When you set iCloud to create a manual backup, and set whatever sliders for the files or data you want included, does that mean that, for example, if you include notes and photos in said backup, they will only be accessible in the form of installing from the backup? As opposed to, for example, backing up your notes to icloud or photos manually, which allows them to be viewable in the on iCloud folder if you are logged in?
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Difference between a backup and storing things like photos or notes on iCloud
- Thread starter humpbacktwale
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iCloud apps like Notes, Mail, Reminders, etc. aren’t included in iCloud Backup. The best explanation about what’s included in an iCloud backup comes from Apple:
”Your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backups only include information and settings stored on your device. They do not include information already stored in iCloud such as Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, Messages in iCloud, iCloud Photos, and shared photos. Some information is not included in an iCloud backup but can be added to iCloud and shared across multiple devices like Mail, Health data, call history, and files you store in iCloud Drive.”
support.apple.com
Feel free to ask more questions if this info doesn’t answer everything.
”Your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backups only include information and settings stored on your device. They do not include information already stored in iCloud such as Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos, Messages in iCloud, iCloud Photos, and shared photos. Some information is not included in an iCloud backup but can be added to iCloud and shared across multiple devices like Mail, Health data, call history, and files you store in iCloud Drive.”
What does iCloud back up? - Apple Support
iCloud Backup helps keep your data safe by making a copy of the information on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro that isn't already synced to iCloud.
What is iCloud Backup?
Get an overview of using iCloud to back up your iPhone or iPad.
support.apple.com
Feel free to ask more questions if this info doesn’t answer everything.
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Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Ok, so when I remove a backup of a device that clearly removes any of the data included in that backup. But then how is data that seems to not be included in this backup removed? I mean I assume if any of my notes were stored on iCloud, they would come up under iCloud notes, correct? But this isn't the case. So how are they removed? Are they simply removed from iCloud as soon as you remove the device that synced them?
Ok, so when I remove a backup of a device that clearly removes any of the data included in that backup. But then how is data that seems to not be included in this backup removed? I mean I assume if any of my notes were stored on iCloud, they would come up under iCloud notes, correct? But this isn't the case. So how are they removed? Are they simply removed from iCloud as soon as you remove the device that synced them?
If I understand your question, and I’m not sure that I do, Notes would no longer be in iCloud when you turn it off in the settings (iCloud > Apps Using iCloud > Notes).
Removing a device from your iCloud account would mean that you’ve disabled Find My and logged out of iCloud on that device. But the data for apps using iCloud will still be in iCloud as long as you’ve got them enabled on another device.
You could add a new device to your iCloud account by signing in to iCloud on that device and enabling apps using iCloud (although I think most of them are on by default), and your Notes data, for example, will be available on that new device. It can take a few minutes for it to populate in that app.
Does that help answer your question? Maybe if you could describe the problem you’re trying to solve too, it might help focus the answers.
Removing a device from your iCloud account would mean that you’ve disabled Find My and logged out of iCloud on that device. But the data for apps using iCloud will still be in iCloud as long as you’ve got them enabled on another device.
You could add a new device to your iCloud account by signing in to iCloud on that device and enabling apps using iCloud (although I think most of them are on by default), and your Notes data, for example, will be available on that new device. It can take a few minutes for it to populate in that app.
Does that help answer your question? Maybe if you could describe the problem you’re trying to solve too, it might help focus the answers.
So what I want to clarify, is that, given contacts and Notes are not saved in a backup, how would one actually determine if they have been included in an iCloud account or not? Would they only be present on said account provided the device that backed them up is logged into it, and if said device is removed, would the data that device backed up to iCloud also be removed?
It’s possible you’re confusing apps using iCloud and iCloud backup. You can always go to iCloud.com in a browser to see your apps using iCloud data regardless of the devices you have. You can even do it on Windows.
