Back up from iPhone to iTunes cannot be viewed in iTunes PLUS other issues Galore!

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Level 1

4 points

Back up from iPhone to iTunes cannot be viewed in iTunes PLUS other issues Galore!

Why is backup such a darn mess with Apple? It doesn't even work and this is not the first time with this nightmare. A few years ago, I spent hours with apple support and frankly, the same type of issues NEVER got resolved!

It took 4 long hours to do a back up from my iphone to the Windows 10 PC using iTunes app. (phone hooked to the laptop via cable). Once done, I go to the folder where the files are at but they're all of type "file". How the heck am I supposed to view them? I see that iTunes shows that the latest back up was done on 8-18-24 etc. but no way to view them!! Apple support stayed with me the whole 4 hours!! But couldn't figure out what the problem is.

When I tried to backup using "Photos" app on the laptop (phone hooked to the laptop via cable), it shows only 500 photos and not the thousands I have on the phone. I do have "keep the original photos on the phone" option turned on under iCloud.

When I tried simple drag and drop of iPhone folders with pics to my laptop, they work quickly (better than useless itunes!) BUT some folders are missing some pics. Again, my icloud is not the issue for them missing. I see them, I even copied them 5 at a time and after showing that all got copied, when I do a checksum, some are missing! This is driving me nuts.

If you are wondering why I am not using iCloud for "backup", here are 2 reasons:

I ran out of space and am not paying icloud more and more. I have VZ Cloud that gives me 600 GB free! That app has other issues of its own!!
If I back up to icloud and then delete something on my phone, the two will sync soon enough and my understanding is that those photos will also be gone from icloud. THAT'S NOT A BACK UP, THAT'S A SYNC ONLY service that might help in case of a phone getting lost/damaged. As I see it, I'd have to do a icloud back up (after paying tons), then download all that to my laptop and THEN delete pics from my phone.

Is apple not capable of making this backup simpler???? We shouldn't have to waste hours troubleshooting! All the instructions to view my pics on itunes failed bcoz the options shown there are not even on my itunes!!

HELPPPPPPPPPPP! I am traveling in 5 days and need a ton of space on my phone and so far, apple support hasn't been of help. Supposedly a manager will call back tmrw but let's see if they do. The rep was patient and nice but unable to help me in the end!

iPhone 14, iOS 17

Posted on Aug 18, 2024 8:18 PM

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Answer 1

muguy

Level 10

82,537 points

Aug 18, 2024 8:26 PM in response to rkramadh

If you backup onto your PC, what exactly are you trying to view? The contents cannot be accessed.

if you’re trying to free space on your device, you can offload pictures through email, cloud service, or by using iCloud for Windows. iCloud for Windows will sync your device photos to your PAC. If you subsequently move the photos, they will be removed from iCloud and your device.

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Answer 2

rkramadh Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 19, 2024 5:07 PM in response to muguy

Thanks for your response. The backup via iTunes (Apple rep's idea) ended up on my laptop all as file type "file". Hence I can't see the photos! She told me there's a view option in iTunes which is also wrong. NO such thing. If I can't view them in any app (can't associate file type to anything but paint!), then back up is useless since I can't print them or do anything else with them. So this is a useless method and 4 hours wasted.

Today, I spoke to a more senior rep and he told me itunes was never meant for photo backup and the earlier rep didn't know what she was talking about. Better options are 1) use Photos on windows pc and use import. This works except the # of photos to download here is significantly less than what's in my phone. May be some pics were in icloud back when I had optimized storage on? 2. This may be a better solution to back up: download from icloud. Well, first I have to download everything from icloud, then let my phone sync remaining items from April 2024 to icloud and then download them too. Then I can delete from icloud (which will delete from iphone too as icloud is a sync service, NOT a back up per se). I would have to repeat this process regularly unless I want to pay endlessly to apple to expand icloud storage (and I am not willing to). 3. Nothing to do with Apple, icluod but in theory, my VZW cloud is supposed to be backing up everything (have 600 GB space) but issues with that app. Diff story. 4. thousands of pics and video, not possible to send via email.

Anyway, thanks for your response, much appreciated.

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