Frequently Asked Questions

Mobile Backup

Mobile Backup




If your question is not addressed below, please contact us through our support form and we'll get back to you shortly.



 

Online Backup

How do I backup my device contents?
How do I backup contacts from my device?
How do I backup photos/videos from my device?
How do I backup calendar events from my device?
What is Background Upload?
How does 'Auto Camera Upload' work?
How to upload files from third-party applications to IDrive Online?
I am facing issues with backup. How do I fix this?
I started backing up my photos a few hours back. Why isn't it backed up yet?
Are mobile backups incremental?

Cloud Drive

What is Cloud Drive and how does it work?
How do I sync files from my mobile?
How do I download synced files?
How do I access my synced files and folders?
How do I restore an earlier version of a synced file?
How do I unlink a device from my account?

View and Access

What are the file/folder operations that I can perform through my device? *
Can I access my IDrive account on my mobile?
Can I access my mobile backup data through the web?
What is 'Timeline'?
What operations can I perform on the photos/videos using Timeline?
Can I edit backed up files on my mobile?
How do I search for files in my IDrive account from my mobile?
What is Offline View and how do I add files to Offline View?
Can I create and edit text documents through the IDrive app?
Can I use my Apple ID to sign in to IDrive desktop application and web interface?

Share

How do I share my contacts?
How do I share my photos/videos?
How can I export multiple documents and media files?
Where are my shared links located?

Restore

How do I restore any device/folder contents?
How do I restore photos/videos to my device?
How can I restore calendar events to my device?
How do I restore contacts to my device?
How do I restore health data to my device?

Managing Files and Folders

How do I create a new folder?
How do I rename a file? *
How can I cancel an upload while it is in progress?
How do I delete files?

Two-factor Authentication

What is two-factor authentication?
How do I sign in to my IDrive account once two-factor authentication is enabled?

How do I backup my device contents?

For the first time when you sign in to the IDrive app, the 'Backup' screen appears. You can backup all your device contacts, calendar events, photos, and videos, to your IDrive account by tapping on 'Backup Now'.

You can also customize your selection of items considered for backup and then tap 'Backup Now'.


How do I backup contacts from my device?

To backup contacts from your device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup' under Cloud Backup.
  2. Select 'Contacts' and then tap 'Backup Now'.

All backed up contacts are available in 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' folder.

How do I backup photos/videos from my device?

To backup photos/videos from your device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup'.
  2. Select 'Photos' or 'Videos' for backup, and then tap 'Backup Now'.

To backup specific photos/videos,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup' under Cloud Backup.
  2. Tap the 'Photos'/'Videos' folder.
  3. Select photos/videos you wish to backup.
  4. Tap 'Done' and then tap 'Backup Now'.

All backed up photos/videos are available in 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' folder.

How do I backup calendar events from my device?

To backup calendar events from your device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup' under Cloud Backup.
  2. Select 'Calendar' and then tap 'Backup Now'.

To backup specific calendar events,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup' under Cloud Backup.
  2. Select 'Calendar', choose the 'Start Date' and 'End Date'.
  3. Tap 'Done' and then tap 'Backup Now'.

All backed up calendar events are available in 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' folder.

What is Background Upload?

The Background Upload option lets you continue your uploads in the background and perform other activities without having to continuously monitor the upload process. While a regular upload in iOS will stop within a few minutes after the user navigates away from the app even when the app is running in the background, with Background Upload enabled, the app automatically resumes the upload process. This is designed to let your camera uploads work more efficiently.

Note: IDrive's background upload feature is designed for low energy consumption to preserve your battery health.

How does 'Auto Camera Upload' work?

With 'Auto Camera Upload', you can automatically backup all the photos and videos from your device Recently Added to IDrive account. Additionally, all live captures are also automatically backed up.

On your first sign in, the 'Auto Camera Upload' option is set to OFF.

To enable it,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup' under Cloud Backup.
  2. Tap 'Auto Camera Upload' to enable.

All the photos and videos automatically backed up are stored in 'My iPhone Backup'/'iPad Backup' > 'Photos'/'Videos' > 'Recently Added' folder in your IDrive account.

How to upload files from third-party applications to IDrive Online?

