It is an annoying thing to lose data after you update iPhone to iOS 12. In order to avoid this unhappy condition, many users begin to resort various methods to update iPhone software without losing data. This guidance will display you some of them for you to refer to and you can learn the solution to find back the lost data on iPhone as well.

Part 1: Introduction to iOS 12

When it comes to iOS12, we all know that it is developed by Apple Company, which is the twelfth major release of the iOS mobile operating system. Compared with the previous operating systems, iOS 12 has some greater features, which also has some bugs in functions.
As for its features, the performance becomes better, and the Screen Time is a new one. Users can also set up Shortcuts and share views with other iOS 12-supported devices via ARKit 2. The apps in iOS 12 are also improved or updated a lot to make it more convenient for users, such as the CarPlay, Messages, FaceTime, Measure, Photos, Notifications, Do Not Disturb, Voice Memos and Stocks, Apple Books, Safari, Maps and etc.
There are also some bugs in iOS 12. For instance, the Force touch method of replying to SMS messages from the Lock Screen cannot perform well, and the device may restart all by itself when users try to take a screenshot of the lock screen. Besides, when you turn the sound off for the keyboard, the sound for haptic feedback also turns off. The battery dies quickly when in standby mode. The apps crash if you are multitasking.
However, the better features outweigh the bugs. Therefore, more users would like to update to iOS 12 in the right way.

Part 2: How to Update iPhone to iOS 12

There are two typical ways to update iPhone to iOS 12: Air or iTunes. If you desire to know the detailed steps, please continue to read the following paragraphs in this part.

2.1 Update iPhone to iOS 12 via Air
1. If a pop-up panel shows you that iPhone latest version iOS 12 is available, you can click on the “Install Now” button to start to update iPhone to iOS 12.
2. It is also accessible to check out if iOS 12 is available manually now. The following steps will instruct you to make it.
a) Connect iPhone to a good Wi-Fi network and make sure your iPhone storage is enough. You also need to ensure that the battery of your iPhone can support the update.
b) Click on “Settings > General > Software Update> Download and Install” successively and iPhone will start to download and install iOS 12 right away. Wait until the update is completed.

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2.2 Update iPhone to iOS 12 via iTunes

1. In order to use iTunes to update iPhone to iOS 12, you can first download iOS 12 IPSW file from this website (click here).
2. Run the latest version of iTunes on computer and insert iPhone to computer.
3. Click on iPhone icon on iTunes interface and then hit “Summary> Check for Update”.

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4. Choose the IPSW firmware file that you have downloaded beforehand by performing the following actions in iTunes: >
Mac: OPTION + Click on the “Update” button in iTunes
Windows: SHIFT + Click on the ‘Update’ button in iTunes

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5. Navigate to your computer folder to choose the IPSW file and then click on “Update” button to confirm that you would like to install iOS 12 in the pop-up panel.

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6. Wait until the update is over and iOS 12 is installed on iPhone. In the end, your iPhone will reboot with iOS 12 successfully installed.

Part 3: How to Backup iPhone Avoiding iPhone Update Data Loss with iTransfer

It is not hard to update iPhone to iOS 12, but it calls for tricks or good tools to update iPhone software without losing data. Leawo iTransfer is just the best tool that I would like to recommend to you to make use of. It can assist you to backup iPhone quickly and safely. Leawo iTransfer has been praised by numerous users all over the world. Its functions are powerful, which can meet various transfer needs, such as transferring files between iDevices and computers, iTunes and iDevices, computers and iTunes and etc. Now let’s begin to have a look at how to apply this comprehensive transfer tool to realize the backup from iPhone to computer easily. Contacts will be taken for example in this part.

iTransfer

Leawo iTransfer 

☉ Transfer files among iOS devices, iTunes and PCs with ease.
☉ Transfer up to 14 kinds of data and files without iTunes.
☉ Support the latest iOS devices like iPhone X, iPhone XR, etc.
☉ Play back, view, and delete data and files on iOS devices.

1. Connect iPhone to Computer
Run iTransfer on computer and then plug iPhone into computer with proper USB cable to prepare to backup iPhone data to fix how to update iPhone without losing data.

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2. Navigate to “Contacts” Tab
Click on the icon of iPhone and then hit “LIBRARY > Contacts” in the left sidebar to see all iPhone contacts on computer.

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3. Backup Contacts to Computer from iPhone
Check the iPhone contacts data that you want to backup to computer and then click on the button of “Export”. A pop-up panel will ask you to select a computer folder to save the exported iPhone contacts. After you set the folder well, you can choose VCF as the format to store the exported iPhone contacts.

