Why do I need WiFi to backup

19rosalind82 Said:

"Why do I need to connect to WiFi to backup"

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What's the Device?:

Not necessarily. What are you backing up? If is an iPhone, then use your computer.

Using an iPhone...

• Mac: How to Back Up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with your Mac - Apple Support
• PC: How to Back Up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iTunes on your PC - Apple Support

Your question did not mention an iPhone so that is left to the reader to presume.

You can also backup to a Mac or PC.

Backing up to iCloud requires wi-fi and a power source. Large amounts of data are sent from an iPhone to the cloud. Phone data is a limited resource of variable quality and an expensive method. Automatic backups which send data to iCloud occur each time the phone is being charged. The only reliable method is wi-fi.

I've been looking at this a bit more tonight and I have found one extra capability:

Apple's support document here as part of the manual for iOS 15 indicates in the case of iPhones capable of 5G (from the iPhone 12 range or later) that "your carrier may give you the option to back up iPhone using your cellular network. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then turn on or off Backup Over Cellular" - or in my region is says mobile data as we don't call it cellular data.

The note at the foot of this setting says

When not connected to Wi-Fi, use your mobile network to automatically back up to iCloud. This may cause you to exceed your data plan.

So it is possible in some circumstances with an iPhone 12 or later and if you carrier permits it over 5G, a technology which can handle more data more quickly than 4G.

If you don’t have a Mac or a Windows pc with iTunes then you need your iPhone to get wifi conexión to do a backup