Need help understanding iCloud backup

[Plucky]

I hope someone can help me understand the iCloud backup functionality. I have two IPad 2s linked to my Apple account. (I got the second one so that my grandkids won't fight over the IPad when they come to visit ).

I notice that when I buy an app on one IPad, I can download it from the cloud on the other IPad in the Purchased section of the App Store app. And if I delete the app from an IPad, I can re-download it from there. I can't recall turning anything on in my IPad Settings to make this happen, but it is a great feature to have.

Under Settings, there is an option iCloud-Backup which is deactivated on both IPads. My questions are:

1. Are purchases always backed up in the cloud regardless of whether the iCloud-Backup functionality is activated or not?
2. The only thing I want to be backed up are my purchases. I don't use my IPads to store photos, music or documents. Does this mean I don't need to turn on iCloud-Backup?

Thanks!

 

[s2mikey]

iCloud backup is simply a way to backup whatever it is you want to on your pad to the cloud storage. IMO, it's useful and makes sense to use. It's also manageable meaning you can decide what gets backed up and what doesn't get backed up on an app for app basis. You don't have to back up photos or anything else you don't want to. The backups take place when the device is resting too or whatever. Usually overnight or every few days. I believe there is some control over that too.

I've been using it for a while now and it works great. It's also necessary if you upgrade devices since the new device will pull the backup down from the cloud so it will be setup very similarly to the device you replaced.

Hope that helps.

 

[J. A.]

You're apps are not backed up. Just their settings, if you choose to.

The apps you purchase are "tied" to your Apple ID. If you use the same Apple ID on your Apple devices, you'll find them in the App Store app, in the Purchased tab. You'll be able to delete them from the iPad and re-download them as often as you wish to, unless they are removed from the App Store, which happens from time to time.

So:
If you only want to be able to access your purchases, you don't need a backup at all. On the other hand: the backup also saves which apps you put into which folder and on which homescreen. So if you ever have to restore your iPad, restoring from a backup would save you a lot of time to get everything as you had it before.

 

[Plucky]

Thanks s2mikey and J.A. I'm not really concerned about saving how my IPAD is organized (the two iPADs are actually organized differently), but I have bought at least one great app that has since been removed from the App Store (Pictureka! by Electronic Arts) and I would hate to lose that if anything happened to my iPAD. I hadn't realized that I might not be able to restore that app if I haven't turned on the iCloud backup functionality. So the backup is running right now

 

[scifan57]

You can also connect to iTunes on your computer and back up to your computer, where the app and everything else will be downloaded to your iTunes library, where it's available to sync back to your iPad if necessary and won't use any of your iCloud storage plan. I have several,apps that were removed from the App Store and are no longer in my purchased list but can be transferred to any of my devices through syncing with my iTunes library.