To upload files from third-party apps to IDrive Online,

  1. Select any third-party application in the device like Pages, Dropbox, Notes, Google Photos, etc.
  2. Go to any folder containing files.
  3. Select a maximum of five media (photos and videos) files or a maximum of ten non-media files (PPT, DOC, MP3, etc.)
  4. Tap or 'Export' > 'IDrive Online'.
  5. Tap 'Upload'.

Alternatively, you can also upload files from third-party applications via Files app to IDrive Online.

To upload,

  1. Navigate to the device's 'Files' app, browse and select any third-party application like iCloud Drive, On My iPad/iPhone, Dropbox, etc.
  2. Go to any folder containing files.
  3. Select a maximum of five media (photos and videos) files or a maximum of ten non-media files (PPT, DOC, MP3, etc.)
  4. Tap or 'Export' > 'IDrive Online'.
  5. Tap 'Upload'.

I am facing issues with backup. How do I fix this?

If your device is not being backed up, try troubleshooting the issue with the steps given below:

  • Update the IDrive app with the latest version from the App Store.
  • Check app permissions and verify the IDrive app has the required permissions.
  • Check your internet connection. Backup may be slower if the internet strength is weak.
  • Check the device battery level. Backup may also be affected by low battery levels.
  • Remove any background restrictions and battery optimization in the device settings.

You can also send error report from the IDrive app. Navigate to the menu > 'Settings' > 'Report Problem' and send the error report. Our support team will assist you.

I started backing up my photos a few hours back. Why isn't it backed up yet?

If you have a large number of files to be backed up, make sure you keep the application open till the backup is complete. If you close the app, upload may pause.

To complete backup without interruption, we recommend you to connect your device to a charger and leave the application open.

Are mobile backups incremental?

Photos, videos, contacts and calendar events are uploaded incrementally. This means that after initial backup, following backups will upload only newly added or modified files.

What is Cloud Drive and how does it work?

Cloud Drive links all of your devices such that whenever a file is updated, it is available on all linked devices. For syncing files, Cloud Drive creates a unique folder on every linked computer and provides separate cloud storage. You can sync files using the Cloud Drive folder on linked desktops, or directly via IDrive.com and download them on the mobile apps.

How do I sync files from my mobile?

To sync files from your mobile,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap and then tap 'Cloud Drive'.
  2. Tap 'Upload'.
  3. Select ‘Upload Photos / Videos’ and choose photos or videos to upload.
  4. Tap 'Upload'.

Alternatively, you can ‘Browse’ and choose photos or videos to upload.

How do I download synced files?

To download synced files,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap and then tap 'Cloud Drive'.
  2. Tap corresponding to file/folder to download.

To download multiple files/folders,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap and then tap 'Cloud Drive'.
  2. Tap and then select 'Edit/Share'.
  3. Select the files/folders and tap 'Restore'.

Note: Only files compatible with your iOS device will be restored.

How do I access my synced files and folders?

To access your synced files,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap .
  2. Tap 'Cloud Drive'.
  3. Navigate and tap the file you want to view.

How do I restore an earlier version of a synced file?

To restore an earlier version of a synced file,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap and then tap 'Cloud Drive'.
  2. Browse and open the file.
  3. Tap ; the 'Versions' screen is displayed.
  4. Select the desired version and tap 'Done'.

How do I unlink a device from my account?

Unlinking a device, signs you out of the IDrive application on the particular device.

To unlink a device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap and then tap 'Settings'.
  2. Tap 'Manage Devices'.
  3. Tap corresponding to the device you want to unlink. Tap 'Yes' on the next prompt.

Alternatively, simply sign out of the IDrive app to unlink your iOS device.

What are the file/folder operations that I can perform through my device? *

You can perform all file/folder operations like cut, copy, rename, delete and create a new folder through your mobile device.

Read Note

Can I access my IDrive account on my mobile?

Yes, you can access your IDrive account on your mobile.

To access,

  1. Download and install the IDrive app on your mobile.
  2. Sign in to the application using your IDrive credentials. If you do not have an IDrive account, sign up for a new account.

Note: In case, you have a private encryption key set for your IDrive account, you must enter your private key to access your account.

You can browse, search and access all the files/folders in your IDrive account.


Can I access my mobile backup data through the web?

