As a parent, it’s critical to regularly back up your kids’ mobile devices. Failure to do so can lead to permanent data loss if their phone or tablet is damaged, lost or stolen. In this article, I’ll explain in detail why you need to backup your kids’ devices, how often you should do it, the best methods to use, and potential issues to watch out for.
Why You Absolutely Must Backup Your Kids’ Mobile Devices
There are several key reasons why backing up your kids’ smartphones and tablets is essential:
Permanent Data Loss is Devastating
If your child’s device breaks, or is lost or stolen, any photos, videos, contacts, texts, and other irreplaceable data will be gone forever if you haven’t backed it up. This can be emotionally devastating for kids.
Mobile Devices Store Critical Information
Modern smartphones and tablets are mini-computers that store all kinds of important information, like:
- Photos & videos – Often irreplaceable memories you can’t get back.
- Contacts – Their friends’ details that may not exist elsewhere.
- Messages – Conversations with friends that provide a record of relationships.
- School work – Critical documents, notes, recordings, and messages with teachers.
- Logins – Access to important apps and accounts.
Losing this key data can be catastrophic.
You Must Be Able to Wipe Lost or Stolen Devices
If your child’s device does go missing, you’ll likely want to remotely wipe it to protect their privacy. This is only possible if you’ve backed up the device recently.
Backups Enable Easy Device Upgrades
When your kid does get a new phone or tablet, you can seamlessly transfer their data to the new device if you have a recent backup.
It Protects Your Family Memories
Those photos of your kids growing up are precious. Losing them would be heartbreaking. Backups ensure they’re protected no matter what happens to your child’s mobile device.
How Often Should You Backup Your Kids’ Mobile Devices?
To fully safeguard your kids’ data, their mobile devices should be backed up regularly. Here are some recommendations:
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Critical use devices – Daily backups. If your kid uses their phone or tablet for school work, creative projects, or other critical activities, back it up daily to avoid losing recent work.
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Moderate use devices – Weekly backups. If it’s mostly used for casual activities, but still contains data they wouldn’t want to lose, back it up once a week.
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Infrequent use devices – Monthly backups. If your kid rarely uses their mobile device, monthly backups are probably sufficient.
Additionally, always backup a device before:
- OS updates – To protect against potential issues with installing system updates.
- Factory resets – As the device will be wiped during a factory reset.
- Travelling – In case devices are lost, damaged or stolen while travelling.
- Selling/gifting the device – So your child’s personal data isn’t passed on with the device.
What Are the Best Backup Methods for Kids’ Mobile Devices?
You have several excellent options for backing up your kids’ smartphones and tablets:
Using the Device’s Built-in Backup
Most modern mobile devices have built-in backup options:
- iPhone – Enable iCloud backups and connect to WiFi regularly for automatic backups.
- iPad – Also use iCloud. Enable backups for an iPad the same way as an iPhone.
- Android phone – Enable phone backups in your Google Account settings. Connect to WiFi for automatic daily backups.
- Android tablet – Enable tablet backups to your Google Account. Use WiFi to backup regularly.
Using built-in backups makes safeguarding your kids’ devices easy and automatic. Just make sure sufficient iCloud storage or Google Account storage is available.
Backing Up to a Computer
You can also backup kids’ mobile devices to a trusted computer using a USB cable:
- iPhone – Connect to a computer and use iTunes to backup.
- iPad – Also use iTunes to backup an iPad.
- Android – Download the free Android Backup Extractor app and backup your kid’s device to your PC.
This method can provide more control over backups, but requires remembering to manually connect for backups.
Using Backup & Sync Apps
Dedicated backup and sync apps are another option:
- iCloud for Windows – Sync iPhone and iPad backups to a Windows PC.
- Google Backup and Sync – Backup Android devices to a computer’s hard drive.
The advantage of sync apps is that they integrate with built-in device backups while storing copies on a computer as another failsafe.
Potential Backup Issues to Watch Out For
While modern device backup methods are generally reliable, there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of:
- Outdated backups – If backups aren’t happening regularly, data may be lost. Check backup status periodically.
- Weak WiFi connections – Automatic wireless backups can fail without a strong WiFi signal.
- Insufficient iCloud/Google storage – Pay for extra storage if needed for backups.
- Sync failures – Sometimes sync apps fail to work properly. Monitor them closely.
- Computer drive failures – Hard drives can fail at any time. Always maintain backups of your backups!
Make Backing Up Second Nature
Getting into the habit of frequently backing up your kids’ mobile devices takes a bit of work up front. But once you’ve got systems in place to do it automatically, you’ll have peace of mind knowing all of your kids’ precious data is protected and safe. Don’t wait until it’s too late – start backing up your kids’ mobile devices today!
