iCloud back up

**treogolfer** · 11-07-2012, 07:09 PM

I have 2 phones iPad and a touch backing up to iCloud. Have plenty of room for the most part. I just happened to be looking at manage storage, because I was bored in airport, and notice that all the apps. And all kinds of junk backing up. My question is, what do I really need to back up? My use gmail because it syncs with my desktop. Why would I want all the apps backed up?

**JustMe'D** · 11-07-2012, 07:23 PM

According to Apple:

You get 5GB of free iCloud storage for:

Photos and videos in the Camera Roll
Device settings (for example: Phone Favorites, Wallpaper, and Mail, Contacts, Calendar accounts)
App data
Home screen and app organization
Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)
Ringtones
Visual Voicemails

Your apps are not backed up or need to be because they are readily available to be re-downloaded via the App Store's "purchased" section. However, you may find that everything in the above listed is necessary to be backed up.

**Ringfinger** · 11-26-2012, 02:58 PM

Can you tell me is it possible to back up to the cloud and also keep a local backup?

**JustMe'D** · 11-26-2012, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Ringfinger

Can you tell me is it possible to back up to the cloud and also keep a local backup?

Yes. For a local backup, use iTunes on your computer.

**Karenkcoulter** · 11-26-2012, 05:46 PM

If you have iCloud on for a local backup, open iTunes with your phone plugged in. Right-click on the phone in the left sidebar and select the backup option.

I don't do this regularly, but I will sometimes like when I'm about to get a new phone and I want to have a backup in case the iCloud restore doesn't work.