-Fi conditions. Overall, the first backup may take 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Conclusion

iCloud backup not working is not a big deal, because there are many effective measures to solve the problem. The possible causes are also listed for you, you can pay more attention to daily use. Besides, iCloud free space is only 5GB, you may run out soon. In this case, you can choose other methods, or use CBackup to get unlimited cloud storage space.