We reviewed the ways to sync and back up an iPhone or iPad to be prepared in case you should ever lose your device. Before getting into that, we went into iCloud settings and enabled Find My iPhone. This enables your lost or misplaced device to be located from another iOS device using the Find My iPhone app, or any computer with a browser by going to http://www.icloud.com. You can play a sound or display a message for the finder to call another number. When you have given up on the device or suspect it has been stolen you can request that its contents be wiped the next time it connects to the network, so you don’t have to worry that someone will access all your information.
Next we went into iCloud settings again to see where to enable iCloud Backup. This backs up your photos and most of your device’s data to iCloud. You can restore to that device after going into Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings, or to a new iOS device during initial setup.
Next we explained iTunes backup to your computer, which is the most complete backup. You may optionally encrypt your backup, in which case your passwords will also be backed up. You can sync and back up via a USB cable connected to your computer, or over Wi-Fi when your device is connected to a power source. The backup takes place automatically as the first step of the sync process. With iTunes you can choose which photos, videos, music, and apps to copy to your device. If you downloaded any media directly to your iOS device, they will be transferred to your computer for safekeeping.