How to back up your phone or laptop before a repair

Before you start

• The device is charged or plugged in, and connected to Wi-Fi.
• You know your Apple Account or Google account password without looking it up on this device.
• You've listed what matters: photos, videos, messages, contacts, calendars, documents and saved passwords.
• You know whether you use an authenticator app for sign-in codes, and which device it's on.

0 of 4 done. Ticking just helps you keep track; nothing is saved or sent.

Steps

1. 1

   Back up an iPhone or iPad

   Open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup, and choose Back Up Now. Wait until it finishes and check the time of the last successful backup. If your iCloud storage is full, you can back up to a computer instead: use Finder on a Mac, or the Apple Devices app on Windows (iTunes on older setups).

2. 2

   Back up an Android phone

   Open Settings and look for Google, then Backup. On some phones it sits under System, or Accounts and backup. Choose Back up now and wait for it to finish. Photos are usually backed up separately, through Google Photos or the maker's own gallery app, so check that syncing is on and up to date. Some makers, such as Samsung, also offer their own backup service.

3. 3

   Back up WhatsApp separately

   WhatsApp chats need their own backup. Open WhatsApp, go to Settings, then Chats, then Chat backup, and run a backup. On iPhone this uses iCloud; on Android it uses Google Drive.

4. 4

   Back up a Windows laptop

   Plug in an external drive, or make sure OneDrive is signed in and syncing. Copy your Documents, Pictures, Desktop and Downloads folders to the drive, or confirm they're syncing. Newer versions of Windows also include a Windows Backup app. Check for important files kept in less obvious places, such as accounts software or email archives.

5. 5

   Back up a Mac

   Connect an external drive, open System Settings, then General, then Time Machine, and add the drive as a backup disk. Let the first backup finish fully before you disconnect it. If you use iCloud Drive, check that Desktop and Documents syncing is on and that the files show as uploaded.

6. 6

   Check the backup actually worked

   Open the external drive or cloud service on another device and make sure a few recent photos and documents are really there and open properly. A backup you haven't checked is a hope, not a backup.

7. 7

   Prepare your accounts

   Move two-step verification to another device, or save your backup codes somewhere safe. Our guide to two-step verification for your email explains how backup codes work.

If this happens, try this

• If the backup keeps failing

  Check there's enough space in your cloud storage or on the drive, stay on Wi-Fi, keep the device plugged in, then try again.

• If your cloud storage is full

  Back up to a computer or an external drive instead, rather than deleting things in a hurry to make room.

• If the device won't switch on

  You can't make a new backup, but an older one may exist. Sign in to iCloud or your Google account on another device and see what's there.

• If the repairer asks you to turn off Find My

  Do it only if they ask, and only after you've checked the backup. Turn it back on when the device comes home.

Things to be careful about

• Authenticator apps. If your sign-in codes only live on the phone being repaired, you could be locked out of email or banking while it's away. Move them or save backup codes first.

• Passwords saved on the device. Make sure you can reach them another way, such as through a password manager or your Apple or Google account on another device.

• Erasing the device yourself. Don't erase or reset anything unless the repairer asks you to, and never before you've checked your backup.

• Backup apps from unknown developers. Stick to the tools built into your device or provided by Apple, Google, Microsoft or your phone's maker.