Back Up Your iPad

If you have a College-owned iPad, there are several options for backing up your data on your iPad. Please follow the instructions below to get you started.

Backing up your iPad Tips

You can back up iPad using iCloud or your computer. To decide which method is best for you, see About backups for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Tip: If you replace your iPad, you can use its backup to transfer your information to the new device. See Restore all content to iPad from a backup.

Back up iPad using iCloud

1. Go to Settings  > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

2. Turn on iCloud Backup.

   iCloud automatically backs up your iPad daily when iPad is connected to power, locked, and connected to Wi-Fi.

3. To perform a manual backup, tap Back Up Now.

To view your iCloud backups, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Backups. To delete a backup of the device you’re using, choose a backup from the list, then tap Turn Off and Delete from iCloud. To delete a backup of a different device using the same Apple ID, tap Delete.

Note: If you turn on an app or feature to use iCloud syncing (in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Show All), its information is stored in iCloud. Because the information is automatically kept up to date on all your devices, it’s not included in your iCloud backup. See the Apple Support article What does iCloud back up?.

Back up iPad using your Mac

1. Connect iPad and your computer with a cable.

2. In the Finder sidebar on your Mac, select your iPad.

   To use the Finder to back up iPad, macOS 10.15 or later is required. With earlier versions of macOS, use iTunes to back up iPad.

3. At the top of the Finder window, click General.

4. Select “Back up all of the data on your iPad to this Mac.”

5. To encrypt your backup data and protect it with a password, select “Encrypt local backup.”

6. Click Back Up Now.

Note: You can also connect iPad to your computer wirelessly if you set up syncing over Wi-Fi.

Back up iPad using your Windows PC

1. Connect iPad and your computer with a cable.

2. In the iTunes app on your PC, click the iPad button near the top left of the iTunes window.

3. Click Summary.

4. Click Back Up Now (below Backups).

5. To encrypt your backups, select “Encrypt local backup,” type a password, then click Set Password.

To see the backups stored on your computer, choose Edit > Preferences, then click Devices. Encrypted backups have a lock icon in the list of backups.

Note: You can also connect iPad to your computer wirelessly if you set up syncing over Wi-Fi.