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The cutoff does not erase the information already on the device. Apple states that “All apps, data and content on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch remain on your device.” The urgent issue is creating a recoverable copy before the device fails, is lost or must be replaced.
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What Apple’s 18 December 2024 cutoff changed
Apple’s support notice says that, starting on 18 December 2024, device backups require iOS 9 or later. An iPhone, iPad or iPod touch left on iOS 5, 6, 7 or 8 can no longer create a new iCloud device backup after that date. Apple also warns that existing backups can become inaccessible unless the device is updated.
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This is a backup-service cutoff, not a remote wipe. Photos, messages, apps and other content already stored on the device remain there while the device still works. You should nevertheless treat the device as being in a narrow recovery window: a dead battery, damaged storage, forgotten passcode or failed display can prevent you from making a local copy later.
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Which older models can still move to iOS 9 or later?
Apple lists these minimum model generations as able to update to iOS 9 or later:
- iPhone 4S or later
- iPad 2 or later
- iPod touch (5th generation) or later
Those are model-generation thresholds, not a guarantee that every device is currently able to install an update. Available storage, battery condition, an internet connection and the exact installed software can affect the update process. If your model is older than the threshold, or Software Update offers no compatible release, use a local computer backup instead.
First, identify the device and its software
Do this before choosing a backup method. On the device, open Settings and look under General for About or the software-version entry. Very old iOS releases use slightly different labels, so look for a line that identifies the iOS version and another that identifies the model.
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- Write down the model and generation shown in Settings. If the screen is too old to make the model obvious, compare the model identifier with Apple’s model list before attempting an update.
- Record the installed iOS version. Versions 5 through 8 are the versions affected by Apple’s iCloud backup cutoff.
- Check Settings > General > Software Update, where that menu exists. If the device offers iOS 9 or later, updating is the route that restores iCloud Backup compatibility.
- Connect the device to power and Wi-Fi before downloading an update. Do not erase or restore the device simply because it is old; first make a local copy if the update process offers no compatible version.
If the device is already on iOS 9 or later, the 18 December 2024 cutoff for iOS 5–8 does not apply to that device. You should still keep a local copy if the hardware is unreliable, because iCloud is not a substitute for an independently stored archive.
Option 1: update an eligible device and use iCloud Backup
Updating to iOS 9 or later is the simplest way to remain within Apple’s supported iCloud-backup requirement. Use the update offered for your exact model; do not try to install an iOS version intended for a different generation.
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Update safely
- Plug the device into power and connect it to Wi-Fi.
- Open Settings > General > Software Update.
- Install the compatible update if one is offered. Keep the device connected until it restarts and returns to the passcode screen.
- Open Settings again and confirm the new iOS version in General > About.
If no update is offered, the model may be below Apple’s iOS 9 threshold, or the installed release may require a computer-assisted update. Do not assume that a failed update attempt means the device data is gone. Stop and create a local backup through a computer.
Start an iCloud backup after updating
The exact wording differs between iOS releases, but the control is normally under Settings, your Apple Account or name, iCloud, and iCloud Backup. Turn on iCloud Backup if it is off, then choose Back Up Now. Leave the device on Wi-Fi and power until the operation reports a completion time.
- Check the displayed last-backup date and time after the operation finishes.
- If iCloud reports that it cannot complete the backup, do not repeatedly erase data to make space. Use a local computer backup as the immediate recovery copy.
- Keep the device connected long enough for the completion time to update. Starting a backup and closing Settings is not proof that it finished.
iCloud is convenient for moving to another Apple device, but it depends on the device reaching Apple’s servers and on the account’s available iCloud storage. A local backup avoids that internet dependency and gives you a file set you can preserve separately.
Option 2: make a local backup when the device cannot update
Apple’s alternative for an incompatible device is a manual backup to a Mac or PC. Use a USB data cable that matches the device’s connector—older models commonly use a 30-pin or Lightning connector, while newer iPads may use USB-C. A charging-only cable will not reliably complete a data backup.
macOS Catalina or later: Finder
- Connect the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to the Mac with a compatible USB data cable.
