First backup

After installation, open the web UI at http://<device-ip>:8080 and complete the first-start wizard, then set backup encryption on the iPhone and run the first backup. The first backup is a full, slow run; every later backup is incremental and much faster.

First-start wizard

On the very first boot (when owner info has not been configured), the web UI automatically shows a guided setup wizard. It walks through nine steps:

Owner information, displayed on the e-ink screen when idle
WiFi (optional), to connect to a wireless network for NTP sync, notifications, and remote access
Date and time, set manually or with automatic NTP synchronization
Backup directory, where backups are stored
Backup encryption, set directly on your iPhone (the password is never stored on this device)
Device filter (optional), to restrict which iPhones can trigger a backup; it auto-detects the connected device
Notifications (optional), webhook and MQTT alerts for backup events
Display orientation, landscape left or right
Web UI password (optional), to protect the settings interface

The Flask session secret_key is generated automatically on first start and saved to config.yaml, so no manual configuration is needed.

Backup encryption

Set backup encryption during the wizard, or later from the Encryption page in the sidebar. Enter a password with your iPhone connected and unlocked. The password is sent directly to the iPhone.

If no iPhone is connected during setup, skip the encryption step and visit the Encryption page later when your iPhone is plugged in.

Run the first backup

Plug in your iPhone, unlock it, and tap Trust when prompted
The first backup runs; this takes a long time depending on device storage
All subsequent backups are incremental and much faster

If the first backup is interrupted, encryption (if enabled) remains active on the iPhone. The next backup attempt proceeds normally and no data is lost.

Restoring a backup

To restore a backup, plug your iOS device into a computer, plug the microSD card into the same computer, and run:

idevicebackup2 restore --password <your backup password> /media/sdcard/iosbackup/