Unlock your devices in 3 steps
Recover data in 3 steps
Feb 21, 2025 • Filed to: Backup & Restore Data • Proven solutions
Backing up your iPhone regularly is a wise practice ensuring your valuable data's safety and security. It safeguards against accidental loss and provides a lifeline when faced with the challenges of a locked or disabled device.
Although it's possible under certain circumstances, backing up a locked iPhonecomes with its own set of obstacles. So today, we will discuss how to back up a locked iPhone thoroughly to ensure the safety of your data.
In this locked or disabled state, most functions of the iPhone become inaccessible. You can't use your apps, access settings, or get to your personal data on the device.
You’ll need the correct passcode or biometric authentication to unlock it. If someone repeatedly enters the wrong passcode, the iPhone gets disabled temporarily. You will get longer disabling times for each subsequent incorrect attempt.
So, backing up a disabled iPhone is challenging due to Apple's security measures. Certain functionalities, like creating backups, are restricted in this state.
This situation might sound frustrating. In the following sections, we will discuss further various methods to overcome these challenges and ensure the safety of your data when dealing with a locked or disabled iPhone.
If you have ever connected your iPhone to a computer and granted it the "trust" permission, there is a possibility to back up your disabled or locked iPhone using that computer. If not, you might have to erase all of your data to get your access back.
By default, all iPhone models running the latest iOS have iCloud Backup enabled. If you haven't purposely turned off this feature, you can have a backup of your disabled iPhone on iCloud.
The iPhone should automatically connect to this WiFi network and initiate data backup to iCloud, even without unlocking.
If available, use any accessible device to open a web browser and sign in to icloud.com.
Navigate to the Photos, Contacts, Notes apps, etc. on iCloud to verify if your iPhone data has been successfully backed up.
Using a USB cable, connect the disabled iPhone to a trusted computer with iTunes installed.
If your iPhone information is not visible, click the iPhone icon at the top of the iTunes window.
On the left sidebar, select "Summary." Then, navigate to the Backups section on the right and choose "This Computer." Click "Back Up Now" to initiate the immediate backup of the disabled iPhone to the computer through iTunes.
After the backup process is complete, you can proceed to unlock the disabled iPhone by erasing its data. Once the iPhone is unlocked, you can restore the data from the backup by selecting the "Restore Backup" option within iTunes.
Now you understand why it's crucial to back up your iPhone before any unfortunate events occur. In this regard, using a third-party app for backup offers convenience and efficiency. One recommended software is Wondershare Dr.Fone.
Dr.Fone provides a comprehensive backup feature designed to safeguard your iPhone data effortlessly. It has several key features to help back up your data efficiently:
Selectively backup your iPhone contacts in 3 minutes!
How to back up your iPhone with ease using Dr. Fone's backup feature:
Open the Dr.Fone software on your computer and connect your iPhone. Make sure that Dr.Fone recognizes your device. In the left panel of Dr.Fone, click on "My Backup" and then choose the "Back Up Now" option.
Allow Dr.Fone to complete the backup process. The software will automatically detect and back up various types of files from your iPhone. See how far the backup progress is on the screen.
After the backup is finished, you will see a prompt window with detailed information about your backup. You can preview your backup contents before restoring them, ensuring that you have selected the necessary data.
To access the backups, you can either click on "View Backups" or manually locate the backup folder by selecting "Open in Folder."
You May Also Interested:
What can you do to ensure the ongoing safety and accessibility of your iPhone data? We have some tips to prevent any problems with your future backups. Follow these recommendations to minimize the risk of data loss and enhance security:
Opt for automatic backups on your iPhone to streamline the process. By activating this feature, your device will regularly create backups without the need for manual intervention. This helps ensure that your most up-to-date data is always protected.
Maintain a strong and confidential passcode for your iPhone that is not easily guessed. Avoid using common patterns or personal information that could be easily identified.
If you dislike auto-backup, you can regularly back up your iPhone. Determine a backup schedule that suits your needs and make it a habit.
Consider encrypting your backups to provide an additional layer of protection. Encryption involves securing your data with a password. Only authorized individuals can access it.
Select a secure storage location for your backups. This can include external hard drives, cloud storage services, or multiple locations for added redundancy.
It is possible to back up a locked iPhone if you forget the passcode but under certain circumstances. You need to have your iCloud account connected to other devices and make sure you enable auto backup.
Another method is using iTunes. You will need iTunes that is still connected to your iPhone device, then back it up to your comp
After unlocking your iPhone, you will receive a prompt on the Apps & Data screen, allowing you to restore your data from iCloud. Select it and wait for a few minutes until it finishes the restoration.
Backing up a disabled iPhone can be challenging due to Apple's security measures. If you have previously connected your iPhone to a trusted computer, you can use iCloud or iTunes to back up your disabled device.
iCloud allows you to back up your iPhone over a previously connected Wi-Fi network, while iTunes enables you to back up your iPhone to a computer. Additionally, using third-party software like Wondershare Dr.Fone provides a user-friendly and efficient way to back up your iPhone data.
staff Editor
