How Do I Back Up My Mac To The Cloud

1. Best Way To Back Up My Mac
2. How To Free Up Space On Mac
3. How To Back Up Mac Computer
4. How Do I Back-up My Mac To The Cloud
5. How To Back Up Macbook

Choose a backup method

How to stop iCloud backup on your Mac. Unlike an iPhone or iPad, your Mac doesn't backup all of its files to iCloud – Apple's recommended solution for backing up your Mac is to use Time Machine with either a directly-connected hard drive or SSD or with a compatible network drive like Time Capsule. How to back up your Mac to iCloud Here's how to backup using iCloud. Open System Preferences on your Mac and click on iCloud. Sign in to iCloud if you aren't already. Click the Apple icon on the desktop to go to Settings, select System Preferences, and then start iCloud. If you are using iCloud for the first time or are not logged in on the device, enter your Apple ID and password to sign in. The best way to back up the images and video in iCloud Photo Library is to make sure you're downloading all your content onto your Mac. Note: If you plan to back up your entire digital library to your Mac's hard drive, you'll likely want to do it on a desktop Mac with a 1TB drive or higher. Otherwise, consider backing up to an external drive.

Before you get started, learn the difference between iCloud backups and backups you make using your computer, then choose the method that's best for you. If you need an alternative backup, you can make one in iCloud and another using your computer. How to access mac formatted hard drive in windows.

How to back up with iCloud

1. Connect your device to a Wi-Fi network.
2. Go to Settings > [your name], and tap iCloud.
   
3. Tap iCloud Backup.
   
4. Tap Back Up Now. Stay connected to your Wi-Fi network until the process completes.
   

You can check the progress and confirm the backup completed. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Under Back Up Now, you'll see the date and time of your last backup.

Get help making a backup or manage your available space in iCloud.

Automatically back up with iCloud Backup

To let iCloud automatically back up your device each day, here's what you need to do:

• Make sure that iCloud Backup is turned on in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
• Connect your device to a power source.
• Connect your device to a Wi-Fi network.
• Make sure that your device's screen is locked.
• Check that you have enough available space in iCloud for the backup. When you sign in to iCloud, you get 5GB of iCloud storage for free. If you need more iCloud storage, you can buy more from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. Plans start at 50GB for $0.99 (USD) a month. Learn more about prices in your region.

How to back up with your computer

1. Connect your device to your computer. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15, open Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes.
2. If a message asks for your device passcode or to Trust This Computer, follow the onscreen steps. If you forgot your passcode, get help.
   
3. Locate your device on your computer. If your device doesn't appear on your computer, learn what to do.
4. If you want to save Health and Activity data from your device or Apple Watch, you need to encrypt your backup: Select the box called Encrypt [device] backup and create a memorable password. If you don't need to save your Health and Activity data, you can make a backup that isn't encrypted. Just click Back Up Now.
   Write down your password and store it somewhere safe, because there's no way to recover your iTunes backups without this password.
   
5. When the process ends, you can see if the backup finished successfully.
   

Learn more

• Restore your device from a backup.
• Get help with iCloud backups or iTunes backups.
• Manage your backups.
  

Store your Desktop and Documents folder in iCloud Drive and access them on all your devices. That means you can start a document on your Desktop, then work on it later from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and on iCloud.com. Everything automatically stays up to date everywhere.

Before you begin

Automatically back up with iCloud Backup

To let iCloud automatically back up your device each day, here's what you need to do:

• Make sure that iCloud Backup is turned on in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
• Connect your device to a power source.
• Connect your device to a Wi-Fi network.
• Make sure that your device's screen is locked.
• Check that you have enough available space in iCloud for the backup. When you sign in to iCloud, you get 5GB of iCloud storage for free. If you need more iCloud storage, you can buy more from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. Plans start at 50GB for $0.99 (USD) a month. Learn more about prices in your region.

How to back up with your computer

1. Connect your device to your computer. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15, open Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes.
2. If a message asks for your device passcode or to Trust This Computer, follow the onscreen steps. If you forgot your passcode, get help.
   
3. Locate your device on your computer. If your device doesn't appear on your computer, learn what to do.
4. If you want to save Health and Activity data from your device or Apple Watch, you need to encrypt your backup: Select the box called Encrypt [device] backup and create a memorable password. If you don't need to save your Health and Activity data, you can make a backup that isn't encrypted. Just click Back Up Now.
   Write down your password and store it somewhere safe, because there's no way to recover your iTunes backups without this password.
   
