Aside From Using A Third-party Service

While those who receive iPhones and iPads this holiday season may be quick to set up their shiny new device, not everyone puts as much thought into preparing their old hardware for sale or regifting. AppleInsider details how to back up your data from the old hardware, as well as wiping it ready for its new owner. The holiday shopping period is a prime time to acquire hardware, typically as a gift for a friend or loved one, though many will also take advantage of the sales to upgrade their own devices.

Be it as a present to themselves or provided by the generosity of others, acquiring a new iPhone or iPad usually means replacing the old one still being used. Aside from using a third-party service, there are two main ways provided by Apple to back up your iPhone and iPad. The first involves connecting the iOS device to a Mac or PC and backing up via iTunes, while the alternative involves storing your data in iCloud.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, such as differences in time taken to backup and to restore, and the different types of data backed up in each process. Apple's support pages details the main differences between the two ways, including what data is backed up and excluded in each case. It is also possible to create backups using both methods, which will decrease the chance of data loss. Even so, the main thing is to back up your data, regardless of the method or the quantity of backups produced.

Backing up data to iCloud is the easiest option, as it can be performed over Wi-Fi, automatically encrypts backups, and can be retrieved from any available Internet connection. To back up to iCloud, enter the Settings app on your chosen iOS device, tap your name, and then the option for iCloud.

Scroll down the list until you see Backup, tap the option, then the toggle on the side. A warning will appear onscreen advising the device will "no longer back up to your computer automatically when you sync with iTunes" and giving the option to cancel the process. After tapping OK, select "Back Up Now," though if no Internet connectivity is present, it will wait until the next time it detects a connection.

If you have a Mac or PC handy, backing up your iOS device through iTunes is probably the quickest way for larger amounts of data, with storage limited only by the capacity of the host computer. Normally encrypted, it is also possible to back up data to a local device without using encryption, though doing this will mean passwords, Health, and HomeKit data will not be included in the backup itself.

To use this method, connect the iPhone or iPad to the computer using a Lightning to USB cable. At this point, a message may pop up requesting a device passcode and to 'Trust This Computer,' which need to be passed or accepted in order to continue. Select the device when it appears within iTunes, typically by clicking the icon to the right of the media type selector within the application.

Within the Summary menu is a section detailing the backup program set up for the device, if any is applicable. In this menu, select "This Computer" as the backup destination. A tickbox towards the bottom can be enabled to encrypt the backup, and it is recommended to do so. As part of this, users will have to create a password for the backup, that will be required for decryption. On the right are two buttons marked "Back Up Now" and "Restore Backup" with the former able to start the backup process.

As one would expect, the "Restore Backup" button can be used to reinstate the archived data. Clearing out the iPhone or iPad is a relatively simple process, and leaves the device in a state that makes it easy for the new owner to set it up from scratch, without any of the previous user's data appearing.

First, if you own an Apple Watch, you need to unpair it from the iPhone. Apple provides instructions for the unpairing process, which also involves the erasure of the Apple Watch itself. After backing up the device, Apple recommends users sign out of iCloud, iTunes, and the App Store. At this point, you may be asked to enter an Apple ID and password if Find My iPhone is enabled.