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If you desire to backup other kinds of data from iPhone to computer, you just need to choose the data category you need to realize your goal. Thus, you can settle how to update iPhone without losing data perfectly. >

Part 4: How to Backup iPhone Avoiding iPhone Update Data Loss with iTunes

iTunes is also a good program for you to use to address how to update iPhone without losing data. The steps shown below will direct you to achieve your aim.
1. Run iTunes on computer and make sure it is the latest version.
2. Insert iPhone into computer via matched USB cable. On iTunes, go to click on “Preferences > Devices” and choose the option of “Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically” to check.

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3. Click on the device icon on iTunes interface and then hit “Settings> Summary”. On the right part of the iTunes window, you need to go to the function area of “Backups” to click on “This computer” and then hit “Backup Now” to back up all iPhone files to your computer to realize the goal to update iPhone without losing data.

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Part 5: How to Backup iPhone Avoiding iPhone Update Data Loss with iCloud

For the purpose of dealing with how to update iPhone software without losing data, iCloud can also be resorted to. This wireless way is convenient to handle. In this part, photos will be taken for example. Follow me to check out the steps listed below to see how to make it.

1. On your iPhone, hit on “Settings” and then click on “Name/Apple ID”.
2. Tap on “iCloud> Photos” and then enable the feature of “iCloud Photo Library” to sync iPhone photos to iCloud immediately. Before you do so, you need to make sure your iPhone has been connected to the good Wi-Fi network.

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As for syncing other data to iCloud, you can turn on the corresponding features you need to complete the backup task.

Part 6: How to Update iPhone without Losing Data via iOS Data Recovery

You may feel quite upset when you find your iPhone data is lost after the system update. In this case, Leawo iOS Data Recovery can help you out of this trouble simply. It is quite efficient to deal with various data recovery issues and the two modes of it are fairly convenient for you to make use of. Normal mode and DFU mode have their own advantages and disadvantages. Since Normal Mode can be applied by all iDevices, here I would show you how use apply this mode to recover iPhone data from iDevice. Camera roll photos will be taken for instance in this part.

ios-data-recovery

iOS Data Recovery 

☉ Recover multiple deleted data directly from iPhone/iPad/iPod touch
☉ Extract and export 14 types of files from previous iTunes&iCloud backup
☉ Back up 14 kinds of data on iOS devices to computer
☉ Recover data lost due to jailbreak, iOS upgrade, deletion, etc.
☉ Support iPhone SE/6/7/8/X, iOS 12, iTunes 12.9 & Win10

Download Windows Version Download Mac Version

6.1 Recover iPhone Lost Data via Leawo iOS Data Recovery

1. Select Proper Backup Source
Insert iPhone to computer and then launch Leawo iOS Data Recovery. Click on the option of “Recover from iOS Device” to continue.

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2. Hit Start Button
In the interface, find the green “Start” button to click on to begin to scan iPhone data.

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3. Select iPhone Files
When the program completes the scanning procedure, check “Camera Roll” and then select the photos you would like to recover. Afterwards, click on the “Recover” button at the bottom right corner of the screen.

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4. Set Output Folder>
In the pop-up panel, hit the “Open” button and then select a computer folder to save the recovered files. After that, hit on “Go” button to start recovering photos from iPhone lost data. After a while, the iPhone camera roll photos will be available on computer.

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As for recovering other kinds of data, you are required to check the corresponding category in the left sidebar and select the files you would like to export to computer folder.

6.2 Transfer Recovered Files from Computer to iPhone via Leawo iTransfer

1. Connect iPhone to Computer and Run the Software
Connect iPhone with computer with matched USB cable. Run Leawo iTransfer, and it will recognize your iPhone device automatically.

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2. Add Files to iPhone from Computer
Find the iPhone icon to click on and then hit “LIBRARY> Camera” to check all iPhone camera photos in the right part of the interface. Hit “Add> Add File” or “Add> Add Folder” and navigate to the photos you have recovered via Leawo iOS Data Recovery. Hit “Open” button and the transfer process will begin. When this procedure is finished, the lost camera photos will be on iPhone again.

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Just with several clicks, you can find iPhone lost data back with the help of Leawo iOS Data Recovery and Leawo iTransfer. Thus, the problem of how to update iPhone without losing data successfully.

Part 7: Tips to Avoid iPhone Update Data Loss

It is not rare to encounter iPhone data loss during or after iOS update, so it is necessary for iPhone users to obtain some tips to avoid this case. Here I would like to list several of them for you to check out.
1. Backup iPhone data before update by referring to the methods shown above, such as iTransfer, iTunes, iCloud and etc.
2. Check whether your iPhone is compatible with the newest iOS in official websites.
3. Make sure your iPhone has adequate storage space to install the newest iOS version.
4. Ensure your iPhone has consistent power supply to go through the whole iOS update process.
5. Install all available application updates to avoid application crash.
6. Uninstall all the useless applications to save iPhone storage space and save update time.
7. Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, rather than so-called 3G or 4G to prevent from running out of all your cellular data for the current month or sudden stops during update.