If the Backup section is not loading your text messages, voicemail, notes, contacts, etc., you should first try right-clicking on Backup in the left panel and choose to Back Up Now or Update Backup which will create a new iTunes backup for that connected iPhone or iPad. If you've done that already, try entirely closing iExplorer, reopen it, and check the Backup section again. If that doesn't help, open iTunes or Mac's Finder and check to make sure your device is configured to backup to your computer and not to iCloud. You can check these settings on the Summary tab for your device (the first screen that comes up when you click on your device in iTunes). If it was set to iCloud, change it to "This computer" and then close and reopen iExplorer and check the Backup section again.
If you have an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or an iPhone XR and are using a Mac, you should also update iExplorer to the most current version by using iExplorer menu > Check for Updates. iExplorer 4 for Windows should update automatically.
If you have macOS 10.14 Mojave or 10.15 Catalina, see this article for how to give iExplorer access to your iTunes backup folder: Why do I need to allow Full Disk Access in macOS Mojave for iTunes backups?.
If the steps above don't help, please try the steps in one of the sections below that best describes the issue:
If you have an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or an iPhone XR and are using a Mac, you should also update iExplorer to the most current version by using iExplorer menu > Check for Updates. iExplorer 4 for Windows should update automatically.
If you have macOS 10.14 Mojave or 10.15 Catalina, see this article for how to give iExplorer access to your iTunes backup folder: Why do I need to allow Full Disk Access in macOS Mojave for iTunes backups?.
If the steps above don't help, please try the steps in one of the sections below that best describes the issue:
Stuck on "Updating backup data" message
No error (just blank)
If all sections within the Backup section are simply loading blank after choosing Back Up Now or Load Backup Data or Create Backup or Update Backup and verifying that your device is definitely configured to backup to "This computer", try making a backup directly in iTunes (or Finder in macOS 10.15) and see if any error pops up. To back up in iTunes, just click on iTunes File menu > Devices > Back Up. If the backup completes without any error messages, try closing and reopening iExplorer and check the Backup section again. If you receive any errors while backing up directly in iTunes or Mac's Finder, I would recommend following the steps in the AppleCare article below to fix it because that would indicate an issue unrelated to iExplorer, and in order to access the data in the Backup section of iExplorer, your device needs to be able to make a successful backup in iTunes or Mac's Finder first. Sometimes the solution is as simple as needing to make more room on your computer's hard drive.
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS2529
If you have iOS 12 or 13, try encrypting your iTunes backup, if your iPhone or iPad is not already setup to encrypt. Here's how:
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS2529
If you have iOS 12 or 13, try encrypting your iTunes backup, if your iPhone or iPad is not already setup to encrypt. Here's how:
- Open iTunes.
- Select your iPhone or iPad to bring up its Summary tab.
- Check the box to Encrypt Backup below "This Computer" and choose a password you can remember which will create a new iTunes backup.
- Once the encrypted backup is finished, click on Apply in the lower right of iTunes.
- Completely quit & reopen iExplorer and see if the new backup you just made in iTunes now appears in iExplorer.
Note: If you have macOS 10.15 Catalina, you'll do these steps in Finder instead of iTunes, and it's called the General tab.
Encrypted message
First, make sure you are using the most current version of iExplorer by clicking on the File menu (PC) or iExplorer menu (Mac) and choose Check for Updates... and install any it finds. Version 3.3 added the ability to read encrypted backups by entering the encryption password which is a password you would have chosen when setting up your iPhone or iPad to encrypt its backup on the Summary tab for it in iTunes. If you don't remember your encryption password, you should try some of your commonly used passwords (there are no consequences for entering the wrong password multiple times). The article link below explains more about it:
What do I enter for encryption password?
What do I enter for encryption password?
Damaged error
First, try making a new backup by right-clicking on Backup in the left panel and choose to Back Up Now. Then, if you still receive the "damaged" error, try completely closing iExplorer, open iTunes or Mac's Finder and make a backup for your device manually. In iTunes, you click on File menu > Devices > Back Up. Then, once the backup is finished, try opening iExplorer again and check your Backup data. If you receive any iTunes backup errors, look for possible causes in the same AppleCare article listed above (TS2529).
If you need further assistance on this issue, please submit a support ticket, and we'll be glad to help you further. It's very important that you include the exact text of any error messages and whether all Backup sections are loading blank (or just one not loading) in addition to the support form information such as your iOS version. Thanks!
Comments
The “backing up, do not disconnect device “ message has been up for 5 hours and my iPhone still isn’t backed up for the first time. The prompt said 3-30 minutes. That’s bull!
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