I understand that installing iOS 18.2 and utilizing its new capabilities is what you really want to accomplish, and that an iPhone backup is the last thing on your mind. But trust me when I say that you want a solid backup in place since I have personally jumped headfirst into what ended up being a poorly executed upgrade and lived with the consequences.

I’m not referring to a routine backup, though. For everyday peace of mind and when you upgrade to a new iPhone, it’s a great idea that you have your Apple Account settings set up to automatically backup your phone to iCloud. In the unusual event that something goes wrong with the iOS 18.2 upgrade, I’m talking about making an archive that can save your hide.

Installing iOS 18.2 will then make you feel more safe and let you to access new capabilities like Genmoji and Visual Intelligence in addition to those in iOS 18.1 like improved text messaging, improved Apple Maps, and MacOS Sequoia’s ability to mirror your iPhone from a Mac.

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Why installing an archive is necessary before installing a new iOS version
Most likely, you’re used to regularly backing up your data with iCloud Backup. As long as you have enough iCloud storage space available, it operates in the background—that is, when you are sleeping and charging your device—and involves the least amount of backup friction. If you haven’t previously, activate Back Up This iPhone by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

But when switching to a complete release version of iOS, such from iOS 17 to iOS 18, an iCloud backup presents a challenge: If you go back to iOS 17, you won’t be able to restore from that cloud backup. Furthermore, you are unable to select from earlier backup versions; iCloud only retains the most recent backup. You will receive an error if you attempt to restore to iOS 17 using an iOS 18 cloud backup. (When installing iOS betas, creating an archive is also a crucial step.)

For this reason, you must store a backup on your PC.

Two iPhones demonstrating the series of windows warning the user that after restoring to iOS 17, an iCloud backup created during the iOS 18 beta cannot be used.
If you attempt to restore from an iCloud backup created during the iOS beta, iOS alerts you.
CNET/Jeff Carlson

Is it necessary to encrypt the local backup?

You should choose whether to enable the “Encrypt local backup” option before creating this archived backup. This feature jumbles the data for security purposes, making it impossible for someone with access to your computer to access it. Additionally, this option keeps private data from the Health and Fitness apps and passwords safe in the backup.

The drawback is that you have to make a new password just for the backup. The backup is worthless if you lose or forget that password. Therefore, you should write down this password in a location that you can quickly access. You’ll need to determine whether that’s a reasonable trade-off when using an iOS 17 backup as a backup in case you need to install the iOS 18 beta.

On your Mac, create a local iPhone archive.

All you need to do this kind of backup is disk space and a little perseverance:

Connect the iPhone to the Mac.
Select File > New Finder Window or hit Command-N to launch a new Finder window.
Choose your iPhone from the Locations section of the left-hand sidebar.
Click the Encrypt local backup checkbox and provide a password if you wish to encrypt the data.
Press the Back Up Now button under the General tab.
Select Manage Backups.
Select Archive by right-clicking (or control-clicking) the backup you created.
screenshot of a MacOS Finder window with an iPhone connected. Red callouts are used to draw attention to the phone’s name and the Back Up Now button.
On the computer (MacOS displayed here), make an archive backup of an iPhone that is connected.
Image courtesy of Jeff Carlson/CNET
By going the further step of designating the backup as an archive, you may prevent it from being automatically erased if the Mac runs out of space or overwritten by the subsequent local backup.

iPhone device backups are displayed in a MacOS dialog box with the option Archive underlined and a contextual menu.
Create an archive for the backup.
Image courtesy of Jeff Carlson/CNET

On Windows, create a local iPhone archive.

When using a linked iPhone on Windows, the iTunes app remains the primary interface. Launch iTunes and take these actions:

Connect the iPhone to your Windows PC.
Click the iPhone button in the upper left corner of iTunes.
Select Summary.
Click the Encrypt local backup option and provide a password if you wish to encrypt the data.
Click “Back Up Now.”
Select Manage Backups.
Select Archive with a right-click on the backup you created. By taking this extra precaution, you can prevent the backup from being automatically erased if the machine runs out of space or overwritten by the subsequent local backup.
With an archive in place, you can begin using the iOS 18 beta with the assurance that you can promptly restore your iPhone to functionality in the event that something necessitates a switch to iOS 17.

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