Why is not possible to make an iCloud backup with mobile data?

[krokens]

My home is on the field and I don’t have the possibility to have fiber or DSL. I would like to make a backup of my iPhone and my iPad in iCloud with my non-limit mobile data rate. As far as I know this is not possible because Apple only offers the possibility to make the iCloud backup with wifi. Why? Do you know what is the reason for that? I think we must have both options. I can’t understand this restriction.

Anyway, if I’m wrong and you know any way to do it, I would appreciate your comments

Thanks

 

[digitalexplr]

My home is on the field and I don’t have the possibility to have fiber or DSL. I would like to make a backup of my iPhone and my iPad in iCloud with my non-limit mobile data rate. As far as I know this is not possible because Apple only offers the possibility to make the iCloud backup with wifi. Why? Do you know what is the reason for that? I think we must have both options. I can’t understand this restriction.

Anyway, if I’m wrong and you know any way to do it, I would appreciate your comments

Thanks

Go into Settings>Cellular and make sure Cellular Data is enabled. Scroll down to the bottom and turn on iCloud Drive.

That should do it.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Go into Settings>Cellular and make sure Cellular Data is enabled. Scroll down to the bottom and turn on iCloud Drive.

That should do it.

That won’t work. What you stated is for transferring single documents. It doesn’t apply to backup.

At this point, you can’t perform iCloud backup without WiFi.

 

[EM2013]

Why doesn’t the iPhone allow iCloud backup or software updates over mobile networks

Considering that in 2019 most people now have either unlimited data, or essentially unlimited data, it seems very strange that you must be connected to WiFi in order to backup your phone to iCloud or to install updates. Isn’t it about time Apple offered to do this over 4G

forums.macrumors.com

[automerge]1600537416[/automerge]

That won’t work. What you stated is for transferring single documents. It doesn’t apply to backup.

At this point, you can’t perform iCloud backup without WiFi.

Beat me to it

 

[krokens]

That won’t work. What you stated is for transferring single documents. It doesn’t apply to backup.

At this point, you can’t perform iCloud backup without WiFi.

Yes, it does not work for iCloud backup.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Yup. Annoying. Like the fact you can’t download a new iOS update. Very irritating.

 

[CTHarrryH]

And if they allowed and some people did it without unlimited and a good cellular connection then people would complain and probably sue Apple for using all their data

 

[krokens]

And if they allowed and some people did it without unlimited and a good cellular connection then people would complain and probably sue Apple for using all their data

I think this is not an answer to my question. Apple can advise before starting the backup about the possibility to lose you data if you use your cellular. Once you noticed about it, no sue would be admitted

 

[digitalexplr]

That won’t work. What you stated is for transferring single documents. It doesn’t apply to backup.

At this point, you can’t perform iCloud backup without WiFi.

My bad!

 

[Apple_Robert]

My bad!

You tried to help and that is what counts. I have messed up many times over the years on the forum.

 

[C DM]

I think this is not an answer to my question. Apple can advise before starting the backup about the possibility to lose you data if you use your cellular. Once you noticed about it, no sue would be admitted

It might not be something that someone would win, but wouldn't be necessarily something that would prevent people from making a fuss and Apple still needing to deal with it or be affected by it in some fashion.

That aside, seems like carriers likely have something to do with it as well as they likely don't want to have more of their bandwidth taken up by large uploads/downloads from a lot of devices around similar times which would often be the case with backups and with updates when they are released, for example.

 

[TiggrToo]

You tried to help and that is what counts. I have messed up many times over the years on the forum.

I'd say the line is long, and honorable: but given that I'm in that line I'm not sure about the honorable part...

 

[Apple_Robert]

I'd say the line is long, and honorable: but given that I'm in that line I'm not sure about the honorable part...

You can be feisty at times which some men around here aren’t used to. Don’t sweat it.

 

[cdcastillo]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but my brother is in a similar situation: old iPhone 6 with trouble with the lightning data port and without a functioning wifi antena. He already has a new phone to use, but can not transfer nor backup his data.

Is there something he can do to backup his old stub of a phone or to transfer the data from the old phone to the new one? Some new development over the last 3 months since this thread went cold?

 

[ab22]

Very late replying - but a similar situation, albeit in a city.

I plug an SE into a macbook pro; enable iPhone USB in system preferences - network, then share the internet connection from MBP over wifi & connect to it on the iphone.

It's right clumsy first time doing - but gets easier...