How To Back Up Windows Phones

Windows phones are very versatile when it comes to your data and how to handle it. With many streamlined mechanics designed to fit the user, a Windows phone’s data can be backed up and saved in case of any kind of malfunction or problem. That way, your contact information, photos, downloaded apps, notes, videos, phone records, and more can be kept safe. You even have the option to save certain things and delete others when making a backup. The following is an informative guide on how to back up your Windows phone.

The great thing about a backup is that when the time comes that your Windows Phone breaks or becomes obsolete, you can make a quick easy transition from old to new by moving your backup data to the replacement phone. This transition will allow you to keep the following data:

Any apps you have downloaded onto your phone, as well as high scores associated with said apps
Passwords associated with accounts within the apps
Call history
Your predetermined start screen layout and theme color
All accounts set up for phone
Internet Explorer favorites
All custom words added to phone's dictionary
Various custom settings put on the phone, including videos, photos, messages, email and accounts, lock screen, speech preference, and other general preferences

With all of this, you are sure to feel like your new phone is as comfortable as your old one. If you’re ready to make a backup of your own, here are a few things to prepare before starting the process.

To start, you will need an email account with one of the platforms listed here: Hotmail, Windows Live ID, Xbox Live, Outlook, or WindowsPhone.com. These popular Email platforms have tutorials within their sites to make the creation process simple and quick. A Wifi signal is required before your Windows phone can make a fresh backup. You may also need to be plugged into a power source due to the large amount of energy required.

Now that you are plugged in and connected, follow the directions below to make your first backup. Afterwards, we will discuss the various options available for future backups.

Using the Cloud:

Start by going to the App list
Select “Settings”
Select “Email + Accounts”
Either select the account you want the backup files to save to, or select the "Add an account" option
Once you have an account selected, scroll down and find the option for "Content to Sync" and tap on it
Make sure that "Contacts" is selected as well as any other things you want saved during a backup
Once you have everything checked, select "Done" at the bottom of the screen
Repeat for each account

For Windows 8 Users:

From the home screen, bring up the App list and select "Settings"
In "Settings", select "Backup"
Make sure that “applist+settings,” “ text messages,” and “photos+videos” are all set to the "on" position and make the necessary settings available with each one.

That's it! Your phone should automatically create a backup of the current settings on your phone and you will have it for whenever you may need it. Two things to remember after your first backup are to make sure you make more backups periodically and to delete old ones when necessary. Making another is easy, Windows reminds you every three weeks with a notification and you can follow the steps you did to make your first backup and select the option for "Make Backup Now" for a quick, fresh backup to be created.

If you need to delete a backup, you can use the method described here to make it quick and painless:

In the App list, go to Settings
Within Settings, select the Backup option
In the Backup menu, go to Apps
Then select Apps
Once here, find the Manage backups selection (On Windows 8 phones, it's called the Advanced setting)
At this point you can do one of the following:
- When choosing to delete your entire backup data, First select the "Settings Backup" check box, make sure your ready, and the tap on the Delete button to remove it.
- If you just want your App data removed from the backup, you start again with selecting "Settings Backup" but also select the "App Backup" check box as well. Make sure once again that you want to delete all App data, then press the Delete button.

Using SkyDrive:

Most Windows phones use an SD card as the primary backup for photos and video. To check and see if your photos or videos are already attached to your SD card, simply remove the card from your phone and see if you are still able to access them. If you are, then you should consider backing those files up as well. You can set up your backup to save to the Windows affiliated program "Skydrive", also known as "Onedrive". To do this, start by going to the Settings within your phone and linking your email with a Skydrive account, then follow the steps listed below:

Start with going to "Pictures" or "Photos"
Select the "Camera Roll" option
Find the three dots in the lower right hand corner and tap the option for "turn on auto upload"
Your pictures will automatically sync with Skydrive

If you want to manually upload photos, first select the desired one in full screen and follow these steps:

Once again, find the three dots in the lower right hand corner, then select the “Share” option
Select "Upload to SkyDrive" - May also be called "Upload to OneDrive"
You are given the option to add a caption, then select the "Upload" option
Repeat for all desired and important photos

You can verify your backups with the associated email addresses you use to initiate the backup. An email will be sent every time a backup is made with details regarding the backup. You can also check your Skydrive for any information regarding your backup photos and videos. If you have any other questions regarding the backup process with Windows Phones, you can visit a Windows store, or any other participating cellular device store for more information.