Apple iPhone Tip: How To Selectively Back Up Data Using iCloud

iPhone users who love to download apps, songs and take photos and videos will realize that no matter how big the device's internal storage capacity is, it is always not enough. Users will always want more room for more apps, songs, photos and videos.

In times like this, users will be happy to know that they can back up their data using iCloud. The online storage service, however, is also limited, which means users will need to make sure to back up only the data they need and want to make copies of.

iCloud, by default, backs up all the data in the iPhone at the time of back up – photos, videos, Reminders, Contacts, app data, iCloud Keychain and more are normally backed up by default. This normally leads to maxing out the iCloud storage capacity, particularly for those who store a lot of the aforementioned data on their handsets frequently.

Selective back up

Thankfully, there's a way to selectively back up data from an iPhone to iCloud, iPhoneHacks noted. Here's how.

• First, users should launch the Settings app on their iPhone, then tap on their profile name.
• Second, after that, users should tap on iCloud. This will bring up the list of all the apps and data that are being backed up to iCloud every time. Users will notice that some irrelevant apps can be included in every back up. Users can disable back up for each app by toggling the switch next to its name.

Stopping the Photos app from backing up requires a different method. Here's how:

• First, users should launch the Settings app.
• Second, after that, users should go to Profile, then iCloud, then Photos menu. Once there, users should disable the iCloud Photos option.

Doing these will help users from maxing out their iCloud storage allocation.

Limitations
iPhone users can use iCloud to back up their data to the online storage service, but they can't use it to back up photos to an external drive, or to back up their iPhone contacts to a Mac or Windows PC. Users will need to use another tool, like a third-party app called iMazing, to do that.