How to backup my iPhone and Entire Content Without iTunes

Hey all,

I am trying to totally eliminate iTunes from my iPhone experience. I have my iPhone to an almost perfect place right now. I only have one step left, and that's backing up. Is there an app that will create like a full copy of my iPhone, and could restore it if necessary? It needs to get all of my music (include the added music), I would also like it to backup pics, movies and messages if possible.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Why dont you want to use itunes? Almost everything could be done via itunes, such as updating, syncing, restoring, backup etc.

Originally Posted by mikelucas0756

Why dont you want to use itunes? Almost everything could be done via itunes, such as updating, syncing, restoring, backup etc.

I really dislike iTunes and the whole closed attitude Apple has about the iPhone. If I want to add music to my phone, I don't want to be locked to one computer - I want to add some songs from my PC before I leave on a trip, but also have the option to add songs from my MacBook while traveling.

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

I really dislike iTunes and the whole closed attitude Apple has about the iPhone. If I want to add music to my phone, I don't want to be locked to one computer - I want to add some songs from my PC before I leave on a trip, but also have the option to add songs from my MacBook while traveling.

If it weren't for Apple, there wouldn't be an iPhone.

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

Hey all,

I am trying to totally eliminate iTunes from my iPhone experience. I have my iPhone to an almost perfect place right now. I only have one step left, and that's backing up. Is there an app that will create like a full copy of my iPhone, and could restore it if necessary? It needs to get all of my music (include the added music), I would also like it to backup pics, movies and messages if possible.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

You mean aside from iCloud, which backs all that stuff up wirelessly? Aside from that, I don't believe such a solution exists with the iPhone.

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

I really dislike iTunes

So did I until I learned how to use it properly. Not being a smart-mouth, I'm being totally and completely sincere.

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

and the whole closed attitude Apple has about the iPhone.

I use to feel the same way. The 6s is my first iPhone. Every Android device I've ever owned I have rooted it and installed custom ROMs. After learning a bit more about the iPhone I've come to realize that it's one of the most secure phones on the market. I like the lengths Apple will go to in order to keep my information as safe as possible.

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

If I want to add music to my phone, I don't want to be locked to one computer - I want to add some songs from my PC before I leave on a trip, but also have the option to add songs from my MacBook while traveling.

There's absolutely nothing stopping you from doing so if you're using iTunes. We have several Windows PC's in our house, several Windows laptops, and a new Macbook Pro. We can add music to our iPhones from any of those. I fought with iTunes and my iPhone for a month before I finally figured out how to use iTunes the right way. Of course, Apple does not make using it easy either, but once you figure it out the light bulb that goes off is larger than the Empire State Building. ;)

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

I really dislike iTunes and the whole closed attitude Apple has about the iPhone. If I want to add music to my phone, I don't want to be locked to one computer - I want to add some songs from my PC before I leave on a trip, but also have the option to add songs from my MacBook while traveling.

Originally Posted by Sherry_B

There's absolutely nothing stopping you from doing so if you're using iTunes. We have several Windows PC's in our house, several Windows laptops, and a new Macbook Pro. We can add music to our iPhones from any of those. I fought with iTunes and my iPhone for a month before I finally figured out how to use iTunes the right way. Of course, Apple does not make using it easy either, but once you figure it out the light bulb that goes off is larger than the Empire State Building. ;)

The way is to set up iTunes to manually add music to the iPhone in iTunes on both computers. This note from Apple shows you how: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201593

(I'm not a huge fan of iTunes, either, but I'm with Sherry_B - I have it set up perfectly for the way I want it.)

I think iTunes is the only option that can backup the entire contents and settings of your iPhone officially. It's also really easy to restore the backup to your iPhone. If you don't have to use iTunes, some third party programs can also backup your iPhone contents but not settings. iPhone Transfer is one of them. It can connect your iPhone and transfer music, photos, videos, messages, contacts, playlists, TV shows, ringtones, audio books, ebooks and other files from iPhone to computer easily.

Originally Posted by leah_lamar

Hey all,

I am trying to totally eliminate iTunes from my iPhone experience. I have my iPhone to an almost perfect place right now. I only have one step left, and that's backing up. Is there an app that will create like a full copy of my iPhone, and could restore it if necessary? It needs to get all of my music (include the added music), I would also like it to backup pics, movies and messages if possible.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Take a look at iMazing. The full paid version does all of that and more.

The official ways from Apple to back up iPhone contents are either making a backup via iTunes or doing it via iCloud. However, there are some software supporting this feature, too.

I have existed on various iPhones since 2012 without a computer.Occasionally irritating but works well on the whole.