Yes, you can access your mobile backup data through the web by signing in to your IDrive account via any web browser. Select the folder with your phone name, and access Calendar, Contacts, Photos and Videos backed up to your IDrive account.


What is 'Timeline'?

The Timeline displays all the photos and videos backed up from multiple mobile devices, sorted by date and location. Using Timeline, you can share, download, and delete your photos/videos, backed up with IDrive.

To view a list of your photos and videos, on the IDrive app home screen tap 'Timeline'.


What operations can I perform on the photos/videos using Timeline?

Using Timeline, you can share, download, and delete your mobile photos/videos, backed up with IDrive.

To share,

  1. Sign in to your IDrive account.
  2. On the home screen tap 'Timeline'. A list of your backed up photos and videos sorted in descending order appears.
  3. Tap a photo, tap and then select 'Share'.
  4. From the apps list that appears, choose the app to share the link with.

To restore,

  1. Sign in to your IDrive account.
  2. On the home screen tap 'Timeline'. A list of your backed up photos and videos sorted in descending order appears.
  3. Tap , select the required media files and tap 'Restore' to download the files to your device.

To delete,

  1. Sign in to your IDrive account.
  2. On the home screen tap 'Timeline'. A list of your backed up photos and videos sorted in descending order appears.
  3. Select a photo and then tap .
  4. You will be prompted with a message. Tap 'Delete'.

Can I edit backed up files on my mobile?

You can only edit the text files backed up to your IDrive account from your mobile. However, you can view all the other file formats.

How do I search for files in my IDrive account from my mobile?

To search files,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Tap 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup'.
  3. Enter the complete or part of the file name in the search bar.
  4. Tap 'Search'.

What is Offline View and how do I add files to Offline View?

Offline View allows you to view your files even when there is no Internet connectivity.

To add files to Offline View,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  3. Tap and select 'Edit/Share'.
  4. Select the files and tap 'More'.
  5. Tap 'Add to Offline'.

Can I create and edit text documents through the IDrive app?

Yes, you can create text documents (.txt files) and even edit existing text files using the IDrive app.

To create text documents,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore' > 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup'. Or tap > 'Cloud Drive'.
  2. Tap .
  3. Tap 'Create Text File'.
  4. Tap 'Next'.
  5. Enter a name for the document and tap 'Done'.

To edit documents,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'. Or tap > 'Cloud Drive'.
  2. Navigate to the desired text document and tap .
  3. Tap 'Save'. The changes will be saved as a new version.

To view versions of a document,

  1. Tap to view a list of all the versions.
  2. Tap a version and tap 'Done' to view that particular version.

You can share or delete the text document by tapping or respectively.

Can I use my Apple ID to sign in to IDrive desktop application and web interface?

The IDrive mobile application allows you to create an account using your Apple ID. However, in case you want to use the same account for signing in to the IDrive desktop application or web interface, you need to set the password using the 'Forgot password' option. This is because IDrive only stores your Apple ID and not the password. Hence by using the 'Forgot password' option you can create a password for your IDrive account (if you already don't have one).

How do I share my contacts?

To share all your contacts via the IDrive app,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Tap 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  3. Tap and then select 'Edit/Share'.
  4. Select 'Contacts', and tap 'Share'

To share individual contacts,

  1. On the IDrive app home page, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Tap 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  3. Tap 'Contacts'.
  4. Tap and select the required contacts, and tap 'Share'.

How do I share my photos/videos?

To share multiple photos/videos via the IDrive app,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Tap 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  3. Tap the 'Photos'/'Videos' folder.
  4. Tap , and then select 'Edit/Share'.
  5. Select the photos/videos and tap 'Share'.
  6. From the apps list that appears, choose the app to share the link with.

To share a particular photo or video, tap and open the item. Tap , and tap 'Share'.

Note: The Share option is available only for IDrive accounts with default encryption.

How can I export multiple documents and media files?

Using Access and Restore, you can export multiple documents and media files via third-party apps.

To export,

  1. Sign in to your IDrive account.
  2. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  3. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  4. Select the folder from where you want to export the files.
  5. Tap , and select Edit/Share.
  6. Select the required files and tap 'More > Export'.

