How to Fix iPhone 6s That Won’t Back Up to iCloud

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Backing up your iPhone is essential — you never know when you’ll need your data safe and ready to restore. The iPhone 6s offers two main ways to create backups: using iCloud or iTunes. iCloud is super convenient since it lets you access your backup anywhere you have Wi-Fi. iTunes, on the other hand, stores backups locally on your computer.

But what if your iPhone 6s refuses to back up to iCloud? Let’s walk through why it happens and how you can fix it.

Why Your iPhone 6s Won’t Back Up to iCloud

Usually, one of these two problems is to blame:

  • Weak or unstable Wi-Fi connection
  • Not enough available iCloud storage

If your iPhone can’t connect reliably to Wi-Fi, or if your iCloud account is running low on space, backups can fail. Let’s dive into the solutions.

First Fix: Check Your Wi-Fi Connection

You need a strong, stable Wi-Fi connection to back up to iCloud. Here’s how to make sure your connection is solid:

  1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi.
  2. Toggle Wi-Fi OFF, then turn it back ON.
  3. Restart your iPhone.
  4. Open Safari and try visiting any website.

If you can browse normally, your internet connection is fine — move on to the next step.

How to Properly Start an iCloud Backup

Make sure you’re signed into iCloud:

  • Go to Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud.

Then to back up manually:

  1. Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup.
  2. Make sure iCloud Backup is ON.
  3. Tap Back Up Now.

If this doesn’t work yet, keep reading.

Second Fix: Sign Out of iCloud and Sign Back In

Sometimes a quick sign out and sign in can refresh your iCloud connection:

  1. Settings → [Your Name] → Sign Out.
  2. Follow the prompts. Don’t worry — your data stays safe in iCloud.
  3. Sign back in with your Apple ID and password.

Now try backing up again.

Third Fix: Reset All Settings

If the problem started after tweaking some settings or installing apps, resetting all settings might help:

  1. Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset All Settings.
  2. Enter your passcode if asked.
  3. Confirm the reset.

This won’t delete your data, but you’ll lose saved Wi-Fi passwords and custom settings.
After the reset, connect to Wi-Fi again and try to back up.

Fourth Fix: Perform a DFU Restore (Advanced)

If none of the above works, you might have a deeper iOS issue. A DFU restore is the deepest type of reset you can perform — but it should be your last resort.

Before you DFU restore, back up your data using iTunes:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a Lightning cable.
  2. Open iTunes (latest version).
  3. Select your device, then click Back Up Now.

To enter DFU mode:

  1. Plug your iPhone into your computer.
  2. Quickly press and hold the Sleep/Wake (Side) and Home buttons together for 8 seconds.
  3. After 8 seconds, release the Sleep/Wake button but keep holding the Home button until iTunes detects your iPhone in recovery mode.
  4. Your screen should stay black if done correctly.

Once in DFU mode, use iTunes to Restore your iPhone.

After restoring and setting up your device fresh, log into iCloud and try to back up again.

⚠️ Warning: If your iPhone has hardware issues (like water damage or a bad battery), a DFU restore could fail or even brick the phone. Only do this if you’re sure the hardware is healthy.

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