Why does iPhone backup take 12 hours?

Answered by Stephen Mosley

The length of time it takes for an iPhone backup to complete can vary depending on several factors. One common reason for a backup to take a long time is the presence of large files. When you back up your iPhone to iCloud, it includes not only your device settings and app data but also your photos, videos, and other files. If you have a large number of these files or if they are particularly large in size, it can significantly increase the time it takes for the backup to complete.

For example, if you have a lot of high-resolution photos or videos on your iPhone, they can take up a significant amount of storage space. When you initiate a backup, iCloud needs to upload all of these files to its servers, which can be a time-consuming process, especially if you have a slow internet connection. Additionally, if you have multiple devices connected to the same iCloud account, the backup process may take even longer as it needs to sync and back up data from all these devices.

Another factor that can contribute to a long backup time is the presence of unused or unnecessary apps. Apps can accumulate a lot of data over time, including cache files, documents, and other user data. When you perform a backup, all of this data gets included in the backup file. If you have a lot of apps that you no longer use or need, it’s a good idea to delete them from your device before initiating a backup. This can help reduce the amount of data that needs to be backed up, thereby speeding up the backup process.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that a slow or unstable internet connection can significantly impact the speed of your backup. If you’re experiencing slow backup times, try connecting to a more stable and faster Wi-Fi network. You may also want to check if other devices on your network are consuming a lot of bandwidth, as this can affect the backup speed as well.

In my personal experience, I’ve noticed that backups can take a considerable amount of time when I have a large number of photos and videos on my iPhone. As someone who enjoys photography, I tend to accumulate a significant amount of media files over time. Whenever I initiate a backup, it can take several hours to complete due to the sheer size of these files. To address this, I regularly go through my photo library and delete any unwanted or unnecessary photos and videos. This not only helps free up storage space on my device but also speeds up the backup process.

To summarize, the length of time it takes for an iPhone backup to complete can be influenced by various factors, including the presence of large files like photos and videos, unused or unnecessary apps, and the speed and stability of your internet connection. By managing and reducing the size of your files and optimizing your device’s app usage, you can help speed up the backup process and minimize the time it takes for future backups.