How to Restore iPhone Using an iCloud Backup
If your iPhone automatically backs up to iCloud when the iPhone is connected to power and Wi-Fi, restoring it is easy and wireless:
Check for an iCloud Backup
To make sure you have a recent backup:
Don’t See Your Backup?
If there is no entry or it is an old backup, you may have backed up the iPhone to iTunes on a computer at some point (more on that later in this article). You want to use the most recent backup you can find.
Restore an iCloud Backup
After you confirm that you have a usable backup stored iCloud: It only takes a few minutes before you can use the iPhone, but hook it up to power and Wi-Fi and leave it hooked up until it has downloaded your photos, messages, and other backup files, which can take hours or days with a slow connection, depending on how much content is backed up to iCloud.
How to Restore an iPhone Backup From iTunes on a Computer
When you sync your iPhone with iTunes on a computer, the data, settings, and other information on the phone are backed up. To restore a backup for your iPhone:
What Happens Now?
iTunes reloads the backup data onto your phone. The process is relatively quick because it only transfers data and settings at this point, not your music, apps, and images. Then, the process of downloading your purchased music, movies, apps, books, and photos begins, which can take a long time depending on the amount of content on the iPhone.
