iTunes: Backing up, updating, and restoring your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch software

Your device is backed up by iTunes each time you:

• Sync with iTunes (automatically on the first sync, every time you connect it to the computer)
• Update in iTunes (occurs automatically without prompting)
• Restore in iTunes (prompts you to create a backup before the restore process begins)

Although iTunes backs up most of your device's settings, downloaded applications, your audio, video, and photo content are not included in the backup.

If restoring from an iTunes backup, your device settings, downloaded applications, audio, video, and photo contents will re-sync to the device because the "Sync" option under the respective tabs will be checked in iTunes when restoring from a backup. If you choose to restore your device as a new user, downloaded applications, audio, video, and photo content will not be synced until you select the "Sync" option in iTunes under each tab.

You can manually back up or restore your iPhone or iPod touch from a backup. To do so, Control-click or right-click the iPhone or iPod touch icon on the left side of the iTunes window and choose Back Up or Restore from Backup*:

iTunes will not offer the option to restore from backup if no backups have been performed prior to accessing this option. For a list of content that iTunes backs up, as well as more information about backups, see iPhone and iPod touch: About backups and iPad: About backups.

* Restoring from backup is different from performing a full software restore. Restoring from backup restores the settings, application data, and other information saved in a previous backup. Performing a full software restore will delete the contents of your device and restore it to the original factory settings. More information about the "Software Restore" function is below.

iTunes also has the ability to update your device software. When you begin the process of updating your device, iTunes performs a standard backup* (as mentioned above). To do so, you should:

1. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed and running before attempting to update.
2. Connect your device to your computer.
3. Select your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when it appears in iTunes under Devices.
4. Select the Summary tab.
5. Click Check for Update (as seen in the screenshot below):
   

* Updating your device does not affect user content or settings.

Using the Restore function for your device is part of standard troubleshooting procedure. Restoring your device will delete all the data from your device, including songs, videos, contacts, photos, calendar information, and any other data. All settings are restored to their factory condition.

Whenever you restore your device, Apple highly recommends that you perform a sync prior to restoring to back up any changes since your last sync. If you have movie rentals on the device, see iTunes Store movie rental usage rights in the United States before restoring.

Use the following steps to restore your device:

1. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed and running before attempting to update.
2. Connect your device to your computer.
3. Select your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when it appears in iTunes under Devices.
4. Select the Summary tab.
5. Select the Restore option.
6. When prompted to back up your settings before restoring, select the Back Up option (as seen in the image below). If you have just backed up the device, it is not necessary to create another.
   
7. Select the Restore option when iTunes prompts you (as long as you've backed up your device, you should not have to worry about restoring your phone).
   
8. Once the restore process has completed, the device restarts and displays the Apple logo while starting up:
   
   iPhone only: For the iPhone only, after a restore, the iPhone displays the "Connect to iTunes" screen. Keep your device connected until the "Connect to iTunes" screen goes away or you see "iPhone is activated." If iTunes does not have an Internet connection, you cannot complete this step.
   
9. The final step is to restore your device from a previous backup. Once your device is restored and—in the case of the iPhone—in the process of activating, you should be able to see the following in iTunes:
   
   Select the backup you want for your device and select the Continue button to complete your device's restoration.

If you do not want to restore from backup, select "Set up as new…" If you want to preserve previous backups that iTunes has made, be sure to back up the appropriate directory before choosing to set up as new. To learn more about setting up your device as new, see How to set up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch as a new device.

iTunes puts the backup files in the following places:

For more information, see iPhone and iPod touch: About backups and iPad: About backups.

If restoring with the most recent version of iTunes does not work, see iPhone and iPod touch: Unable to restore and Update and restore alert messages on iPhone and iPod touch.

Restoring your new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a previous backup