Alternatively the below steps can be followed for exporting only media files,

  1. Sign in to your IDrive account.
  2. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  3. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  4. Select the folder from where you want to export the files.
  5. Tap and then tap .
  6. Select the required media files and tap 'More > Export'.

Where are my shared links located?

IDrive provides a centralized location for all your shared links. To manage the shared links,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap > 'Share'.
  2. You can view the list of files that you have shared with others.

How do I restore any device/folder contents?

To restore device/folder contents,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Tap corresponding to the folder you wish to restore, and then tap 'Restore'.

Note: Only files compatible with your iOS device will be restored.

How do I restore photos/videos to my device?

To restore photos/videos to your device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  3. Tap corresponding to the 'Photos'/'Videos' folder and tap 'Restore' to restore all your photos/videos.

To restore specific photos/videos,

  1. Tap the 'Photos'/'Videos' folder and then tap .
  2. Tap the 'Edit/Share' button.
  3. Select the photos/videos to restore, and then tap 'Restore'.

How can I restore calendar events to my device?

To restore calendar events to your device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other mobile device folder.
  3. Tap corresponding to the 'Calendar' folder and tap 'Restore' to restore all your calendar events.

To restore specific calendar events,

  1. Tap 'Calendar' folder.
  2. Tap .
  3. Select the calendar events to restore, and then tap 'Restore'.

How do I restore contacts to my device?

To restore contacts to your device,

You can restore your device contacts from your IDrive account.

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' folder or any other mobile device folder.
  3. Tap corresponding to 'Contacts' folder and select 'Restore' to restore all your contacts.

To restore specific contacts,

  1. Tap 'Contacts' folder.
  2. Tap .
  3. Select the contacts to restore, and then tap 'Restore'.
  4. Select 'Simply Restore to Address Book' or 'Delete Address Book & Restore'.

Note: To restore earlier versions of your contacts from your device, tap 'Contacts' > 'Version' and choose the desired version.

How do I restore health data to my device?

To restore health data to your device,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other mobile device folder.
  3. Tap corresponding to the 'Health' folder and select 'Restore' to restore all your health data.

How do I create a new folder?

To create a new folder,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Tap 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup'.
  3. Tap 'Create Folder'.
  4. Enter a name for the new folder and tap 'Create'.

How do I rename a file? *

To rename a file,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other mobile device folder.
  3. Tap and select 'Edit/Share'.
  4. Tap next to the file and change the name of the file.
  5. Tap 'Done'.

Read Note

Note: Default folders and device names cannot be renamed.

How can I cancel an upload while it is in progress?

To cancel an ongoing upload,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Backup' under Cloud Backup.
  2. Go to the file being uploaded.
  3. Tap next to the file name, to cancel the upload.

How do I delete files?

To delete a particular device and its contents,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other mobile device folder.
  3. Tap and select 'Edit/Share'.
  4. Select the folder you want to delete and tap 'More'.
  5. Select 'Delete'.

To delete a particular file,

  1. On the IDrive app home screen, tap 'Access and Restore'.
  2. Select 'My iPhone Backup/iPad Backup' or any other device folder.
  3. Navigate to the folder which contains the file to be deleted.
  4. Tap and select 'Edit/Share'.
  5. Select the file you want to delete and tap 'More'.
  6. Select 'Delete'.

Note: Default folders cannot be deleted.

What is two-factor authentication?

The two-factor authentication provides additional security to your account and helps in preventing unauthorized access. Once two-factor authentication is enabled via web, in addition to your password, you will need to enter a verification code sent to your email address or phone number or generated via Time-based OTP authenticator app, while signing in to your IDrive account. Read more on how to enable two-factor authentication for your IDrive account.

How do I sign in to my IDrive account once two-factor authentication is enabled?

To sign in to your IDrive account after two-factor authentication is enabled,

  1. On the IDrive Online application sign in screen, enter your username and password and tap 'Sign in'.
  2. If you have selected Email address or Phone number as the preferred method of receiving one-time verification code, enter the same and tap 'Verify'.
  3. If you have selected Time-based OTP Authentication as the preferred method of receiving one-time verification code, enter the one-time code generated by the Time-based OTP Authenticator app in your mobile device and tap 'Verify'.

* Note: For some accounts, certain functions like cut, copy, move, and rename are not available.



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