- Open Finder. In the sidebar, select the connected device. If prompted on the device, unlock it and choose Trust; enter the device passcode when requested.
- Choose the General tab.
- Select Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac. The wording refers to iPhone in Apple’s instructions; the same control is used for compatible iPad and iPod touch backups.
- Optionally select Encrypt local backup. If you enable it, create a password you can retrieve later.
- Click Back Up Now and leave the device connected until Finder shows that the backup has completed.
Finder’s device page should show a recent backup date and time after completion. If it continues to display an old date, the new backup did not finish and should not be treated as your recovery copy.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
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Windows or macOS Mojave and earlier: Apple Devices or iTunes
- Connect the device by USB and unlock it. Approve the trust prompt on the device if it appears.
- On a current Windows installation, open Apple Devices. On older Windows systems or macOS Mojave and earlier, open iTunes.
- Select the device, then open the Summary page.
- Under the backup section, choose the option to back up the device to this computer and click Back Up Now.
- To protect the local copy with a password, enable Encrypt local backup or the equivalent encrypted-backup checkbox, then set and record the password.
- Keep the cable connected until the device page reports a new backup date and time.
Apple Devices and iTunes use different visual layouts, but the important controls are the device selector, Summary, Back Up Now and the encrypted-backup option. If the computer asks whether to restore or set up the device, stop and choose the backup command instead; restoring can overwrite the device.
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Encryption is useful when the backup will contain information you do not want readable by someone who obtains the backup files. It also gives you an explicit password-controlled backup rather than an unprotected local copy.
- Choose encryption when the backup will be stored on a shared computer, copied to an external drive, or retained as a long-term archive.
- Choose an unencrypted backup only when the computer and its storage are already tightly controlled and you have a reason not to manage a separate password.
- Store the password separately from the computer. Apple can ask for the encryption password when you restore the backup. If you lose it, the backup may not be usable for that restoration.
Write the password in a password manager or another secure record before clicking Back Up Now. Do not rely on memory several years later, especially if the backup is for an infrequently used device.
iCloud versus a local computer backup
Both approaches can provide a path to a replacement device, but they solve different problems. Choose based on what you have available at the moment the old device still works.
| Factor | iCloud Backup | Finder, Apple Devices or iTunes |
|---|---|---|
| Internet dependence | Requires Wi-Fi and a successful connection to iCloud. | The backup is created over USB; the computer does not need internet access for the copy itself. |
| Storage location | Stored in the iCloud account associated with the device. | Stored on the selected Mac or PC, where you can preserve an additional archive copy. |
| Computer required | No computer is required if the device can reach iCloud. | A Mac or Windows PC is required. |
| Password control | Uses the Apple Account and iCloud security settings. | Offers an optional encrypted local backup with a separate password. |
| Restoring to a replacement | Convenient when the replacement can sign in and download the backup. | Useful when the old device cannot use iCloud or when you want a copy under your control. |
| Best use for an iOS 5–8 device after 18 December 2024 | Not available for creating a new device backup under Apple’s cutoff. | Apple’s documented fallback method. |
Verify the backup before you trust it
A completed-looking progress bar is not enough. Verification catches disconnected cables, failed permissions and backups that were never updated.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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- Reconnect the device if necessary and open its device page in Finder, Apple Devices or iTunes.
- Check the backup date and time. It must correspond to the session you just completed.
- Check the displayed backup size or the backup list’s size entry. A zero-length, implausibly tiny or unchanged entry deserves investigation before you erase anything.
- If you made an encrypted backup, confirm that your password record is available without opening the backup files.
- Keep the original device intact until the backup has been checked and, where practical, restored to a replacement or test device.
The safest test is to use Apple’s normal restore flow on a replacement device rather than experimenting on the only copy of the old device. A test restore can change the target device, so do not use a device containing irreplaceable current data unless you have its own backup.