5. When the process ends, you can see if the backup finished successfully.
   

Learn more

• Restore your device from a backup.
• Get help with iCloud backups or iTunes backups.
• Manage your backups.
  

Store your Desktop and Documents folder in iCloud Drive and access them on all your devices. That means you can start a document on your Desktop, then work on it later from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and on iCloud.com. Everything automatically stays up to date everywhere.

Before you begin

1. Update your Mac to the latest version of macOS and your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
2. Make sure that you're signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
3. Set up iCloud on all of your devices and turn on iCloud Drive.

Turn on Desktop and Documents

Turn on Desktop and Documents on every Mac that you want to use with iCloud Drive.

1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
2. Make sure that iCloud Drive is turned on.
3. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
4. Choose Desktop & Documents Folders.
5. Click Done.

In the Finder, you'll see your Desktop and Documents folder in the iCloud section of your sidebar. If you add a second Mac Desktop, you'll find those files in the Desktop folder in iCloud Drive. A folder is created with the same name as your second Mac.

Access your Desktop and Documents files on another device

When you add your Desktop and Documents to iCloud Drive, all of your files move to iCloud and any new files you create are automatically stored in iCloud too. Then you can find your files on all of your devices.

If you want to store your files in iCloud Drive and another cloud storage service, you can keep copies of your files in both, but you can't keep folders from a third-party cloud service in iCloud Drive. You can keep your other cloud service folders in a different place on your Mac, like the home folder.

Your files upload to iCloud each time your device connects to the Internet. Depending on your Internet speed, the time it takes for you to see your files on your other devices might vary.

On your Mac

You can find the files on your Desktop and in your Documents folder in the Finder under iCloud. You can also search for the titles with Spotlight.

You can organize and combine folders from multiple Macs when you turn on Desktop and Documents on those computers too. After you turn on Desktop and Documents on a second Mac, you'll find its files in folders with the same name as your second Mac inside your original Desktop and Documents folders. Then you can combine your files manually, but iCloud doesn't automatically merge the files in case you want to keep them separate. Any edits you make are seamlessly updated in iCloud Drive. There's no need to manage your folders and files again on your other devices.

On your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

With the Files app on iOS 11 or later, it's easy to access and edit your files directly from your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Best Way To Back Up My Mac

When you find the file you need in the Files app, you can use it in any compatible app to edit it.

If you're using iOS 9 or iOS 10, you can access your files in the iCloud Drive app.

On iCloud.com

iCloud.com lets you access your Desktop and Documents folder from your iPad or another computer browser. All of your files are easy to find, organize, and download directly from iCloud Drive. You can even drag files into the Desktop and Documents folders, and then find them later on your Mac.

1. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
2. Go to iCloud Drive.
3. Double-click the Desktop or Documents folder.

If you want to use the file or make edits, just click and download it to your iPad or computer. When you're done making edits, upload the file to iCloud Drive to see the latest version everywhere.

Store your files in iCloud and save space on your device

The files that you keep in iCloud Drive use your iCloud storage. And as long as you have enough space in iCloud and on your device, you can store as many files as you like.

If you need more space on your device, iCloud Drive can help. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud. Turn on Optimize Mac Storage. Then your Mac keeps all of your recent files on your computer, but keeps your older ones only in iCloud, ready for you to download when you need them again. If you want to free up more space on your Mac, follow these steps. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can search and browse files from all of your devices and download them only as you need them.

You can also free up space on your device and in iCloud Drive when you delete files. Then go to your Recently Deleted folder in the Files app or on iCloud.com and delete the files there. Before you delete anything, make sure that you back up the files that you still want. When you use iCloud Drive and delete a file on one device, it deletes on your other devices too. iCloud removes the files from every device that you're signed in to with the same Apple ID.

How To Free Up Space On Mac

Turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

How To Back Up Mac Computer

1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
4. Click Done.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.

How Do I Back-up My Mac To The Cloud

Learn more

How To Back Up Macbook

• Here's what else you can do with iCloud Drive.
• Use the Files app to access your files on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
• Get help with iCloud Drive.
• Upgrade your iCloud storage.