How to Backup iPhone without iTunes for Free [4 Top Ways]

Learn how to backup iPhone without iTunes. This post covers 4 free and effective methods, including FoneTool, iCloud, Google Drive, and Finder for Mac users.

Clara by Clara Updated November 19, 2024
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Backing up your iPhone is important to protect your data, but not everyone wants to use iTunes. iTunes has many limitations, such as not supporting selective backup or it’s slow transfer speeds. In this guide, we'll introduce 4 effective and free alternatives to perform how to backup iPhone without iTunes. Let's explore together!

Way 1. How to Backup iPhone without iTunes or iCloud

FoneTool is a professional iPhone backup and transfer tool that can back up your iPhone quickly, safely, and customizable. Unlike iTunes or iCloud, it provides selective backup options, offline storage, and no file size limit, making it a great choice for both full and selective backups.

FoneTool

This powerful iPhone data backup and transfer tool is the best way to backup iPhone without iCloud or iTunes.

  • Simple operation steps and works offline with no risk of data leaks.
  • Quickly backup iPhone photos, videos, contacts, music, messages, app data, settings, etc.
  • Fully or selectively backup iPhone data to computer without storage limitations.
  • Fully applicable to all iOS versions and devices, including iOS 18 and iPhone 16.

1-Click Backup Entire iPhone to Computer

If you need to create a complete backup, you can use FoneTool to backup all iPhone data with 3 easy steps. Below is the guide for how to backup iPhone to computer without iTunes:

Step 1. Download and open FoneTool on the Windows PC.

Step 2. Go to Phone Backup > Choose Full Backup > Tap Get Started.

full backup

Step 3. Check Enable Backup Encryption to encrypt your private data > Choose a storage path to store the backup on the PC > Click Start Backup to begin the task.

full backup start backup

When you need to restore your backups, you can go to My Backup > Restore to get the backup. FoneTool supports you to restore data to your device, such as your iPhone, iPad, even if they have different Apple IDs.

my backups restore

Selectively Backup/Transfer iPhone File to PC

For users who only need to back up specific files, FoneTool provides an efficient selective backup option. Learn how to backup iPhone without iTunes on PC:

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the computer > Launch FoneTool.

Step 2. Click Phone Backup from the left panel > Choose Selective Backup > Tap Get Started.

choose selective backup

Step 3. Check the file icon to select data you want to backup > We take backup photos as an example, preview and select the images you want to sync > Tap OK.

select photo

Step 4. Tap Backup Storage Path to decide a backup storage location > Click Start Backup to continue.

select backup confirm

In addition, you can also use the transfer method to share files between iPhone and computer.

enlightenedQuick Guide:

>> Transfer Files from iPhone to PC Without iTunes: 5 Top Ways

>> Transfer Files from PC to iPhone without iTunes [Quickly]

go to transfer

Way 2. How to Backup Data from iPhone without iTunes by iCloud

For Apple users, using iCloud is a popular way to wirelessly back up iPhone data. This method syncs your photos, apps, and settings to Apple's cloud so that they can be accessed from any Apple device. However, it requires a stable internet connection and ample iCloud storage space.

Ensure your device stays connected to Wi-Fi during the process, and learn how to backup iPhone on PC without iTunes by using iCloud:

Step 1. Open Settings on your iPhone > Tap [Your Name] > iCloud.

Step 2. Select iCloud Backup and toggle it on.

Step 3. Then click Back Up Now to manually start the backup.

backup iphone via icloud

By following the steps above, you will get a complete iPhone backup. If you need to backup iPhone without photos, please refer to this link.

Way 3. How to Backup iPhone Data to PC with Google Drive

Google Drive is another free cloud storage option that you can use to back up photos, videos, and documents on your iPhone. It allows you to access your data across platforms via the internet.

mail Note:
  1. Limited free storage (15GB shared across all Google services).
  2. Does not back up app data or system settings.

Here are the steps to back up iPhone data to Google Drive:

Step 1. Download and install the Google Drive app on your iPhone.

Step 2. Open Google Drive > Sign in with your account > Tap the + icon.

Step 3. Select Upload > Choose Photos and Videos.

backup to google photos

This way, Google will automatically back up your photos and videos. And wait for the upload to complete.

Way 4. How to Sync iPhone Data to Mac without iTunes by Finder

If you are a Mac user, you can also choose to use Finder. On Mac running macOS Catalina or later, Finder will sync and back up your iPhone data. It allows users to create backups on the local storage of Mac.

How to backup iphone without iTunes on Mac:

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.

Step 2. Open Finder > Select your iPhone from the sidebar.

Step 3. Click on the General tab > Select Back Up All Data on This iPhone to This Mac.

Step 4. After that, tap Back Up Now to start the process.

Related Questions about Backup iPhone without iTunes

You may also wan to know the answers of below questions:

  1. Why Should I Avoid Using iTunes for iPhone Backup?

Because iTunes is slow, inflexible when it comes to selective backups, and generally requires a lot of computer storage space, other methods are more efficient.

  1. Are There Any Free Methods to Back Up My iPhone Without iTunes?

Yes, FoneTool (Completely free to backup iPhone), iCloud (limited to 5GB), Google Drive (15GB shared), and Finder on Mac provide free options for backups.

  1. Which Method Is Best for Full Backups?

FoneTool is the best for complete backups due to its speed and unlimited storage on your computer.

Conclusion

This article explores the methods on how to backup iPhone without iTunes. Such as FoneTool, iCloud, Google Drive, and Finder. FoneTool stands out as the best choice for both full and selective backups for its speed, selective options, and user-friendly interface. Download FoneTool to find more!

FoneTool - All-in-one iPhone Data Manager

Transfer, backup and manage data on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in an easy way.

  • iOS 18 Compatible
  • iPhone 16 Supported

Free iPhone Manager - FoneTool

  • Full/Selective Backup iPhone
  • Transfer between iPhone and PC
  • 1-Click Transfer iPhone to iPhone
  • WhatsApp Backup & Transfer
  • Fully compatible with iOS 18
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