Move the backup to a replacement device
When setting up the replacement, Apple’s documented path is Restore Backup. Choose the backup by its date and size, not merely by its device name, so you select the copy you verified.
- Connect the replacement to the Mac or PC that holds the backup, or choose the iCloud setup path if you are restoring from iCloud.
- When setup offers recovery choices, select Restore Backup.
- Choose the backup with the correct date and size.
- Enter the encryption password if the backup was encrypted.
- Keep the replacement connected to power and Wi-Fi while the restoration completes.
- Allow time for iCloud content to download after the device restarts. The initial restored state can appear before every cloud-synced item has returned.
If the replacement does not list the backup, confirm that you are using the same computer or Apple Account that created it, that the backup date is current, and that the cable and trust relationship are working. Do not delete the only local copy while troubleshooting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Create an additional archive copy
A local backup on one computer protects you from an iCloud cutoff, but it does not protect you from that computer’s drive failing. Where practical, preserve another copy of the backup or separately archive the irreplaceable material from the device.
- Keep the computer backup on the computer until a second copy has been checked.
- Copy the backup archive to an external drive or other storage you control, retaining the encryption password with your secure records rather than beside the files.
- For especially important information, preserve separate exports of photos, documents and contacts in addition to the device backup. These are supplementary archives, not a replacement for Apple’s documented restore process.
- Label the archive with the device, iOS version and backup date so you can identify it years later.
An external drive is an additional archive destination, not an Apple-documented direct destination for an iCloud backup. Its value is redundancy: it gives you another copy if the original computer is lost or fails.
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Fix the most common failure points
The device cannot update
Check the model against Apple’s listed thresholds. If it is older than an iPhone 4S, iPad 2 or fifth-generation iPod touch, it cannot reach iOS 9 through the supported update path described by Apple. Even an eligible model may show no update because of its current condition or software state. Use Finder, Apple Devices or iTunes instead of repeatedly attempting an update.
iCloud Backup is unavailable or stuck
On an iOS 5–8 device after the cutoff, this is expected: new device backups require iOS 9 or later. On a newer iOS version, check Wi-Fi and power, confirm that iCloud Backup is enabled, and wait for a completion time. If it still fails, switch to a USB local backup while the device is accessible.
The computer does not detect the device
- Try a known-good data cable rather than a cable that only charges.
- Unlock the device and accept the trust prompt.
- Try another USB port and restart the computer’s backup app.
- If the device remains invisible, do not erase it. Preserve any data that can still be copied manually and seek repair help while it remains operational.
The backup fails partway through
Reconnect the cable, restart the computer and repeat the backup. Check that the computer has enough free storage for the backup and that the device remains unlocked when requested. If an encrypted backup fails, retry without changing or deleting the earlier verified backup; create a new encrypted copy only after you have recorded the password.
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The password is required when Apple asks to restore that encrypted backup. Search your secure password records before creating another backup. If the old device still works, create a new backup with a password you can retain; do not delete the older backup until the new one has been verified.
A practical order of operations
- Identify the model and iOS version.
- If it can update to iOS 9 or later, install the compatible update while connected to power and Wi-Fi.
- After updating, run iCloud Backup and verify its completion time.
- If updating is impossible or iCloud fails, connect the device by USB and create a local backup in Finder, Apple Devices or iTunes.
- Use encryption when the archive needs password protection, and record the password securely.
- Check the local backup’s date and size.
- Preserve an additional archive copy where the data justifies it.
- When moving to a replacement, choose Restore Backup, select the verified date and size, enter the encryption password if requested, and leave the replacement on power and Wi-Fi.
The key decision is simple: an eligible device can return to iCloud Backup by reaching iOS 9 or later; a device that cannot update should be copied locally before its next hardware or software failure. Once you have a verified local backup and a second archive where practical, the end of iCloud support for iOS 5–8 no longer leaves the device’s data dependent on the original hardware.
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