Your apps using iCloud (such as Notes and Contacts) will be available on that device if you have them enabled in the Apps Using iCloud setting. It has nothing to do with iCloud backup.
Maybe a confusing part though is that iCloud Backup is under Apps Using iCloud. Some users don’t use iCloud Backup, but as long as Apps Using iCloud are enabled for, in your example, Notes and Contacts, you will have access to that data on that device.
If you have an iPhone and a Mac, and you have Notes disabled under Apps Using iCloud on the iPhone but enabled on the Mac, you’ll only see Notes stored in iCloud on the Mac.
Your apps using iCloud (such as Notes and Contacts) will be available on that device if you have them enabled in the Apps Using iCloud setting. It has nothing to do with iCloud backup.
Maybe a confusing part though is that iCloud Backup is under Apps Using iCloud. Some users don’t use iCloud Backup, but as long as Apps Using iCloud are enabled for, in your example, Notes and Contacts, you will have access to that data on that device.
If you have an iPhone and a Mac, and you have Notes disabled under Apps Using iCloud on the iPhone but enabled on the Mac, you’ll only see Notes stored in iCloud on the Mac.
Ok, I think we are getting close to the source of my confusion. So for apps using iCloud, such as notes and backups, if it is enabled, then the contacts and notes on said phone will be available in iCloud, and on another device also logged into said iCloud account, correct? If this is the case, if I suddenly sign out of iCloud on the device that synced the data in the first place, will that data be removed from iCloud?
Once you’ve stored the data in iCloud by enabling iCloud apps in Apps Using iCloud, it’s stored there until you delete it even if you log out of iCloud on a device.
So if you log out of iCloud on a device because, for example, you’re selling it, and then you get a new device, enabling those iCloud apps on the new device will sync the app data in iCloud to that new device.
Make sense?
So if you log out of iCloud on a device because, for example, you’re selling it, and then you get a new device, enabling those iCloud apps on the new device will sync the app data in iCloud to that new device.
Make sense?
That’s one way to do it. You could also delete a Note on one of your devices too and that would remove it from iCloud.
So the data is only going to be kept on iCloud provided it is available on device that originally created the note?
No, once it’s in Cloud, it will stay in iCloud until it’s deleted on any device with that app enabled in Apps Using iCloud or via iCloud.com. It’s not really clear to me what your goal is though. Are you trying to get rid of a specific Note in iCloud? Or are you switching devices?
I am trying to determine if my notes or contacts have been synced to iCloud. I assumed that, given I had not backup of my previous phone, this was not the case, and after I enabled iCloud in notes, only 1 came up in said folder. So I am trying to determine how I will find out, and if so, remove them.
Though I'd just clarify something as I finally found a post that addressed it here. If you enabled icloud in a specific application, like notes or photos, then your notes or photos will be synced to iCloud and available on any device.
If however you simply create a backup, and do not enabled iCloud for those apps, then the data is only recoverable if you restore from the phone backup that is created. They will not be available in iCloud, and as such not viewable.
So I think in my case, I had created a manual backup of an old phone, and as such notes and photos were rolled into that backup. But since they hadn't been synced to iCloud, they are only accessible if a device is restored from the backup.
If however you simply create a backup, and do not enabled iCloud for those apps, then the data is only recoverable if you restore from the phone backup that is created. They will not be available in iCloud, and as such not viewable.
So I think in my case, I had created a manual backup of an old phone, and as such notes and photos were rolled into that backup. But since they hadn't been synced to iCloud, they are only accessible if a device is restored from the backup.
Exactly, if it’s not in iCloud, it’s stored on your device and included in the backup. That’s what this bit from the first link describes:
“Your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch backups only include information and settings stored on your device. They do not include information already stored in iCloud such as Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Notes, Reminders, Voice Memos4, Messages in iCloud, iCloud Photos, and shared photos.“
Yeah see that part of it not already being included threw me, as the wording suggested to me that by default those would be iCloud apps and not included.
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