This story is available exclusively to Business Insider
subscribers. Become an Insider
and start reading now.Have an account? .
Dan Frommer, Business Insider
It's a big week for Apple.
Tomorrow it will push out its latest mobile operating system, iOS 5, to the public. If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, you'll definitely want to upgrade. We've been using the developer version of iOS 5 since June, and we think it's the best yet.
But first thing's first. You need to make sure you're device is backed up and ready for the upgrade. Things can go wrong, and you don't want to lose all you stuff.
The good news? Thanks to iCloud and wireless syncing with iTunes, tomorrow will mark the last time you ever have to go through this process again!
You'll also need the latest version of iTunes, which Apple just released. Let's get started!
You'll need the latest version of iTunes, 10.5. It's the only way you'll be able to download iOS 5 when it goes live tomorrow.
Now plug in your iPhone (or other iDevice) and launch iTunes. From your device's information window, you need to cycle through each tab to make sure it's all backed up
Screenshot
The first tab is for contacts. Make sure that box is checked. It's the last thing you'll want to lose if something goes wrong! You can do the same for calendars and e-mail if you scroll down
Screenshot
Next is apps. Make sure you have those checked and ready to sync. This will save all your apps' settings. It'll also keep your game saves in tact
Screenshot
You iTunes music, movies, and TV shows should be stored on your computer already. If something happens, you can always sync them again from these tabs after iOS 5 installs
Screenshot
If you take a lot of iPhone photos, you'll want to make sure your camera roll is backed up to your computer too
Screenshot
Once you're finished selecting what to back up, return to the summary page and click "Sync." Depending on how long it's been since your last sync, it could take several minutes
