The backup is stuck or very slow
A first backup usually takes 10 to 60 minutes, depending on how much is on the iPhone, and it can sit quiet for several minutes before any file moves. That is normal. Later backups usually transfer only what changed and are much faster. Keep the iPhone unlocked and plugged in, and do not cancel unless it has been a long time with no change.
Everything stays on your Mac. The backup is written to your Mac's disk and never uploaded.
What normal looks like
Section titled "What normal looks like"The card tells you what is happening, how long it usually takes, and whether you need to do anything. These are the stages:
| Stage (pill) | What it means | Do you need to act? |
|---|---|---|
| Starting | Chatcove is starting the backup. Usually a few seconds before the iPhone asks for its passcode. | No. Keep the iPhone unlocked and plugged in. |
| On your iPhone | The iPhone is asking for its passcode. | Yes. Enter the passcode on the iPhone. After that the backup starts by itself. |
| Unlock iPhone | The iPhone locked during the backup. | Yes. Unlock it and keep it unlocked. It picks up again within a few seconds. |
| Preparing | The iPhone is getting the backup ready. It shows no output in this phase. | No. There is no need to press anything here or on the iPhone. |
| Copying | Files are moving. The card shows "This batch: x of y". | No. You can use other apps meanwhile. |
| Finishing | Almost done, usually under a minute. | No. |
| Retrying | The first attempt did not get a reply from the iPhone, so Chatcove tries again by itself. Each retry starts within 30 seconds. | No. |
On a Mac that has never backed up this iPhone, the first backup can take several minutes to get going after the passcode. The card says "Waiting for your iPhone for ..." with a running timer, and it moves on by itself as soon as files start to arrive.
Keep it unlocked and plugged in
Section titled "Keep it unlocked and plugged in"- Leave the iPhone unlocked for the whole backup. If it locks, the card shows Unlock iPhone and the backup carries on within a few seconds of unlocking. If the passcode prompt goes unanswered, the backup stops with "Your iPhone was locked": unlock it and click Try again.
- Leave the cable connected. If the iPhone disconnects, the backup stops with "Your iPhone disconnected". Plug it back in, unlock it and click Try again.
- Do not close Chatcove while it runs.
Low disk space
Section titled "Low disk space"Before a backup Chatcove compares what the iPhone holds with free space on your Mac. If free space is lower than the estimate plus a safety margin, it warns you: "This backup may need about X and only Y is free. Free up space or choose another location before backing up." The card offers Choose another disk.
A full backup includes your camera roll and can be tens of GB, so check free space before the first backup. If the disk fills up mid-backup, Chatcove stops with "This Mac ran out of space". Free some room, or choose a backup location on a bigger drive, and back up again.
When to cancel
Section titled "When to cancel"If more than ten minutes pass after the passcode with no file transfer, Chatcove offers an expandable "Taking too long?" section on the card. It does not cancel anything by itself. Its steps are:
- Make sure your iPhone is unlocked and showing its home screen.
- Cancel, unplug the iPhone, plug it in again and unlock it. Then start again and enter the passcode once when the iPhone asks.
If an Apple app that can hold on to the iPhone is open, the card also asks you to close it first.
Do not press Cancel or re-plug the cable earlier than that. Starting over can make the iPhone redo its preparation work, so cancelling early may make a slow start slower.
If you see "Your iPhone didn't start the backup"
Section titled "If you see "Your iPhone didn't start the backup""That means Chatcove reached the iPhone, but its backup service did not answer, even after trying again. Follow the steps on the card: reconnect the cable directly to the Mac, keep the iPhone unlocked, close the iPhone window in Finder and turn off automatic sync, make sure the iPhone has a few GB free, then restart the iPhone and the Mac. See Error reference for the full history of this message.
If it never moves
Section titled "If it never moves"Send a problem report. It includes the log of the backup that is still running, so we can see what the iPhone is doing: Send a problem report.