iCloud Backups Explained: What’s Backed Up, What’s Not, and Why It Matters
iCloud Backup is often misunderstood.
Many users assume it automatically protects everything on every Apple device — including photos, messages, and even Macs. In reality, iCloud Backup works very differently depending on your settings, your storage plan, and how you use iCloud features like iCloud Photos and Messages in iCloud.
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what iCloud Backup does, what it doesn’t do, and how to make sure your data is actually protected.
🎓 What You’ll Learn
• What iCloud Backup really is (and isn’t)
• Why iCloud Backup does not back up your Mac
• How iCloud Backup differs from iCloud syncing
• Why Photos and Messages may NOT be in your backup
• How to manage backup size and storage usage
• How to restore from an iCloud Backup correctly
☁️ What iCloud Backup Actually Does
iCloud Backup is designed specifically for iPhone and iPad, not Macs or Windows computers.
When enabled, iCloud Backup automatically saves:
• App data
• Device settings
• Home Screen layout
• Apple Watch backups
• Health data
• Visual Voicemail
• iMessage/SMS only if Messages in iCloud is OFF
• Photos & videos only if iCloud Photos is OFF
Backups occur automatically when your device is:
• Connected to Wi-Fi
• Plugged into power
• Locked
🚫 What iCloud Backup Does NOT Back Up
This is where most confusion happens.
If you are using iCloud syncing features, that data is not included in iCloud Backup:
❌ Not Included in iCloud Backup
• iCloud Photos (photos/videos sync instead)
• Messages in iCloud
• Contacts
• Calendars
• Notes
• Safari bookmarks
• Reminders
• iCloud Drive files
Why? Because this data already lives in iCloud and syncs across devices.
Delete it on one device — it disappears everywhere.
📸 iCloud Backup vs iCloud Photos (Critical Difference)
If iCloud Photos is ON:
• Photos sync across devices
• Photos are not backed up
• Deleting a photo deletes it everywhere
• Backup does NOT protect deleted photos
This is why having an additional backup (like Time Machine or an external drive) is so important for photos.
💾 iCloud Storage & the 5GB Reality
Apple includes 5GB of free iCloud storage, which is rarely enough for backups.
Common symptoms:
• “iCloud Backup Failed” errors
• Backups never completing
• Devices silently going unprotected
You can manage this by:
• Reviewing backup size per device
• Excluding large apps from backups
• Deleting old device backups
• Upgrading iCloud storage if needed
🔄 Restoring From an iCloud Backup
iCloud Backup shines when:
• Setting up a new iPhone or iPad
• Replacing a lost or damaged device
• Migrating to a new device without a computer
During setup, you can choose an existing iCloud Backup and restore:
• Apps
• Settings
• Device layout
• Supported app data
Synced data (Photos, Messages, Contacts) downloads automatically afterward.