By Lydia | Last Updated
Trying to back up your iPhone in iTunes, but the “Back Up Now” button is greyed out? You're not alone. This issue can be frustrating—especially when you urgently need to save your data before updating, resetting, or transferring devices.
In this guide, we'll explore the top reasons why the Back Up Now button in iTunes is disabled and show you how to fix it step by step.
When iTunes doesn't let you click “Back Up Now,” it's usually caused by one of the following:
If you find iTunes Back Up Now button greyed out in your Windows 10/11, how can you solve the issue and back up iPhone/iPad normally? You can try the below solutions.
If your iPhone or iPad is locked or not trusted by the computer, iTunes won't allow backups. Thus, reconnect your device to the computer and tap Trust on the Trust This Computer prompt.
The outdated software may cause syncing and backup issues. So, you can open iTunes, click the Help tab on the top and choose Check for Updates.
As for the iPhone/iPad, tap Settings> General> Software Update to check whether there is available update.
Sometimes a quick restart fixes unexpected bugs. It is better to close the iTunes and restart your computer. At the same time, disconnect the iPhone and reboot the iPhone. After that, reconnect the iPhone with official lighting cable and open iTunes again. Now you can check whether the Back Up Now button works normally or not.
If screen time or content restrictions are enabled, they may block backups. You can go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions to turn off the restrictions temporarily or adjust the iTunes & Apps Store access. But if your iPhone is under supervision, you are restricted to back up the iPhone. In such situation, you can remove iPhone supervision firstly.
If you are using Windows PC, the security software might be the one cause for this issue. The third-party security software, such as Malwarebytes, will stop you from iTunes backup. You can disable or uninstall the security software before opening iTunes.
If you cannot solve the issue of iTunes Back Up Now greyed out issue, how can you back up the iPhone data to your computer? Don't worry, you can choose the alternative software, such as iSunshare iSyncGenius, to transfer data from iPhone/iPad to your computer when iTunes is unavailable. This iOS data backup software makes it extremely to back up videos, photos, contacts, and apps to the target folder.
Step 1: Unlock your iPhone and connect it to the computer. Then launch iSunshare iSynchGenius and you are in the Back Up interface.
Step 2: Your iPhone model and details are listed on the interface. If there is no backup password, hit the Next button to continue.
Step 3: You can choose to back up all the iPhone data or selectively backup. After that, click the Choose button behind the Backup path box and define your destination folder to save the backup.
Step 4: Hit the Start button to start the backing up process. Minutes later, you can see the successful message on the interface. If you want to restore the backup, just click the Restore button and select the backup file to continue.
If “Back Up Now” is greyed out in iTunes, it's likely due to a trust issue, or software restrictions. With the fixes above, you can quickly regain access to the backup feature and protect your iPhone data.
